Harlan Estate 2014

Harlan Estate 2014 — Napa Valley

This Harlan Estate 2014 is one of the great contemporary expressions of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. From the western hills of Oakville, it combines California’s solar depth with architecture of remarkable precision: cassis, black cherry, crushed blackberry, black fruits, violet, forest floor, black earth, charcoal, dried herbs, graphite, spice and a finish of impressive length.

Founded by Bill Harlan, Harlan Estate has become one of Napa’s cult estates, with an ambition clearly inspired by the great historic crus: to produce a wine of place, depth, longevity and recognisable identity. The 2014 shows a more sensual and transparent side of the estate, less massive than some very solar vintages, yet remarkably balanced, with very fine tannins and striking fruit purity.

Terroir: Oakville’s western hills and volcanic soils

Harlan Estate is located in the western hills of Oakville, at the heart of Napa Valley. The estate extends over a natural amphitheatre of hills, woodland and vineyard parcels, with varied elevations and multiple exposures. The vines are planted on poor, well-draining soils of volcanic origin, encouraging low yields, slow ripening and great aromatic concentration.

This terroir gives Cabernet Sauvignon depth, darkness and structure, but also more nuance than simple Napa power. The lean soils and hillside topography bring tension, density and energy; the Oakville climate provides fruit ripeness; the Bordeaux-style blend adds relief, complexity and texture. In the 2014, this combination translates into cassis, black cherry, blackberry, violet, earth, forest floor, charcoal, dried herbs and long spicy persistence.

Tasting notes

Appearance: deep garnet-purple, dense, bright and still very sustained. The colour reflects the concentration of the vintage, but also the relative youth of a wine still capable of long evolution in the cellar.

Nose: deep, subtle and complex, with cassis, black cherry, crushed blackberry, black fruits, violet, forest floor, black earth, charcoal, dried herbs and spice. With aeration, nuances of fresh mushroom, tar, burnt orange, fine leather, graphite, cocoa and noble meat may appear.

Palate: full, dense and beautifully balanced, with a taut, muscular and perfectly defined core of fruit. The tannins are abundant but ultra-fine, giving a sense of controlled power and great precision. Cassis, black fruits, earth, herbs, spice and mineral notes extend into an epic, harmonious, fresh and persistent finish.

Expression of the 2014 vintage

The 2014 vintage in Napa Valley produced concentrated, ripe and balanced wines, often marked by fine fruit purity and polished tannins. At Harlan Estate, the 2014 is regularly described as a wine of sensuality, transparency and finesse, with real richness but less mass than some more extreme vintages. Around 2,100 cases were produced, underlining the rarity of this cuvée.

Today, Harlan Estate 2014 is beginning to enter a more open phase, yet it retains significant structure and excellent ageing potential. It can be enjoyed after careful aeration, while continuing to gain complexity: forest floor, fine leather, graphite, cocoa, dried herbs, black earth, noble mushroom and more tertiary nuances should gradually join the depth of black fruit.