Bond Harlan and the Maiden - The Ultimate California Cult Tasting

"By making this wine vine known to the public, I have rendered my country as great a service as if I had enabled it to pay back the national debt."
~ Thomas Jefferson

If only a modern-day politician could contribute as much to the quality of our life as the late great Thomas Jefferson.  He was one of the first advocates of wine in the United States and he is one of the reasons why we have the greatest selection of wines from all around the world in the U.S. today.  So, remember...no matter how bad it gets, we still have great wines here in the U.S. of A.

Speaking of GREAT wines from the U.S.A…. I need a few good men or women to help me drink some really fine wine on this occasion- our last tasting of the year here at the store.  Since we just received a few cases of Bond, Harlan Estate and the Maiden I thought it was time to host a tasting featuring these three Napa Valley Cult Cabernet Sauvignon producers. 

What makes a "cult wine"? Do the producers pick the grapes at night under the full moon? Do they make it under a secret oath or while sacrificing a small farm animal? These ultra expensive, hard to find wines from California just have more customers than they do bottles to go around.  The simplest factor in the economy kicks in with these wines, good old supply and demand.  Some of the greatest examples of the Napa Valley elite are included in this tasting.

This tasting is limited to 12 tasters and the fee for this event which includes dinner is $795 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Bond Harlan and the Maiden - The Ultimate California Cult Tasting
Thursday, June 13, 2019
7:30 PM

1997 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $1450.00    Your Price: $1276.00      Quantity in Stock: 1

(100 points) 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. (RP) (12/2000) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2006 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $825.00    Sale Price: $674.75           Quantity in Stock: 3

(96 points)  The 2006 Harlan Estate has turned out better than I originally predicted. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by classic aromas of creme de cassis, melted licorice, smoked meats, burning embers, and graphite. It has thrown off some of the tannic clout it displayed last year, revealing great balance. A candidate for “wine of the vintage,” this dense, full-bodied effort has 25+ years of life ahead of it. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2035.  Wine Advocate #186 Dec 2009

2007 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Price: $1700.00    Sale Price: $1350.00       Quantity in Stock: 3

(100 points) The prodigious 2007 Harlan Estate reminds me of a hypothetical blend of the 2002 with a touch of the controversial 1997. Dense plum/purple-colored with sweet aromas of barbecue smoke, blueberries, blackberries, cassis, licorice, hot rocks and subtle oak, it is a splendidly opulent, pure wine with a skyscraper-like texture as well as stunningly deep fruit that expands gracefully across the palate. The finish lasts nearly a full minute. Because of its overwhelming richness and sweet tannins, this brilliant wine seems to be approachable now, but I suspect further nuances and complexity will emerge after 4-5 years in the bottle. This wine will still be going strong at age 25-30. Like the offerings from its sister estate, Bond, these Harlan Estate offerings are uncompromisingly brilliant examples of Napa viticulture and winemaking at its finest. Kudos to proprietor Bill Harlan. (RP) (12/2010) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2010 Harlan Estate The Maiden Napa
Price: $350.00    Sale Price: $295.00           Quantity in Stock: 6  (Stein)

(92 points) The 2010 The Maiden reveals lots of cedarwood, licorice, forest floor, black and red currant, loamy, earthy notes and a touch of background oak. Elegant, pure, layered, medium to full-bodied, and rich in fruit with no hard edges, it should be enjoyed over the next 15+ years. (RP) (10/2013) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2013 Harlan Estate The Maiden Napa
Price: $420.00    Sale Price: $350.00           Quantity in Stock: 3 S

(95 points) More serious and concentrated, bigger and denser, the 2013 The Maiden is one of the strongest efforts, and possibly the best Maiden tasted to date. Deep, with mulberry and blackberry fruit, some cedarwood, and terrific opulence, this is a stunner and a wine to drink over the next 20 or more years. (RP) (10/2016) Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2013 Bond Melbury Proprietary Red Napa
Price: $645.00    Your Price: $567.60          Quantity in Stock: 4

(97 points) The brilliant 2013 Melbury ratchets up the level of extract, with an opaque purple color, dense blueberry liqueur-like notes along with white flowers, licorice, and camphor followed by a full-bodied, incredibly seamless, concentrated, multidimensional wine. With its amazing depth and richness, while accessible now, it probably won’t hit its stride for another 5-7 years and last 30-35. The five separate single vineyards that Bill Harlan has under long-term contract continue to perform at first growth quality levels. They generate between 500 and 600 cases of these single-vineyard wines that all represent distinctive and separate micro-climates of Napa Valley. The culled out barrels that don’t make the cut are blended together for a wine called Matriarch, which in itself is a terrific offering. Last year I touted the brilliance and drama of the 2012s, which are strikingly beautiful, and the otherworldly 2013s, but now we have the fruit-forward and luscious 2014s, and although I didn’t taste them, I suspect the 2015s will reach a new qualitative pinnacle for this extraordinary visionary project of Bill Harlan and his winemaking team, led by Bob Levy. (RP) (10/2016)  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2013 Bond Quella Napa
Price: $645.00    Your Price: $516.00          Quantity in Stock: 5

(96 points)  Much more structured, muscular, tannic and intense is the 2013 Quella, which exhibits blackberry notes, licorice, some truffle, graphite and damp earth, huge fruit, a muscular, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long, moderately tannic finish. Forget it for a few years and drink it over the following 25-30+ years. The five separate single vineyards that Bill Harlan has under long-term contract continue to perform at first growth quality levels. They generate between 500 and 600 cases of these single-vineyard wines that all represent distinctive and separate micro-climates of Napa Valley. The culled out barrels that don’t make the cut are blended together for a wine called Matriarch, which in itself is a terrific offering. Last year I touted the brilliance and drama of the 2012s, which are strikingly beautiful, and the otherworldly 2013s, but now we have the fruit-forward and luscious 2014s, and although I didn’t taste them, I suspect the 2015s will reach a new qualitative pinnacle for this extraordinary visionary project of Bill Harlan and his winemaking team, led by Bob Levy. (RP) (10/2016)  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

2014 Harlan Estate Napa MAGNUM
Price: $2900.00    Sale Price: $2395.00       Quantity in Stock: 4  (2-S)

(98 Points) The deep garnet-purple colored 2014 Proprietary Red Wine offers up subtle cassis, black cherries and crushed blackberries notes with tons of savory and earthy layers: forest floor, black soil, charcoal and dried herbs, plus wafts of violets and rare beef. Full-bodied and built like a brick house in the mouth, it has loads of tense, muscular fruit with many layers of earth, savory and spice nuances emerging, finishing with epic length. Around 2,100 cases were bottled. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Menu
Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Tuna Tartar with sautéed wild mushrooms with Balsamic Foam
Japanese A5 Wagyu Filet Mignon served over Cabernet Natural Sauce with Carrot Souffle
Chocolate Creme Brulee

We only have space for 12 wine tasters for this event.  The fee for this tasting is $795+ tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions and chef Toni will be happy to accommodate you.