2007 Vintage By Harlan Estate

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HARLAN ESTATE - The Vintage 2007

A superb growing season. Lower-than-normal rainfall (21 inches), mostly late in the winter. Spring was dry. Budbreak occurred April 17. A cool summer (only two days over 100° degrees and just twenty-six days over 90°) followed by an even cooler September, which allowed for a slow and deliberate ripening and a very reasonable harvest pace (September 4 through October 11). We managed optimal maturity in most all of the lots, yielding 2.2 tons per acre, on average.

Tasting Notes

The master blend, still in barrels pending bottling in February of 2010, is extremely attractive now, possessing all the hallmark attributes: lavish aromatics, classically structured mouthfeel, and supple texture. This very promising vintage will be among our very best offerings.

About Harlan Estate

Founded in 1984, Harlan Estate is a winegrowing estate in the western hills of Oakville, California – in the heart of the Napa Valley. Consisting of 240 acres (97 ha) of natural splendor set above the fabled Oakville benchlands, the property rises in elevation from 225 to 1,225 feet (68 to 374 m) above sea level.

THE VISION

To produce a California "First Growth" from the hills of Oakville.

THE PHILOSOPHY

"If we can enrich people's lives, and just maybe inspire them to do something beyond what they might otherwise have done, that brings us great satisfaction. Our purpose is to help our patrons to have an even more enjoyable and healthy life."

— H. William Harlan

THE PERSISTENCE OF NATURE

"This transition zone between the wild terrain of the forest and the open plain of the valley is where we planted the vineyards, built the winery, and established our home. This is the edge of the change, and where we experience the activities of nature the most. I think that much of the character of the wine comes from the fact that the vineyards are carved from—and next to—these wild lands, this forest, and these woodlands. It's a good metaphor for life, as well as for our winegrowing philosophy."

— H. William Harlan

THE VINEYARDS

Forty acres (17 ha) under vine, planted to cabernet sauvignon (70%), merlot (20%), cabernet franc (8%), and petit verdot (2%). All hillside siting, on both volcanic and sedimentary bedrock; a combination of terraced vineyards and closely spaced vines on spare soils over fractured rock; vertical trellis with shoot positioning, 360º of exposition.

Source: HARLAN ESTATE