2006 Harlan Estate, The Maiden, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml) [Slightly Tissue Stained Label]

James Laube for Wine Spectator writes "Tightly wound, firm and concentrated, with a chewy core of dried currant, cedar, anise and mineral, yet for all its austerity there's a wonderful beam of ripe dark fruit that gains depth, nuance and length. Impressive for its structure and depth." 93 Pts Nov 2009

Robert Parker writes, "This extraordinary estate, run by Bill Harlan, has never had either a shortage of ambition or patience. Harlan originally had his wines made elsewhere, but never found the resulting product up to his standards until his home vineyard, high on the western hills of the Oakville Corridor, hit an acceptable level of quality, which turned out to be in 1990. In October, I did a vertical tasting of every Harlan Estate vintage made (which I will report on at a future date), and one thing that was clear is just how extraordinary these wines are, and how well they are aging. Even in California’s lighter, more challenging years, Harlan turned out wines that anyone would be happy to own and consume. The newest offerings include two vintages of The Maiden essentially their second wine, and the flagship Harlan Estate fewer than 2,000 cases produced." Published: Dec 21, 2009