Harlan Estate 2015, 2005 & 1995 Promontory 2013

Don Weaver, Founding Director at Harlan Estate, made an appearance again after an absence of five years at a dinner hosted by Vic, Sanjay and Dr Ngoi in Don’s honour at Jia He Restaurant, 21 August 2023, where it was good to see him still sharp and healthy amongst his old friends here. Since its founding by William Harlan in 1984, Harlan Estate has very quickly achieved cult status, no doubt contributed by the limited quantities from just 17-ha of vines planted at altitude with quality that is nothing short of astounding, always generously layered with impeccable balance and structured with sheer sophistication. These qualities were clearly evident in the three magnums of Harlan Estate grand vin spanning three decades generously contributed by Don himself. But real patience is required, for these wines only really come into their own after thirty years. Many thanks to Don, Dr Ngoi and fellow brethren for your immense generosity!

2013 Harlan Estate “The Maiden”, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Very deep garnet, exuding a forward bouquet of fresh currants and cherries amid overtones of varnish that carried on to the soft medium-full palate, structured with excellent depth of fruit and delicious sweet tannins, producing chamfered velvety textures that cushioned its youthful intensity and attack. Highly refined and open.

2013 Promontory. Poured from magnum, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Deep dark impenetrable purple, oozing with the sweet intensity of ripe raspberries, blueberries and violets that dominate both the nose and palate amid overtones of enamel. Surprisingly open and accessible, displaying fine linearity (always a hallmark of Harlan) with glimpses of chewy inner detail on a bed of soft subdued tannins, just a tad short. Made from high-altitude single vineyard cabernet sauvignon.

2015 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep garnet. The step up in breed and sophistication is immediately palpable. This wine opens with a great expanse of warm ripe fruit, slightly brambly but beautifully integrated with pliant tannins that are highly subtle and refined in spite of the masculine proportions, displaying tremendous breadth and depth across the palate with confident verve yet never at all hedonistic, maintaining absolute control and balance almost to the point of it being a tad cautious, which is simply quite amazing coming from a large format bottling.

2005 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson, just beginning to unveil early secondary characters of cedar and mahogany. The medium-full palate has a certain bright pebbly glow, imbued with a prominent note of soy from its dark succulent depth, laced with understated acidity that add to its velvety mouthfeel and spicy finish.

1995 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson. This is Harlan Estate grand vin at its absolute prime, boasting a full presence of gorgeous succulent fruit well into its tertiary development that exude lovely velvety tension with predominant red tones, contrasting beautifully against shades of mint and tobacco leaves. Impeccably balanced with a controlled even intensity cushioned by soft rounded tannins, still wonderfully fresh and vibrant. Outstanding!