Jessica Cansler

9.0

Great with Cuban! — a year ago

Shay A

9.2

Earlier this week, a rep for Crown Point wines hosted a tasting to show off a few of their newer releases. New to me, they are out of Santa Barbara and have the duo of Adam Henkel (former assistant winemaker at Harlan for 8yrs) and Philippe Melka (who came on starting with the ‘15 vintage) making the wines.


This wine is their Estate Selection, which is 73% cab, 16% malbec and 11% merlot. I believe this was the first vintage for this wine. It sports a very soft profile and is made in a riper style. Aromatically it smells of baked boysenberry, fig and mixed berry pie with milk chocolate chips. The ABV is around 15.2% and it shows here. Extracted on the palate with chocolate covered dark fruits, baking spices, nutmeg and Andes mint. — 6 years ago

with Clare and Weston

Pierre Costa

9.8

What is Napa is about. Well balanced and complex. — 7 years ago

Paul T HB

9.8

This & the 2013 Moavani Syrah were my favorite 2013’s from Bevan, the only ones I re ordered.
Two Dogs Knoll is beneath Harlan & next to Martha’s.
Parkers review (96) says almost a split between Petit Verdot & Cabernet, but not the case.
According to Russel’s tasting video its about 90% Petit Verdot from Two Dogs & the rest is Sugar Loaf Merlot. Fantastic juice, if you can find it for $225.00 or less buy it — 7 years ago

Cory Fosdyck

9.8

On a night where we opened Colgin, Harlan, Shafer, Schrader, Imsignia, Carter & Caymus SS this bottle stole the show for me. — 8 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.2

Aged in wet Harlan Cab save barrels! Supple and fresh. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.5

@Ted Mandes @Christine @Steve Colanero Incredible Palmer!! Still such a baby and blew the socks off of Harlan. Dark fruit black cherry fruits., graphite notes., Floral notes. Christine did not care for the floral notes but I found them intriguing. Minute + finish. Needs a lot of time to integrate and develop but what is being shown Napa w is amazing nonetheless!
— 8 years ago

with Steve and Christine

Sage Shimoda

9.1

1996 Calera Jensen Mt. Harlem Pinot Noir

Our New Year’s Eve wine is 1996 Calera Jensen Mt. Harlen Pinot Noir. The oxidation is prevalent. After 25 years, the wine has certainly passed its prime, but it is fun enough to enjoy. Goodbye 2021.

大晦日、2021年最後のワインは、1996年Calera Jensen Mt. Harlen Pinot Noir。酸化はだいぶ進んでいる。25年の時を経て、確かに飲み頃を過ぎてはいるが、十分に楽しめるワイン。 2021年よ、さよなら。

#wine #redwine #1996 #usa #americanwine #oldvintages #calera #calerajensen #jensen #ワイン #アメリカンワイン #赤ワイン — 4 years ago

Joe Kaiser

9.3

The 2004 at 15-years of age is still youthful! Well balanced as always, just a wonderful blend, love the fruit with tea notes, oak is fully integrated in the wine pure silk! Held up well against Harlan, Scarecrow, Morlet, Hall, & Rudd Cabs. Just a. Lass act! — 6 years ago

with bill and Debbie

Al Shikoh

9.3

Dark ruby in color with aromas of black cherry, lavender, cloves, and caramel. Nicely concentrated red fruit and gravelly minerality are evident on the palate with firm acidity and moderate fine grained tannin evident on the finish. Josh Jensen made this from 100 % organically grown Pinot Noir sourced from vines planted in 1975, fermented with native yeasts, then aged 18 months in 30% new French oak. Consumed from a 375 mL bottle, this wine has the fruit and balance to enjoy now and the structure to allow it to go 15 years or more. 14.3% ABV. $88. — 7 years ago

Justin Wittkopf

9.7

What a crazy awesome wine! It has it all, pure fruit profile, great acidity and a nice grip, with long finish. Everything is balanced well. So much energy for a 24 year old wine. Last month I had the 94 Harlan, 94 Colgin HL, and 97 Colgin HL, and this blew them all away. — 7 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.7

I have no idea what the “pro” rating of 9.3 is talking about - due respect to those folks - but this is awesome. The best cab I’ve ever had is the 1994 Harlan Estate (with Jeff Long and Dave MacMillan at NOLA), but this wine is easily in my Top 10 of cabernets I’ve ever had. Decanted about 1.5 hours in advance, this wine is just awesome. Evolving a bit faster than I thought, the aromatics are incredible. An amazing wine. — 8 years ago

with Vanessa

Jay Ciccarelli

9.2

Oaky vanilla spice bomb. Reminds me of Harlan Estate big Napa cabs. Just an amazing nose of floral spice cedar box nose of tar earth and leather. Grippy tannins with loads of syrupy fruit and a long finish. Almost a touch over the top but slutty and fun. — 8 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.1

