Today was not a day I will soon forget. Getting to walk through Harlan Estate with the legendary Don Weaver is truly a highlight of my career (and life!). A kinder and more hospitable man does not exist, I’m sure of it.
To top off Don’s hospitality was having the 2017 and 2020 Vintages side-by-side. In a word: breathtaking. Both vintages are very emotional due to tremendous pressures felt from fires, the pandemic, and other factors. You can almost taste that tension in the wine. But the Masterful wine growers and wine makers at Harlan Estate were able to find harmony and balance with some help from Mother Nature with both vintages.
The 2017, having had some time in the bottle expresses more floral and aromatic notes of leather and asphalt. The pallet it is expressive, structured, and broad shouldered with herbaceous bay leaf and dark cherry flavors that find their way into parts of your pallet reserved just for things that taste so good you get chills. Undoubtedly a wine that will age gracefully over time.
The 2020, by contrast, was tasted out of the barrel. It already shows a tannin profile that is a hallmark of Harlan Estate; I can’t wait to drink it once it’s been in bottle for a few years; drink it to remember 2020, drink it to forget 2020? Either way, it will be representative of the special place that is Harlan Estate.
Grateful, grateful, grateful. — 3 years ago
Really tasty — 2 years ago
Found this dusty bottle in my cellar and wasn’t expecting much after 7 years. Surprisingly it was great. Slight amber color. Light refreshing honeydew nose. Juicy acidity with slight buttery texture - some sweetness with melon and strawberry and hint of Concord grape. Very refreshing. — 3 years ago
2017 vintage. Decanted and tasted for the next 5 minutes-2.5 hours. Medium body. Expressive oak and spice wizardry early on with sharp and clearly defined flavors all in a row. After approx 45 mins, the sharpness started to wane a tad and the harmony began to roll in. Good intensity throughout. Coming across this at least a half decade too early but this is built for the long haul vs short-term gratification. 2.10.24. — 9 months ago
Aged well. Subtle complexities and well balanced. Would drink again. — 2 years ago
Selfvingster
I received a bottle of Rockford as a 40th birthday gift, a wine I wasn’t familiar with at the time. After five years of aging, I opened it in the company of good friends – and what an experience! A rich and well-balanced wine, with intense flavors of berries and plums that really impressed. Wow, a wine that captivates with its harmony and depth. — 11 days ago