 | A major contributor to this article appears to have a
close connection with its subject. (November 2014) |
| Harlan Estate | |
|---|---|
| Location | Oakville, California, USA |
| Appellation | Oakville AVA |
| Founded | 1984 |
| First vintage | 1990 |
| Key people | Bill Harlan (Proprietor) Bob Levy (Director of Winegrowing) Don Weaver (Estate Director) Cory Empting (Winemaker) Mary Maher (Vineyard Manager) |
| Known for | Harlan Estate The Maiden |
| Tasting | Not available |
| Website | www.harlanestate.com |
Harlan Estate is a California wine estate producing Bordeaux-style blends. The estate is located in the western hills of Oakville, California within the Oakville AVA, in the Napa Valley AVA zone.[ citation needed] Harlan Estate is a "cult winery," commanding high prices due to scarcity. Its flagship wine is the eponymous Harlan Estate. They also produce a second wine called The Maiden.
History
Harlan Estate was founded in 1984 by H. William Harlan, a real estate developer and Napa Valley resort owner. [1] [2] It is located east of Martha's Vineyard in Oakville on a 240-acre (97 ha) property with forested areas and steep hillsides. Harlan cleared 40 acres (16 ha) for viticulture, [3] with the expressed ambition to "create a first growth wine". [4]
The first Harlan Estate wine label, which was 10 years in the making, was inspired by a 19th-century engraving and overseen by retired U.S. Treasury engraver Herb Fichter. [4] According to Harlan, the label was designed for a bottle that "would sit on a table in candlelight, not on a store shelf." [4]
Described by Jancis Robinson as "one of the ten best wines of the twentieth century," [4] Harlan Estate has received acclaim from Wine Spectator [5] and Robert Parker, including four scores of 100 "parker points", [2] which has contributed to the wine's high price. Released at $850 per bottle, its price rose on the speculative market, [1] and may range from $1,200 and up. [2] [6] A 10-vintage vertical selection of magnum bottles sold at the 2000 Napa Valley Wine Auction for $700,000. [4]
The Director of Wine Making, Bob Levy, has worked with Harlan since 1983, when Harlan took part in founding the Merryvale Winery. [1] [3] [4] Since 1989, Michel Rolland has served as the estates consultant enologist. [7] [2] [8] Construction of the current winery was completed in 2002. [1]
Production
The estate extends 240 acres (97 ha), of which approximately 15% of the land, 40 acres (16 ha) is cultivated with the grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. [8] [9]
References
- ^
a
b
c
d Brook, Stephen, Decanter.com (February 16, 2007).
"Bill Harlan - Decanter Interview".
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b
c
d Parker, Robert M. Jr, BusinessWeek (September 10, 2007).
"A Perfectionist Fulfills His Dream". Archived from
the original on November 5, 2007.
{{ cite web}}:|first=has generic name ( help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b Laube, James, Wine Spectator (April 30, 2000).
"Harlan Estate". Archived from
the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b
c
d
e
f Teague, Lettie, Food & Wine (March 2001).
"California's Cult-Cabernet Visionary".
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) -
^ Suckling, James, Wine Spectator (August 31, 2006).
"I Have Joined the Cult".
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) -
^ Heimoff, Steve, steveheimoff.com (November 24, 2008).
"Upsetting applecarts: Blind tasting as a revolutionary act".
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) -
^ Kamp, David & Lynch, David, Vanity Fair (November 2005).
"The Wine Snob's Dictionary".
Vanity Fair.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^ a b Napa Valley Wine Library Association. "Fall Field Seminar". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14.
- ^ Appellationamerica.com. "Harlan Estate".