Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This second label of BOND is so rich and opulent, it's hard to believe it's the least expensive of Harlan's stable. Masses of cherries, blackberries, chocolate and vanilla-caramel new oak, accented with mint and herbs, leading to a refined, smoothly tannic finish. Just delicious.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2003 Matriarch (1,500 cases) is a ripe, spicy, supple-textured effort offering beautiful plum, anise, black currant, tobacco, and toasty oak notes. Full-bodied, lush, and concentrated...
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.