Harlan Estate 2011 1500ml

eRobertParker.com #215 Oct 2014
More dense, tannic, complex and fuller-bodied thatn Harlan's 2011 The Maiden is the 2011 Harlan Estate. Its plum/purple color is followed by a sweet perfume of camphor, blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, Christmas fruitcake and hints of forest floor and underbrush. Deep, round and generous with silky tannins and a forward, evolved style, this beauty should drink well for 15-18 years.

H. William Harlan, the founder of Harlan Estate, had a vision. Simply put, he was determined to produce a California "First Growth". Harlan is an entrepreneur with a strong background in real estate and hotel development - someone who has come to understand the importance of "location". Harlan Estate is the result of a twenty year search for prime hillside vineyards, culminated by the patchwork acquisition of 230 acres above the fabled Rutherford-Oakville beachlands. The land is magnificent...oak-studded knolls and valleys, only ten percent of which are now under vine.
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.

Meats, Beef and Venison