1997 | Harlan Estate | Napa Valley

Saturated ruby. Liqueur-like superripe nose combines roasted cherry, black raspberry, minerals and Valrhona chocolate; distinctly port-like notes. Voluptuous and huge in the mouth, with explosive fruit bordering on confectionary; flavor of chocolate-covered currants. Much more powerfully structured than the estate second wine but the backbone is hidden under a tidal wave of lush fruit. Endless finish features extraordinarily fine, suave tannins.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The 1997 Harlan Estate is one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines I have ever tasted. A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this enormously-endowed, profoundly rich wine must be tasted to be believed. Opaque purple-colored, it boasts spectacular, soaring aromatics of vanilla, minerals, coffee, blackberries, licorice, and cassis. In the mouth, layer after layer unfold powerfully yet gently. Acidity, tannin, and alcohol are well-balanced by the wine's unreal richness and singular personality. The finish exceeds one minute. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2030.

• Wine Spectator: A great bottle, ripe, intense, structured, focused and concentrated, with youthful, vibrant, layered flavors, gaining velocity and length. There's a tremendous finish.

Producer Information

Harlan Estate is a high-profile, critically-lauded wine producer based in the Oakville AVA of Napa Valley, California. The vineyard is superbly located in the hills above Martha's Vineyard (Heitz Cellar) and To Kalon (Robert Mondavi), just north of Napa town itself. Its Cabernet Sauvignon-based flagship wine is one of California's most sought-after wines, regularly commanding prices exceeding $1000 per bottle. The estate was founded in 1984 by property developer William (known as "Bill") Harlan. He had previously developed the Meadowood resort before buying 240 acres (97 hectares) of steep, densely wooded land above the western Oakville benchlands. Some 40 acres (16 hectares) of this was cleared for vineyards. These are mostly planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, but with smaller amounts of other red Bodeaux varieties. Harlan Estate's first commercial vintage was the 1990, which was released in 1996 with a then-expensive price tag of $65 a bottle. Since then, the estate has cemented itself as one of the most highly-regarded wine producers in the world, with eight vintages achieving 100-point scores from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. As a result, prices have risen exponentially, and today the average global price (ex-tax) per 750ml bottle approaches $1,500 USD. In addition to the flagship red, Harlan Estate also makes a second wine, The Maiden.

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