A truly amazing opportunity to attend this wine seminar, along with my wife, as part of the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival
The seminar, which took place at 10 AM on a Friday (a blessing of a remote/traveling job), was an amazing experience.
This also featured a panel interview with Founding Winemaker Bob Levy and Founding Director Don Weaver, both legends in the industry.
As part of the experience, we not only got to taste six vintages, all strong vintages (some all-time vintages), but got to learn about the history of Harlan Estate and how the wine has evolved over four decades.
Plus, we were able to ask questions to both Bob and Don, who were more than happy to share their insights.
Walking in, 2020, 2016, and 2013 were already filled, while 2007, 2004, and 1994 were empty at the beginning.
2007-2020 had been double-decanted about 45 minutes ahead of time (2007 was poured later) and the seminar lasted 90 minutes, which meant we took our time with each pour.
In fact, while learning from the seminar, I spent most of my time just enjoying the nose on the glass and seeing how it evolved with even ten minutes of air in the glass.
Thankfully, each wine was also poured a little cooler (~60 degrees F), which is my favorite way to enjoy Napa.
2020 Harlan Estate
Wine had been double-decanted for 45 minutes ahead of time and enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes.
The 2020 vintage was a dry season and everything tacked ahead of schedule… until the infamous LNU fire in August. Harlan Estate finished the entire harvest by September 12. The estate believes this was a paradigm shift and more recent vintages are harvested on the earlier side as well.
Powerful nose hits you right away and already feels very young.
Picked up notes of dark plum, blackberry, cedar, dark cherry, and graphite.
Also some dark chocolate and cinnamon.
After taking in all the wine has to offer on the nose, this is VERY young on the palate.
Super grippy tannins, mouth-drying to the point of needing water nearby.
High acidity on this as well.
With a lot of swirling and air, this opened up and became a more balanced wine.
No smoke taint, owing to the decision to pick early, as discussed.
94+ points.
2016 Harlan Estate
Wine had been double-decanted for 45 minutes ahead of time and enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes.
2016 was a standout vintage in Napa, with a warm spring, and a hot June and August, but cooling in August, which moderated the ripening period. Importantly, no extreme weather events, creating a more balanced wine.
This naturally drink young, but not overwhelmingly so, especially compared to the 2020.
I picked up notes of pencil shavings, eucalyptus, brambly blue fruit, blueberry, toasted cloves, and dark cherry.
Grippy-but-settled tannins, combined with solid acidity on the palate.
Very well-balanced wine that I believe is very early in its drinking window and will likely get better over time.
94+ points.
2013 Harlan Estate
Wine had been double-decanted for 45 minutes ahead of time and enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes.
2013 was a cool and foggy growing season with relatively low amounts of rain, but also very even, with no major heat spikes or cold spells.
This is a very fragrant wine with a somewhat floral nose. I get some violets and lavender.
I also get graphite, young peppercorn, dark plums, plum skins, blackberry, and redcurrant.
Alongside that, light cocoa powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
This is still very tannic, super mouth-drying, but with balanced acidity.
This may actually drink a little younger than the 2016.
Somewhat savory on the palate as well.
This was likely my favorite wine of the tasting and the wine with the most upside, in my view.
94++ points.
2007 Harlan Estate
Wine had been double-decanted for 45 minutes ahead of time and enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes.
2007 was a strong growing season, with a dry spring, a cool summer, and an even cooler September, leading to a long growing season.
Lovely on the nose, but definitely starting to pick up some more mature notes.
Dried blackberries, dried plums, prunes and pluots.
Also picked up toasted oak and slight leather, with some slight balsamic notes.
Very settled and balanced tannins and acidity.
With some time, also started to get some cocoa, nutmeg, and sour plums.
I would argue this wine is near its peak and will likely stay there for a long time, in contrast to some of the other Harlans we tasted.
This was my wife's favorite of the tasting.
94 points.
2004 Harlan Estate
This wine had been opened prior, but was not decanted ahead of time. Enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes in the glass.
2004 saw abundant rainfall in early spring, followed by a consistently warm summer, with only a few heat spikes (primarily mid-September), setting up an early harvest.
The 2004 drank younger than the 2007.
The nose keeps on giving.
Picked up plum, blackberry, violets, and pencil shavings. Maybe slight bellpepper?
With some more air, picked up young peppercorn, elaichi (cardamom), pine, dark chocolate, and dark cherry.
This wine will benefit from more time.
94+ points.
1994 Harlan Estate
This wine had been opened prior, but was not decanted ahead of time. Enjoyed over the following ~90 minutes in the glass.
1994 was a foundational vintage, with a cool start, followed by late-season warmth, then a cool spring and cool early summer, leading to a late harvest.
On the nose, dried flowers, dried herbs, craisins, dried cherry, plums.
Also some toasted oak, cinnamon, leather, and tobacco.
On the palate, also some sour blueberry candy.
This still drinks younger than you'd expect!
Very settled tannins, nice acidity.
I think this can age for a while still, potentially at its peak, but not fully mature.
94 points.
What a truly incredible experience this was! I'll be remembering this for a long, long time.
It wasn't just the wines, which were obviously incredible, but the thought and detail that had been put in, the community around us, and the learnings we walked away with.
I know it seems like a cop-out to score every wine a 94, but it felt like the wines were all on even playing field, especially since I'm scoring off a pour of wine. I have a feeling with a whole bottle, the story may be different, but I think these wines were generally all of similar quality, even though they each had unique expressions of the vintage and the winemaking evolution.
My favorite was likely the 2013 (for long-term potential) and 1994 (for drinking now), while my wife enjoyed the 2007 most of all!
by rnjbond