This wine made me rethink everything I have tasted prior to this point. This was a mindblowing experience. My third venture now with Harlan, and possibly the best. This is exactly what I love about wine, and winemaking. Enormously intense extract. Dark purple in color. Unctuous flavors of blackberry jam, violets, dark blueberry, anise, clove, dark rich chocolate, and incredible sweet/spicy toasted oak. Hardcore tannins, and yet the grace it displays is stunning. I seriously don't know how Bill Harlan does it. This is my favorite winery...period. Quite possibly the best bottle of wine I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. I know Parker only rated this 94 pts. and everyone else I think was even lower, but this is about as good as it gets for my palate...98-100 pts., and a long life ahead. I'll be interested to see how this could possibly get any better.
-DRAB
So much wine.....so little time!!!
Posts: 6812 | Location: San Francisco | Registered: Jun 20, 2002
I feel that the Maiden is a more forward early drinking Harlan(ie the estate is the Maiden on steroids). Same deal as the Pride regular & reserve Cabs. This is one of the styles of Cal Cab I really like(But I also like aged Dunn & Montelena. Go figure).
If this is a 2nd label of Harlan, you have to ask yourself "Why are there so many crappy wines made?"
