2021 Harlan

The aromas are subtle yet enticing with lavender and rose petal notes. So aromatic and perfumed. Lots of currants and hints of spearmint. Chanel No. 5? Medium-bodied with super fine tannins that run the length of the wine with crunchy tannins that are energetic and vivid. It grows and grows and turns almost flamboyant. Goes on for minutes with a compressed and vibrant finish. Mostly cabernet sauvignon with some cabernet franc and a tiny percent of merlot and petit verdot. Drink it now to love and understand the potential. But it will age beautifully. Try after 2030. (07/2024)

Reminding me of the 2018 with its focused, structured, yet elegant profile, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a deep purple hue as well as beautiful purity in its cassis and assorted blue fruits as well as notes of violets and obvious minerality. It has sweet tannins, a seamless, layered, elegant mouthfeel, a beautiful sense of balance, and a great finish. It needs 7-8 years in the cellar, but it's going to have 2-3 decades of overall longevity. While it's made in a much more elegant, seamless style compared to previous vintage, it shines for its remarkable purity. (12/2023)

The 2021 Harlan Estate is composed of over 80% Cabernet Sauvignon plus a little Cabernet Franc and just a splash of Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly emerges from the glass with an alluring perfume of violets, wild blueberries, Morello cherries, and iron ore leading to a profound core of blackcurrant jelly, licorice, fragrant soil, and black truffle. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a beguiling paradox of super-soft tannins and tightly knit black, red, and blue fruit layers, finishing with jaw-dropping grace and poise. (04/2024)