2020 Promontory

The Harlan family has been winemakers in California's Napa Valley since the late 1970s. Their first venture, Harlan Estate, has established an international benchmark for the art of viticulture over the course of nearly four decades. It was in those early years, in the early 1980s, that H. William Harlan discovered another place—an isolated area—while hiking along the southwest ridge of Oakville. The hidden expanse deeply touched him but remained elusive until much later, when the Harlan family finally acquired it in 2008. During this time, the second generations of both the family and the winemaking team came together to explore and work with the land, and they began making discoveries of their own. At the heart of this wild terrain, they found a powerful geological convergence that had shaped the steep, rugged topography of the land and created the conditions for a truly exotic winegrowing environment. Over time, they discovered that the dramatic landscape—just beyond the edge of the known—would slowly transform them and eventually 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 plot by plot.

Due to a rigorous selection process, combined with the Harlan family's strong belief that the 2020 vintage marks a turning point in Promontory's evolution, the total available quantity is only half of what was released last year with the 2019 vintage. Harvesting concluded on September 21st, 10 days before the devastating wildfires.

FACT: In the "Tab: Attachment" you'll find the official fact sheet for this fine wine. We'll automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount. You'll see your discount immediately when you select "Pick up" on the Checkout page. We're located right next to the Rijksweg with ample parking. Click here for our address.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown gift 100/100.
“The 2020 Promontory is deep garnet-purple in color. It soars out of the glass with notes of fresh black cherries, crushed blueberries, and kirsch, followed by hints of wet slate, Indian spices, candied violets, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly knit, with so many mineral and floral nuances intertwined with the red and black fruits, supported by very firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed. There is so much energy here, it practically vibrates in your mouth!

The Drink Business gave 100/100.
“Utterly beguiling. Gracious, calm, relaxed, composed, a little introvert and reticent but exuding class and balance and harmony even in its slight introspectiveness. Delightfully subtle. The delicate floral notes are the first to show – peony and lilac. Then the fruits. Cassis. Blueberries. And there's a lovely slight stalky leafiness that really brings out the character of the Cabernet. So gracious. So utterly beautiful. Exquisitely balanced. There's a diaphanous sheen and gloss to this that is so beguiling, and it is so much less demonstrative in its intensity and concentration than any other Napa wine. I'm in raptures.

James Suckling gave 99/100.
“Incredible aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, lavender, violets, hazelnut and black tea. Forest floor. So complex. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that are ultra-fine and melt into the wine, spreading across the palate. Perfectly meshed. This has real presence and energy. Cool wet stones, mountain air, and dark fruits make up the palate. November 2024 release. It will need three to four years to come around. Try after 2028”.

The Harlan family have been winegrowers in California's Napa Valley since the late 1970s. Their first endeavor, Harlan Estate, over the course of nearly four decades, has established an international benchmark for the art of viticulture. It was in the formative years, in the early 1980s, that H. William Harlan discovered another place - an isolated territory - while hiking along the southwestern ridge of Oakville. The hidden expansion moved him deeply but remained elusive until much later, when the Harlan family finally acquired it in 2008. The second generations of both family and winegrowing team joined together at this time to explore and work with the land, they began to make discoveries of their own. At the core of this wild terrain, they found a powerful geologic convergence that had shaped the land's steep, rugged topography and created the conditions for an altogether exotic winegrowing environment. Over time they found that the dramatic landscape — just beyond the edge of the known — would slowly change them and ultimately inspire a new endeavor: 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 parcel by parcel.