Harlan Estate
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
This 1994 wasn’t the highest scoring wine of the tasting, but it was the prettiest. The 1994 vintage didn’t get the accolades of say 1997 and 2007, but in my mind and many others, 1994 was a very special vintage.
I have to thank Bob Levy and Don Weaver for bringing their very best wines to this tasting. Quite often, you will attend these tastings, and they will bring a couple nice vintages, and a number of off vintages. All but one of these 6 didn’t get an RP 💯 rating. So hats off to them for really bringing it!
The nose showed me beautiful perfumed fruits that were at the center of it a very dark core of currants, blackberries, black, raspberries, dark cherries, both plums baked strawberries with hints of Mulberry. The best, layered baking spices I can remember, black, licorice, dark, chocolate, red, and dark flowers, roses, and violets.
Glorious fruits and well resolved tenants were the theme in this wine. Black raspberries, dark cherries, ripe strawberries, and sweet cherries. Soft, dry soils, light and softly expressed dark spices, mid berry cola, black licorice, soft, gentle, tobacco’s, used leather, caramel, both dark and milk chocolates, limestone, dry river stone, dry, crushed rocks, excellent acidity, gentle tension, and structure, well balanced with an elegant two-minute finish that lands evenly on fruit on earth.
If there is one thing I learned tasting 6 Harlan’s is Bob Levy is one of the very best, if not thee best at managing Cabernet/Bordeaux blend tannins.
Tasting with Winemaker- Bob Levy & Managing Director-Don Weaver.
This 1994 wasn’t the highest scoring wine of the tasting, but it was the prettiest. The 1994 vintage didn’t get the accolades of say 1997 and 2007, but in my mind and many others, 1994 was a very special vintage.
I have to thank Bob Levy and Don Weaver for bringing their very best wines to this tasting. Quite often, you will attend these tastings, and they will bring a couple nice vintages, and a number of off vintages. All but one of these 6 didn’t get an RP 💯 rating. So hats off to them for really bringing it!
The nose showed me beautiful perfumed fruits that were at the center of it a very dark core of currants, blackberries, black, raspberries, dark cherries, both plums baked strawberries with hints of Mulberry. The best, layered baking spices I can remember, black, licorice, dark, chocolate, red, and dark flowers, roses, and violets.
Glorious fruits and well resolved tenants were the theme in this wine. Black raspberries, dark cherries, ripe strawberries, and sweet cherries. Soft, dry soils, light and softly expressed dark spices, mid berry cola, black licorice, soft, gentle, tobacco’s, used leather, caramel, both dark and milk chocolates, limestone, dry river stone, dry, crushed rocks, excellent acidity, gentle tension, and structure, well balanced with an elegant two-minute finish that lands evenly on fruit on earth.
If there is one thing I learned tasting 6 Harlan’s is Bob Levy is one of the very best, if not thee best at managing Cabernet/Bordeaux blend tannins.
Tasting with Winemaker- Bob Levy & Managing Director-Don Weaver.
We all know that the 2013 Napa vintage was excellent and this is a fine example of that.
The nose shows; a dark currant core, blackberries, dark, cherries, black raspberries and blueberries, dark, red, blue perfumed florals, settlement, moist clay, softly and layered baking spices.
The palate shows; gently polished, velvety, dusty, round, soft tannins. Gorgeous & perfectly ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries & both plums. baking soda, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, soft, leather, cedar notes, tobacco w/ ash, dry soils, beautiful, blue, dark, red florals framed in violets, grand acidity, wire to wire perfectly well balanced w/even tension/structure, excellently knitted structure and a long two-minute finish and long sets on beautiful, soft earthiness.
If there is one thing I learned tasting 6 Harlan’s is Bob Levy is one of the very best, if not thee best at managing Cabernet/Bordeaux blend tannins.
Tasting with Winemaker- Bob Levy & Managing Director-Don Weaver.
We all know that the 2013 Napa vintage was excellent and this is a fine example of that.
The nose shows; a dark currant core, blackberries, dark, cherries, black raspberries and blueberries, dark, red, blue perfumed florals, settlement, moist clay, softly and layered baking spices.
