2018 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red Wine

PRICE ON REQUEST - CALL (078 6450615), MAIL (INFO@GRANDCRUWIJNEN.NL) OR COME ALONG (RIJKSSTRAATWEG 24-DORDRECHT).

The Harlan Estate is inky black with a purple rim and offers a beautiful earthy scent with blackberry and cherry, lavender followed by deep, luscious, majestic taste 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 a balance and intensity. Tight in his young years but full of energy and length. Incredibly sophisticated and seductive. A pleasure to taste now, but try it in 2025 but it is also no problem to keep it in the cellar for another 40-50 years (but that's a shame).

Nb - the Harlan Estate is an absolute cult wine of which only a maximum of 1500 cases are made annually. About 85% of the production remains in the USA and the rest is distributed among the official importers. Currently there is more Fake Harlan on the market than the real Harlan Estate so be extremely careful. If the wine has a price that is to-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 through many places all over the world in containers in often dubious 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 standard packed in a beautiful wooden box with 3 bottles (OWC), but can also be ordered per bottle if desired.

The 2018 vintage belongs to one of the most beautiful vintages and has received 97-100/100 Parker & 100/100 points from James Suckling, so the wine journalists are quite unanimous.

Under the Tab: Attachment you will find more photos and information about wine company

As an importer of Harlan Estate we also carry the iconic Bond wines (a winery owned by Harlan Estate) and also the great Promontory of Harlan Estate. The 2015 is the 1st year and price is on request. This wine is distributed through the Place du Bordeaux and only official dealers are allowed to carry this wine but no prices are allowed to be made public.

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 proceeded 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.