2016 Promontory

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100/100 Parker and 100/100 Suckling: The Harlan family has been vintners in California's Napa Valley since the late 1970s. Their first effort, Harlan Estate, has established an international benchmark for the art of viticulture over the course of nearly four decades. It was in the early years, in the early 1980s, that H. William Harlan discovered another place - an isolated area - while hiking along Oakville's southwest ridge. The hidden expanse touched him deeply, but remained elusive until much later, when the Harlan family finally acquired it in 2008. The second generations of both the family and the winemaking team came together at this time to explore and work with the land, they began to make discoveries of their own. At the heart of this wild terrain they found a powerful geological convergence that had shaped the land's steep, rugged topography and created the conditions for a wholly exotic wine-growing environment. Over time, they discovered that the dramatic landscape – just beyond the edge of the known – would slowly change them and ultimately inspire a new venture: Promontory. Eleven hectares of the original vineyard have been preserved due to the interesting age of these Cabernets. Another 16 hectares are still being replanted per plot.

The Promontory wines may only be offered to Private customers and the Catering Industry and the price of the wines is on request.

After a dry and unusually warm winter, bud formation occurred in the third week of March, signaling an early start to the 2015 growing season. Colder weather during flowering led to lower fruit set, which, together with minimal rainfall over the past three years, resulted in small yields. In late summer, several heat waves caused high temperatures. These incidents were particularly challenging in August and September, and therefore the vines had to use all available resources to maintain a regular ripening path. The harvest started very early - September 8 - but the cool climate of the area tempered it, allowing harvests to continue for four weeks. Nearly fifty-four harvest passes were completed, resulting in forty different vinifications. The wine showed generosity and balance from the start, while retaining the innate drive that is so typical of Promontory.

The 2016 Promontory is deep garnet purple in color and bursts from the glass with showy red berries, black cherry compote and warm cassis notes plus hints of cinnamon, roses, unsmoked cigars and fragrant earth. In the mouth this fantastic Napa is full bodied, the taste is rich and powerful, with layer upon layer of red and black fruit with many mineral notes. The structure is extremely strong with firm, rough tannins that start to balance with the flamboyant fruit, ending with plenty of length and a lively lift. The 2016 vintage received the iconic 100/100 points from Parker, as also applied to the big brothers of this winery, namely Harlan and Bond .