2012 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red Wine

The Harlan Estate is inky black with a purple edge and offers a beautiful earthy aroma with blackberry and cherry, lavender, followed by deep, lush, majestic flavor that caresses the palate with refined tannins. Classic earth, oak and laurel character on the nose, along with dark fruits such as currants and blackberries. Forest flowers too. Full to medium body, linear and tight with coolness and freshness. What balance and intensity. Tight in his younger years but full of energy and length. Incredibly sophisticated and seductive. A pleasure to taste now, but try it in 2025, but it is no problem to keep it in the cellar for another 40-50 years (but that would be a shame).

Note - the Harlan Estate is an absolute cult wine of which only a maximum of 1500 cases are made annually. Approximately 85% of production remains in the USA and the remainder is distributed among official importers. There are currently more fake Harlan on the market than the real Harlan Estate, so be extremely careful. If the wine has a price that is too-good-to-be-true, it is almost always certain that this is not real and is therefore extremely expensive. As an importer, we receive the wines directly from Harlan Estate and have therefore not made a world trip via many places all over the world in containers in often questionable conditions (hot, cold, etc.) that cannot be checked (as also on the well-known auction sites). ). Click here to verify the authenticity of the bottles using the code on the label. The Harlan Estate is packaged as standard in a beautiful wooden box with 3 bottles (OWC), but can also be ordered per bottle if desired.

Harlan Estate fans have some fantastic wines to look forward to. The 2011s offer a lot of short and medium term appeal, while the 2012s are more typical of the corporate identity and will also provide a very attractive and long drinking window. The 2012s are a perfect example of the gradual evolution that has taken place at Harlan. Estate. Ten years ago these would have been significantly darker, richer and riper wines, but the 2012s are all about finesse. One of the recent developments at Harlan Estate has been the reduction in the use of irrigation, which can cause rapid and excessive build-up of sugars. It may seem hard to believe, but Harlan Estate still seems to be climbing the quality ladder. These wines are beautiful. It's that simple.

Growing Season
“A maturing of the human element”
Pruning started in late January and was finished by early March. We chose to prune conservatively, leaving fewer buds per vine than the previous year. The growing season commenced with budbreak in the first week of April.
It is important to note that, although rainfall was slightly below average, the timing of the rain was decidedly opportune. We received nearly half of the total year's rainfall in March, April, and May, which helped the vines grow at their potential throughout the spring. The vines bloomed with great optimism and our pruning strategy paid off with a good balance of fruit.
What followed was one of the most temperate and idyllic growing seasons in recent memory. Temperatures in Oakville rarely surpassed 90°F (32°C), and not once did they trespass upon the century mark. As we entered autumn, the forecast predicted moderate temperatures with morning fog and no chance of rain. Customarily, these types of conditions could result in delaying the onset of harvest. As we tasted the grapes in September, however, there was an indescribable confidence that the vines were ready to be harvested, and the in-gathering continued purposefully from that point on.

Harlan Estate winemaker's tasting notes
The aromas are decidedly young and vibrant, yet the ubiquitous forest floor elements––normally veiled––are illuminated in vivid detail. There is an innate grace as the wine follows the natural contours of the palate like the slopes upon which the vines reside.
Deep and layered, there is resilient energy and strength present. In the finish, more refined details emerge around its confident structure. The tannins have a delicate, engraved quality, each facet demonstrating a fine filigree of tannins in layered sequence. The 2018 is almost celebratory. It speaks of a certain harmony of nature and the unbroken chain of those who have tended to this place over time.

FACT: The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will immediately see the possible discount if you choose Pickup in the Checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for address.