Bill Harlan at Jar

I was working on a complete overhaul to Jar's wine list when I received the notification that Bill Harlan was coming into Jar with a party of ten people that night. For those who may not know Bill, he is the owner of two very highly regarded wineries in Napa: Harlan Estate and Bond. Aside from the amazing press they receive, they also make some pretty spectacular wines and the style of California Cabernet that I love to drink. Unfortunately, the expense of these wines make them prohibitive to drink on a regular basis.

The group brought along a few bottles with them and picked up a couple of Napa Chardonnays from Jar's list. So, what does Bill Harlan drink? The line-up was as follows:

Lewis Cellars, Napa Chardonnay 2008
Pahlmeyer, Napa Chardonnay 2007
Dujac, 'Clos la Roche' 1985
Rouget, Vosne Romanee 'Cros Parantoux' 1996
Harlan Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 1993

As this blog is about Mr. Harlan's visit, I am skipping the Burgundies and providing a tasting note only for his 1993 bottling: On the nose, a meaty character that is immediately intriguing, as well as slightly baked fruits. A strong core of black cherry on the palate, with charcoal, graphite and black currant. Plush, but balanced texture and absolutely seamless in its construction. Finishes very long with dusty spices, anise and leather, as well as chalky tannin that builds. Not tiring on the palate at all and drinking perfectly. An excellent wine from a challenging vintage.

The group had an excellent time and left us to attend another dinner party. Two dinners back-to-back...? I love the way this group rolls!


In honor of Mr. Harlan's visit, I felt compelled to actually sit down and enjoy a bottle of his wine that evening. I had just added the 2006 Bond 'Matriarch' to Jar's list that afternoon and thought it would be a good time to test out a bottle. I've tasted through the full line of Bond's single vineyard wines from 2006 twice now, but never tried the blend of the "elegant leftovers" that make up Matriarch. So, with some delicious Mulberry Pizza on the table at midnight, we dug in.

Black fruits and smoke/charcoal on the nose, which is a little tight at the moment. The plush black fruits are there, but not as pronounced as they would like to be. Very structured on the palate, the fruits are balanced and ripe, but this is a wine that will be best with some time in the cellar. All of the components are here for the future: dark black cherry and currant, firm tannin, smokey charcoal, and balanced spicy oak. Very primary at the moment, but still delicious.

If you haven't experienced Mr. Harlan's wines, they are highly recommended by almost everyone I know. The Bond 'Matriarch' and Harlan 'Maiden' are second labels that are somewhat more affordable than their older brothers, but still at a premium pricepoint. The main wines are nothing less than super-premium and the best vintages are very hard to find. A bottle of the 1994 Harlan Estate sold for $2200 on Jar's list. Are they worth it? It's not my place to tell you, but it's definitely worth making up your own mind.