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International Wine Cellar
Author: Stephen Tanzer
Issue: Issue 102
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Full medium ruby. Superripe, deep nose offers currant, plum, black cherry, truffle, smoke, meat and cedary spices. A wine of great sweetness and flavor intensity; remarkably suave in spite of its great solidity. Offers an almost liqueur-like ripeness and great density but sound acids keep the wine lively. Palate-staining aftertaste features substantial tongue-dusting but fine tannins. As extraordinary as the nearly confectionery, more roasted Harlan Estate '97 is, this wine may well have more verve.
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The 1999 Harlan Estate (1,700 cases) reveals moderately intense aromatics of sweet vanilla, menthol, espresso, chocolate, and cassis. The wine is medium to full-bodied, suave, and elegant. It is more restrained and not as intense as previous vintages, reflecting 1999's cool growing season. Nevertheless, this is still an outstanding wine. The finish is long, elegant, and Bordeaux-like. It is not as prodigious as the Harlans produced between 1991 and 1998. I would rank it behind all those wines. The objective at Harlan is simple...low yields, ripe fruit, no razzle dazzle in terms of fermentation, a natural upbringing, and bottling without clarification.
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Wine Spectator
Author: James Suckling
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Intense aromas of cassis and crushed berries with hints of vanilla. Full-bodied, round and very ripe and rich. Chewy and long. Loads of ripe fruit and coconut. This needs time.
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