2018 Harlan Estate, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)

Bill Harlan set out in the early 1980s to build California's answer to a Bordeaux First Growth, and Harlan Estate is the result: a 36-acre Oakville hillside vineyard, dry-farmed across most of its blocks, planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon with supporting Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Every wine is aged up to three years in 100% new oak, and the estate has racked up an extraordinary run of 100-point scores over the decades, cementing its place alongside Screaming Eagle at the very top of Napa's cult wine hierarchy.

The 2018 is a multiple 100-point vintage, earning perfect scores across some of the industry's most respected critics. They all point to a dense, deep-colored wine layered with cassis, graphite, violets and warm spice, full-bodied yet remarkably precise, with the kind of structure and length built for decades in the cellar.

It's already drinking with real charm, but this is a wine collectors are tucking away for the long haul, and CellarTracker owners consistently rave about its balance and staying power both now and years down the line.

James Suckling | 100 Points

"Classy earth, oak and bay-leaf character on the nose, together with dark fruit, such as currants and blackberries. Forest flowers, too. Full-to medium-bodied, linear and tight with coolness and freshness. Mint and spearmint to the dark fruit. Lasts a long time. Such balance and intensity. Tight now, but great energy and length this year. Incredibly sophisticated and seductive. A joy to taste now, but try in 2025."

Jeb Dunnuck | 100 Points

"Stunning on every level, the 2018 Proprietary Red Wine reveals a dense purple hue as well as an incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, iron, violets, and tobacco. Reminding me of a hypothetical blend of Ducru Beaucaillou and Pontet Canet from a great, classical vintage (or a more elegant version of the 2013 for simplicity), it's medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, powerful yet elegant, and has a finish that won't quit. This is pure gold in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s already drinkable yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have 40 years of prime drinking."

The Wine Independent | 100 Points

"The 2018 Harlan Estate is deep purple-black colored. The nose slowly unfurls to offer fragrant floral notes of roses and lilacs with hints of cinnamon and cumin seed over a core of plum preserves, star anise, cedar chest, and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and fantastic tension, supporting the many tightly wound black fruits, floral, and exotic spice layers, finishing with an epically long, lingering, and wonderfully nuanced perfume. This elegant, sophisticated, cerebral face of Harlan is something of a departure from its rich, hedonic reputation, which I also love. But, got to hand it to the next-gen team, this is simply stunning. Bravo!"