2016 BOND, Terroir Portfolio, Napa Valley [Melbury, St. Eden, Pluribus, Quella, Vecina], Case of 5 Magnum

JD100 [St. Eden] "Another perfect wine in the lineup is the 2016 St. Eden, which comes from a hillside of red volcanic soils just outside of Oakville. As with the 2015, wine doesn't get any better, and this inky hued 2016 offers up a smorgasbord of creme de cassis, blackberries, crushed rocks, toasty oak, new leather, and tobacco. Deep, full-bodied, powerful yet also incredibly elegant, it offers pleasure even today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for 30 years or more." JD Jan 2020

JD100 [Melbury] "Moving to the single vineyard releases, the 2016 Melbury is pure perfection in a glass and is the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. Awesome notes of cassis, blackcurrants, toasted bread, white flowers, and spice give way to an ethereal, seamless, yet opulent wine that has that rare mix of power and elegance possessed by all truly great wines. Full-bodied, concentrated, and with building yet perfectly ripe tannins, do your best to give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age. It will evolve effortlessly for 30 years or more." JD Jan 2020

RP100 [Vecina]"Vecina vineyard is located in the western foothills of Oakville, just to the south-east of the winery (up on Oakville Grade). Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Vecina slips sensuously out of the glass with gorgeous black cherries, kirsch, wild blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles notes plus suggestions of bouquet garni, pencil lead, tilled earth and underbrush. Full-bodied, taut and packed with ripe, expressive, exquisitely accented black and blue fruits, it has loads of earthy sparks and a compelling fine-grained nature to the firm texture, finishing long and layered. This bright, energetic, incredibly nuanced beauty is built like a brick house and, while approachable in youth, is easily a 50-year wine. I therefore urge readers to wait at least 5-7 years before opening to allow for the myriad of subtle nuances to emerge and offer that "WOW" experience that will reward patience." LPB for TWA Sep 2019

JS100 [Quella] "This is really crazy with decadent and opulent aromas of dark fruit and sliced meat. Hints of dried fruit, too. Sexy. Full-bodied with firm and silky tannins that fan out into the wine and deliver a beautiful frame and focus. Drink or hold." JS Feb 2019

RP99 [Pluribus]"Pluribus vineyard is situated on Spring Mountain, producing a sometimes broody wine in its youth with tons of latent power and energy waiting to erupt. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Pluribus is a little closed and youthfully mute to begin, slowly unfurling to offer glimpses at baked plums, crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries and redcurrant jelly plus suggestions of charcoal, black olives, Sichuan pepper and bay leaves with a waft of pain grille. Full-bodied, it has a rock-solid frame of very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruit and savory accents, finishing with phenomenal length and loads of earthy layers." LPB for TWA Sep 2019

This project was conceived by Bill Harlan and Bob Levy of Harlan Estate - a winery that quickly became one of California's cult producers along with the likes of Screaming Eagle. The duo worked with over 80 vineyards in the Napa Valley during their journey to create a wine that was 'Grand Cru' in quality. Finally settling on a selection of 5 of the finest Napa terroirs, Bond produces a collection of Cabernet Sauvignon wines that exhibit the diversity and remarkability of their geographic region.
The five separate single vineyards that Bill Harlan has under long-term contract continue to perform at first growth quality levels. They generate between 500 and 600 cases of these single-vineyard wines that all represent distinctive and separate micro-climates of Napa Valley.