2017 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red Wine Napa Valley 750 ml

Harlan Estate. You remember every sip you ever have—the occasion, where you were, and what you were eating when you first tasted the most coveted red wine in Napa Valley. And for everyone we know who’s been lucky enough to indulge in Harlan, one detail tends to stand out the most: Who poured them their first magical taste.

Harlan Estate is one of the most engrossing sensory experiences you’ll ever have. And given the wine’s unmatched quality and rarity, it’s likely to appreciate in value as much as or more than any First Growth Bordeaux. But the main reason we’re excited to offer this singular red wine is because we know it will become an indelible experience for you—and certainly for those with whom you choose to share it.

Pouring an opaque purple, the power and detail of the 2017 Harlan is apparent as the wine hits the glass, and with a little air, it softly reveals a generous spectrum of aromas: dark cherry, Chambord, dried roses, turned earth, pencil shavings, clove, and more, all braided together. Pure, powerful, and fresh on that palate, it’s got layered dark fruits accented with hard baking spices and beautifully integrated French oak, all built on a frame of flawless, tightly woven tannins. This is a wine that will reward the patient with a long evolution in the cellar—a wine to anticipate, a wine to dream about. 

Harlan Estate began with a grand vision and a lofty goal—to produce a California First Growth from their Oakville terroir—and since the estate’s founding in 1984, they have humbled that original ambition. Smitten from the very first vintage (which he called “one of the most promising and profound Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines made in California”), Robert Parker has since put it in more plain terms, saying: "Harlan Estate might be the single most profound red wine made not just in California, but in the world."

Situated on the lower slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains, Harlan’s vineyards face all directions, and sit on extremely thin topsoil—from about a foot to just a few inches. The roots seek out the cracks and fissures in the fractured bedrock, where they struggle mightily and remain especially well-drained, producing grapes of excellent character and concentration. Between the ancient, soft sandstone of the western part of the property and the harder and younger (relatively speaking) volcanic eastern ridge, Harlan is comprised of a unique geologic mix that, although it produces grapes of unparalleled quality, might never be fully understood.

An uncompromising commitment to quality and a meticulous attention to detail match Harlan’s precious terroir. The vines were planted by the peerless David Abreu. Renowned Napa architect Howard Backen designed the winery. And the wines are crafted by Director of Winegrowing Bob Levy and winemaker Cory Empting. The result is a flawless wine that will endure for years in the cellar, and even longer in your memory.