| Region of production: | Napa Valley AVA |
| Winery Location: | Oakville |
| Year Established: | 1984 |
Vineyard Holdings
16 ha
- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Harlan Estate: 1990 (21,000 bottles)
- The Maiden: 1995 (10,500 bottles)
Average Total Production
- 31,500 bottles
Summary
Located on the lower Mayacamas slopes west of Oakville, Harlan Estate was founded by H. William (Bill) Harlan in 1984, with his stated goal to create a Californian „First Growth.“ 24 acres of hillside, terraced vineyards were planted in 1986 and 1987 (with the rest added in the 1990s), and the winery made small, non-commercial amounts of wine from its young vines in the late 1980s. The first official release was the 1990 vintage, introduced in 1996. The wine, a Cabernet-dominant blend, signaled the beginning of the cult era in Napa Valley, and has been handsomely rewarded by critics. The estate introduced a second wine, „The Maiden,“ with the 1995 vintage. Winemaker Bob Levy has been with the estate since the beginning, but has now assumed more of an emeritus role, ceding the day-to-day winemaking to Cory Empting. In addition to his flagship Harlan Esate, Bill Harlan also owns Napa’s ultra-premium resort Meadowood, the Napa Valley Reserve, and two other wineries: Bond and Promontory. In 2013, release prices for Harlan Estate hovered around $800 a bottle.
Style & Vinification Techniques
No expense is spared, in the vineyards or winery, to produce one of Napa’s ripest, most polished, and most profound cult wines.
Producer Website: Harlan Estate