Andy Erickson's history is hard to beat...Harlan, Staglin, Hartwell, Ovid, Dalla Valle and some place called Screaming Eagle. This one, while not the same notoriety as the others, still shows Mr Erickson's ability to blend an amazing wine. Not overly complicated, but great overall food wine. — 8 years ago

with Joe and Katherine

Rob Brobst III

10

Bill Harlan told me one night that this was the wine that made him strive for perfection!!! I’m a believer... stunning and amazing... @Antonio Galloni @Paul T- Huntington Beach @Shay A @Warren Sapp @Terri Walker @Diane M. Napolitano @Mike Smith @Matt Sterr @Ian Blackburn @Shauna Summers @David L @leon egozi @Ron R @Scott Rowe @Bill Bender @Bob McDonald @Carl Fischer @Will Harahan @Doug Davidson @Dick Schinkel @Marc vanholst @Jason and Jennie @Brian Szluk — 4 years ago

Matthew Valentine

9.2

Loved the wine. Drank Harlan Estate first so it was pale compared. Decant and filter. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.9

So, we arrived in Napa Friday morning and started at Promontory with a glass of 2006 Dom Perignon as they do not make a white, only one red wine. We also tasted the 2016 out of large Austrian oak vats. That wine shows great promise but won’t be available until 2021.

We then tasted their inaugural 2008 vintage and the 2009. Thirty-six hours later and five other excellent Napa wine producers visits later, I am still thinking about these wines.

This wines were so good, heady and absolutely stunning, it was painful not to spend an hour contemplating each of them. Instead, having to rush off to Vineyard 29 for our next appointment with my tasting glasses half full.

My notes below detailed as they may, will not do these wines justice and still underwhelm the experience. At times, I was at a loss for words to wholly convey the experience. It defied the allotted time and my verbal skills. These wines created an entire body experience. I am still thinking about my tasting experience and will likely still be thinking about it for weeks.

Beautiful dark currants & cassis framed in light oak with amazing florals. There’s a light smokiness, blackberries, dark plum, dark cherries, lots of blue fruits, boysenberries, black raspberries, strawberries, soft wood, beautifully layered light baking spices, very light spice, steeped tea, dark chocolate, mocha, light caramel, cedar, fresh tobacco, Provence herbs, dark floral bouquet, violets, blue flowers and lavender. Absolute stunning nose I didn’t want to stop experiencing the layers, the way it nuances crisscrossed in my head.

The body is light, weightless, yet full. Fine dusty tannins with some stickiness. It glides in layers & waves across the palate. What finely knitted structure, tension, amazing length with incredible balance. Both dark currants & cassis framed lightly in oak with amazing enticing florals. Light smokiness, ripe beautiful; blackberries, dark plum, dark cherries, lots of blue fruits, boysenberries, black raspberries, strawberries. soft saddle-wood to light presence of cedar. Beautifully layered light baking spices, asian spices, steeped tea, dark chocolate, mocha, light caramel, cedar, fresh tobacco, anise, Provence herbs, finely crushed rock dust, dark floral bouquet, violets, blue flowers and lavender. The acidity is brilliant like a gentle rain shower. The incredible finish is everything you look for in a wine and then some.

When I left, I wished I had another undistracted hour or more to enjoy and study each wine further.

Photos of, the view from Promontory over looking Harlan and Promontory vines, the fire we enjoyed on a cool morning to enjoy our 06 Dom Perignon, immaculate barrel room and new oak barrels and their oak & concrete vats. — 7 years ago

with James

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

With all due respect to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is the original Donjon. Claire Fabre represents the third generation in charge at Le Vieux Donjon. Founded in 1966 by her grandfather Marcel Michel, and run by her parents Lucien and Marie José Michel from 1979 to 2008. Prior to taking the reins, Claire interned with Harlan Estate in Napa. Consulting oenologist Philippe Cambie also lends his services. Despite the Harlan/Cambie associations, Le Vieux Donjon is old school, through and through, and ascribes to the traditionalist principle of "one estate, one wine." The 2010 does not disappoint. While there's clearly a smoked mesquite overtone that permeates throughout and continuously, the plum, black cherry, kirsch, black olive, lavender, dried Provençal herbs, tar, and cured meat entangle thoroughly. The result is an incense that doesn't quit. — 8 years ago

David Refuerzo

9.2

We joined the Calera wine club 4 years ago after tasting this and other wines from the 35th Anniversary vintage. Wow, today it's bold, fruit forward-dark fruits- and a mouth coating wine which is unusual for a Pinot Noir. This is their pay-the-bills wine while the Mount Harlan wines age a little before release. Spectacular Wine! Glad that we have 3 more aging in the cellar. — 8 years ago

Jon Tam

9.4

Incredibly powerful cab from the Harlan family. Great to pair with steak. — 9 years ago

with Randy