Harlan Estate
The Maiden Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend
Napa Valley, California, USA
While this producer has nice fruit, a refined craft, they have an issue with alcohol burn in this bottling. While it’s 14.5% ABV, it’s showing hotter. You get an alcohol burn across your palate and in the back of the throat. They don’t mask or process their alcohol as well as a number of other even less revered producers. For the trained palate, alcohol burn will always be a critical flaw in wine.
It’s also still just approaching teenage years, even after roughly 13 years in bottle.
The nose reveals, alcohol vapors, ripe; dark currants, blackberries, baked black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries & boysenberries. Dark chocolate, loads of big baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg. Anise, some dry herbaceous, saline, dry crushed rocks, underbrush, plenty of new oak, black tea, hints of black olive, band aid with old lavender and dark withering flowers.
The body is full with big, round, tarry, sticky tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance are still developing but, good. This wine still needs another 6-8 years and perhaps plus in bottle. Ripe; dark currants, blackberries, baked black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, boysenberries & creamy raspberries. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, mocha powder, loads of big baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg. Anise, dark medium spice, malt, some dry herbaceous, saline, dry crushed rocks, underbrush, plenty of new oak, leathery, underbrush, black tea, hints of black olive, band aid (brett) with old lavender and dark withering flowers. The acidity is ok but certainly needed to be better. Part of the reason the alcohol shows as hot as it does. The finish is still big, rich, a touch astringent, powdery/dusty, balanced and last minutes. However, leaves my palate feeling incomplete.
Time will improve this wine but, believe the alcohol burn remains. I’ve had many less revered producers, for less money that delivered more pleasure.
Photos of, hilltop view of their vineyards, cellar with wood & stainless vats, dining/tasting room and the winery building.
While this producer has nice fruit, a refined craft, they have an issue with alcohol burn in this bottling. While it’s 14.5% ABV, it’s showing hotter. You get an alcohol burn across your palate and in the back of the throat. They don’t mask or process their alcohol as well as a number of other even less revered producers. For the trained palate, alcohol burn will always be a critical flaw in wine.
It’s also still just approaching teenage years, even after roughly 13 years in bottle.
The nose reveals, alcohol vapors, ripe; dark currants, blackberries, baked black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries & boysenberries. Dark chocolate, loads of big baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg. Anise, some dry herbaceous, saline, dry crushed rocks, underbrush, plenty of new oak, black tea, hints of black olive, band aid with old lavender and dark withering flowers.
The body is full with big, round, tarry, sticky tannins. The structure, tension, length and balance are still developing but, good. This wine still needs another 6-8 years and perhaps plus in bottle. Ripe; dark currants, blackberries, baked black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, boysenberries & creamy raspberries. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, caramel, mocha powder, loads of big baking spices; vanilla, clove, nutmeg. Anise, dark medium spice, malt, some dry herbaceous, saline, dry crushed rocks, underbrush, plenty of new oak, leathery, underbrush, black tea, hints of black olive, band aid (brett) with old lavender and dark withering flowers. The acidity is ok but certainly needed to be better. Part of the reason the alcohol shows as hot as it does. The finish is still big, rich, a touch astringent, powdery/dusty, balanced and last minutes. However, leaves my palate feeling incomplete.
Time will improve this wine but, believe the alcohol burn remains. I’ve had many less revered producers, for less money that delivered more pleasure.
Photos of, hilltop view of their vineyards, cellar with wood & stainless vats, dining/tasting room and the winery building.
Great spot, great bottle and Ernie is the best.
Great spot, great bottle and Ernie is the best.
Apr 15th, 2017
Seemed either too young or something was off.
Seemed either too young or something was off.
Feb 14th, 2016
Steely Dan & Elvis Costello pre show warm up-looking forward to the Hollywood Bowl tonight
Steely Dan & Elvis Costello pre show warm up-looking forward to the Hollywood Bowl tonight
Jul 13th, 2015Notes of figs and stewed plums. Still has plenty of acid and tannin structure.
Notes of figs and stewed plums. Still has plenty of acid and tannin structure.
Oct 11th, 2020
Very big chewy wine. Great balance big finish. Forward fruit currants blackberry. My mouth is puckering after each sip. Wow
Very big chewy wine. Great balance big finish. Forward fruit currants blackberry. My mouth is puckering after each sip. Wow
Nov 18th, 2017
Enjoyable but not particularly interesting. Too much oak poking through for me. Paired well with short rib dinner.
Enjoyable but not particularly interesting. Too much oak poking through for me. Paired well with short rib dinner.
Oct 14th, 2016Paired well with steak dinner. Really benefited from a decant 3 hours prior to the meal. Some toasty oak and chocolate in this CA Cab blend.
Paired well with steak dinner. Really benefited from a decant 3 hours prior to the meal. Some toasty oak and chocolate in this CA Cab blend.
Nov 8th, 2015