Harlan The Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
(Napa Valley, California)

About the Winery:
The Mascot began as a family wine, unnamed, unlabeled—a blend made for and poured at the Harlan table. The components were of the highest pedigree, harvested from the younger vines of the Harlan family domain.

The domain traces its beginning to the founding in 1984 of Harlan Estate, located in the western hills of Oakville and conceived as a “first growth of California.” In 1996, the family established BOND, a portfolio of “Grand Cru” vineyards whose wines showcase the range of expression of cabernet sauvignon across distinct geographical sites within the Napa Valley. Promontory, whose land the family acquired in 2008, is led by the family’s second generation and represents a 21st-century approach to winegrowing. As these varied sites were gradually replanted, many of the young vines contributed to The Mascot project.

About this Wine:
As the growing season approached, a relatively dry winter would usher in just over nine inches of rainfall from January through June. Temperatures were moderately cool during these months, but given the low precipitation, we decided to proactively reduce yields through pruning at the very start of the season—enabling our vines to conserve and focus available resources. The month of May brought f lourishes of warmth when flowering began, and the vines, seeming quite happy with the state of things, carried through the remaining ripening season with flying colors. The wine that emerged was at once supple and poised; its mantle of red fruit accented by dark details, like crimson velvet embroidered with fine violet threads. The tannins are smooth and sheer, with resolute acidity, lending to the palate a distinct classicism. The wine’s breadth gradually gathers itself from its periphery and focuses its energy toward a penetrating finish. This nobly proportioned structure is surprisingly approachable—especially for a vintage from the Napa Valley, whose wines are already renowned for their potential longevity.

ABV: 14.5%

While this wine has not been reviewed, its "big brother" Harlan's grand vin received 100 from The Wine Independent in April 2024.