Harlan Estate has been cited as being among the most celebrated red wines made in the United States,[1] which commands high prices due to quality, scarcity and critical reception.
[2][3] It is located within the western hills of Oakville, California on a 240-acre (97 ha) property consisting of forest and situated on steep, east-facing slopes.
[4][5] Harlan had initially begun searching for a property in 1978 and visited Europe on a research trip by way of introductions from winemaker Robert Mondavi in 1980.
Harlan had established a 200-year plan for what was to be a family business, but it wasn't until 1984 that he was able to identify and acquire the land he had sought, with the expressed ambition to "create a ‘first growth’ of California.
[12] The founding director of winegrowing, Bob Levy, began working with Harlan in 1987, and continues today in an active emeritus role.
[16] Empting introduced a program known as Vine Masters, where vineyard managers are "invited to work a block for the rest of their lives".
[6] Napavalley.wine states that "The spare soils and benevolent mesoclimate foster low yields and slow, even ripening".
[1] Jay McInirney of Town & Country Magazine states that Harlan Estate wines "redefined the style of Napa reds".
Adam Lechmere of Decanter Magazine states that "The finest wines are brightly perfumed in youth and mellowing to dried petals and dried herb as they age; there is earth, blue fruit ageing to dark, a certain savouriness and sometimes an animal tang (“most of the estate is wild land”).
[19] The Robb Report hailed the 2016 vintage of Harlan Estate as "the greatest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon of the Century".