The palate shows; gently polished, velvety, dusty, round, soft tannins. Gorgeous & perfectly ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries & both plums. baking soda, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, soft, leather, cedar notes, tobacco w/ ash, dry soils, beautiful, blue, dark, red florals framed in violets, grand acidity, wire to wire perfectly well balanced w/even tension/structure, excellently knitted structure and a long two-minute finish and long sets on beautiful, soft earthiness.
If there is one thing I learned tasting 6 Harlan’s is Bob Levy is one of the very best, if not thee best at managing Cabernet/Bordeaux blend tannins.
Tasting with Winemaker- Bob Levy & Managing Director-Don Weaver.
A close friend of mine invited me over to share a special bottle of this 1994 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. How excited I was to be able to share such a special wine and that he would invite me to share it with him. This is a Bordeaux blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.
On the nose even for its age distinct fruit of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, cassis, then tertiary notes of leather, licorice and earth.
On the palate again is good dark fruit for its age of black cherry, blackberry, black currant and then tertiary notes of licorice, leather, cedar, minerality and dark earth.
This wine is full bodied with a smooth velvety mouthfeel with surprisingly medium + acidity and still good medium to medium + smooth fine tannins which leaves you with a beautiful long black fruit mineral earthy finish. What a wonderful experience, a wine I never thought I would have a chance to experience and at the end of the evening this friend said we were going ro have to do this again with another one of his special wines. Oh boy what could this one be on our next meeting. Have a great week moving into the new year and please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
A close friend of mine invited me over to share a special bottle of this 1994 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. How excited I was to be able to share such a special wine and that he would invite me to share it with him. This is a Bordeaux blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot.
On the nose even for its age distinct fruit of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, cassis, then tertiary notes of leather, licorice and earth.
On the palate again is good dark fruit for its age of black cherry, blackberry, black currant and then tertiary notes of licorice, leather, cedar, minerality and dark earth.
This wine is full bodied with a smooth velvety mouthfeel with surprisingly medium + acidity and still good medium to medium + smooth fine tannins which leaves you with a beautiful long black fruit mineral earthy finish. What a wonderful experience, a wine I never thought I would have a chance to experience and at the end of the evening this friend said we were going ro have to do this again with another one of his special wines. Oh boy what could this one be on our next meeting. Have a great week moving into the new year and please stay safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷
Quite toasted fruit. Deep blackcurrant and hints of violet. Rather pretty. Still has balance. Yum
Quite toasted fruit. Deep blackcurrant and hints of violet. Rather pretty. Still has balance. Yum
Jan 8th, 2020
Wanted to hate it. This is a can’t miss.
Wanted to hate it. This is a can’t miss.
Oct 18th, 2018
Soft and elegant no way this is 2011. Velvety and sandy. Blueberry and cherry. Red fruit dancing on your tongue. A beautiful experience.
Soft and elegant no way this is 2011. Velvety and sandy. Blueberry and cherry. Red fruit dancing on your tongue. A beautiful experience.
Oct 6th, 2018
What is Napa is about. Well balanced and complex.
What is Napa is about. Well balanced and complex.
Sep 21st, 2018
Red fruits jump out with black fruits more restrained. Liquid milk chocolate on the palate with a touch of eucalyptus, and dried field herbs. A more minimal influence of toasted oak is well integrated and not dominate. A layer of volcanic dust for tannin shows its mountainous pedigree. This is really heaven. Complete and easy.
Red fruits jump out with black fruits more restrained. Liquid milk chocolate on the palate with a touch of eucalyptus, and dried field herbs. A more minimal influence of toasted oak is well integrated and not dominate. A layer of volcanic dust for tannin shows its mountainous pedigree. This is really heaven. Complete and easy.
Mar 12th, 2018
Another stunning wine from Harlan and to my palate the best since their fantastic 2010.
@Delectable Wine Enough with the manual corrections - I’ve had close to 0% correctly identified wines recently.
This app has taken a serious turn for the worse lately and improving it ASAP should be your top priority before losing any hardcore fans/users still left.
Another stunning wine from Harlan and to my palate the best since their fantastic 2010.
@Delectable Wine Enough with the manual corrections - I’ve had close to 0% correctly identified wines recently.
This app has taken a serious turn for the worse lately and improving it ASAP should be your top priority before losing any hardcore fans/users still left.
