Given the exuberant growth experienced during the prior season at Harlan Estate, winemaker Cory Empting and his team restored the vines, through pruning, to a more typical bud-count in 2019. Several rain events—delivering nearly thirty inches within the first four months of the year—provided limited windows of time in which to prune, and thus required strategic scheduling to complete the work. The ample, early-season rainfall promoted vibrant canopies: conditions that often yield wines of great natural acidity and with decidedly savory tones. Weather at bloom was idyllically dry, allowing for excellent crop-set. Warm and dry conditions at the start of summer reined in vigor and focused the vines’ energy on the harvest ahead. Picking began on September 12th and ended on October 11th. “The character of Harlan Estate is defined by its confidence and grace—a duality that arises from our woodlands in the western hills of Oakville. With the 2019 vintage, both aromatic complexity and textural harmony seem to reach a new plateau. The nose embraces a depth with dark fruit and hints of the surrounding forest—notably, bay laurel, wild mint, and fresh earth. The wine unfolds with detail and flesh yet maintains tension in the form of fresh and vibrant acidity. This acidity, perceived as savory minerality, permeates easily through the wine’s significant density. The tannins, though present, are braided finely with ripe cords of generosity, creating a fluid persistence and perpetual resonance.”