WEINWISSER: "Extrem dunkles Purpur, satt in der Mitte, violetter Schimmer am Rand. Kompaktes, frisches Bouquet, viel Pflaumen- und Cassistöne, Black Currant, Teakholznoten, Schwarztee, noch recht verschlossen, beeindruckende Tiefe. Feiner, delikater Gaumen, viel direkte Frucht, bedeutend zugänglicher als in der Nase, viel Power und ein beeindruckendes, sehr langes Finale, dramatisches Nachspiel."
WINESPECTATOR: "Firm and intense, with gripping tannins wrapped around dark berry, black licorice, graphite, cedar and tar. Slow to unfold but does so impressively, gaining strength, depth and vitality- appears a great candidate to go another 10 to 15 years with ease.--2001 California Cabernet blind retrospective (June 2011). Drink now through 2025. 1,250 cases made. — JL"
JANCIS ROBINSON: "Heady and rich – and very flattering on the nose. Hint of malt and chocolate. Surely this has to be US? Alcohol on the finish but this is a wine that is impossible to spit. Manages to beguile and not bad complexity. The most flattering wine of all on the palate in terms of texture but still appetising on the end. The tannins which are there are almost hidden. Very, very slightly tart on the finish."
DECANTER: "The 2001 Harlan Estate is strikingly exuberant and precocious. Vivid aromas of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, tar, liquorice, rich soil tones and a hint of mint explode from the glass. On the palate this wine is notably rich and concentrated, but retains its balance and poise - a high-wire act at these levels of ripeness and new oak. Really a singular wine, and one of the benchmarks for this paradigm of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon."
ANTONIO GALLONI: "One of the highlights in this tasting, the 2001 Harlan Estate is simply majestic. Powerful, explosive and dense, the 2001 soars out of the glass with an exotic mélange of aromas, flavors and textures that grabs hold of all the senses. The 2001 is an especially virile, potent Harlan Estate that will drink well for 20 years or more. Today it is very impressive. Two thousand one was current winemaker Cory Empting ‘s first vintage at Harlan Estate."
THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The most elegant, vintage of Harlan I've tasted yet. Here, you have an incredible wave of powerful fruit, but everything is soft, refined and polished. The tannins are silky, the fruits are perfectly ripe, there is depth, length and vibrancy, all backed up by the natural sweetness found in the dark berries. The long, seamless finish leaves you with pure blackberries, dark chocolate, spice box, smoke and espresso, topped with licorice. Drink this now, or age it for another 1-2 decades, regardless, this is a spellbinding wine."
THE WINEADVOCATE: "This wine, which first debuted in 1990, has probably garnered more perfect scores than any other Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2001 is just entering a young adolescent stage of development, exhibiting extraordinary nuances such as sweet, loamy soil and earthy minerality intermixed with some background smoke, black currant liqueur, plum, Asian spice and new saddle leather. Full-bodied, it possesses great intensity, with stunning flavors that are viscous enough to coat the mouth, but never become heavy or overbearing. The wine has a remarkable purity, concentration and intensity that should carry it for another 30+ years. This is already very promising, and for those who own it, I would suggest a good two to three hours of decanting prior to service."
