Harlan Estate, Napa Valley 2014

The 2014 Harlan Estate is a gorgeous wine that portends the more linear, vibrant style that has become the norm here in recent years. Red cherry, plum, mocha, graphite, lavender and rose petal unfurl in the glass. There's a bit of oak tannin that's not really an issue, but it does stand out next to the overall feel of the most recent vintages that preceded it in this tasting. The 2014 Harlan Estate is a gorgeous, alluring wine that will delight readers lucky enough to own it. Superb.

The pure fruit is incredible with a dark-fruit and blackberry character. Some sous bois but also shows clarity and finesse. Full body and super fine tannins. Tight and so pretty. A classy and fine Harlan. Needs four to five years to open up.

The deep garnet-purple colored 2014 Harlan Estate offers up subtle cassis, black cherries and crushed blackberries notes with tons of savory and earthy layers: forest floor, black soil, charcoal and dried herbs, plus wafts of violets and rare beef. Full-bodied and built like a brick house in the mouth, it has loads of tense, muscular fruit with many layers of earth, savory and spice nuances emerging, finishing with epic length. Around 2,100 cases were bottled.

Deeper and richer than the Maiden cuvee, the 2014 Harlan Estate offers the classic black fruits, charcoal, and minerality that’s the hallmark of this iconic estate. It shows more floral notes with time in the glass, has full-bodied richness, a sexy, supple, regal personality, no hard edges, and gorgeous purity of fruit. It’s certainly more approachable than the 2015, yet is still going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.