JD
93
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2003 Harlan Estate is a huge, almost over the top beauty that doesn’t hold anything back in its deep plum and currant fruits, cedar, toasty oak and licorice aromas and flavors. With full-bodied richness, a sweet, massive texture and a big finish, it stays nicely balanced and enjoyable but has a dry, slightly rustic edge to its tannin that will need to be watched going forward. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck, December 2017. Drinking window: 2017-2032.
RP
98
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
(Rating 98+) One of the most backward yet promising wines of the vintage is the 2003 Harlan Estate. Its dense opaque plum/purple color is accompanied by a sumptuous bouquet of graphite, camphor, creme de cassis, smoky barbecue wood and a hint of forest floor. Similar flavors hit the mouth with full-bodied splendor, a multidimensional mouthfeel and texture, and the sensational finish lasts more than 45 seconds. Some tannins are still present, and this wine seems much younger than expected at ten years of age, so give it 4-5 more years of bottle age and consume it over the following 20-25 years.
One of the most stunningly beautiful vineyards in all of Napa Valley, Harlan Estate is located in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains overlooking the Oakville Corridor. Harlan has been making world-class, first growth quality wines since the debut vintages of 1990 and 1991. Virtually nothing has been changed by winemaker Bob Levy, owner Bill Harlan and globe-trotting consultant Michel Rolland. The wine is largely all Cabernet Sauvignon and the production from the 40-acre vineyard is usually under 2,000 cases. The vineyard has a surprising composition of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Most blends lean heavily on the Cabernet Sauvignon with slightly more Cabernet Franc being utilized over recent vintages. Following the great 2001 and 2002 vintages, 2003 is the type of vintage that has a tendency to be forgotten, but the two 2003s prove that the site’s great pedigree is never easy to dismiss. Reviewed by Robert M. Parker, Jr. Issue date: June 2013. Drinking window: 2017-2042.
V
95
Vinous
Good deep ruby-red. Blackcurrant, minerals, graphite, mocha and leather on
the nose. Sweet and tightly wound, with a violet topnote and terrific depth of
flavor. This powerfully structured wine has plenty of meat on its bones. The
tannins are huge but refined. This must be among the three or four longest
wines of the vintage, with the violet quality persisting on the aftertaste. (I
retasted the 2002 on this occasion, and this elixir of a wine continues to be
one of the greatest California cabernets of my experience, with a knockout
nose of black raspberry, minerals, tobacco and crushed stone; a
super concentrated essence of cabernet on the palate; and an almost
confectionery finish of incredible persistence. My latest sample merited a
solid 98.) Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer, May 2006.