Winemaker Notes
This OWC includes three bottles of 2004 Harlan The Maiden.
Very dense, ruby-red color. Though subdued at first, with some airing it displays notes of roasted coffee, charcoal, and blackberry against a background of sweet, toasty notes. Very ripe impression with good concentration and density. The entry on the palate is at once dense, fleshy, exuberant, and displays a high level of fine-grained, supple tannins that will certainly contribute to its textural interest and harmony for many years.
This is a vintage of exceptional charm from a ripe year. A beautifully concentrated wine—neither heavy nor overbearing—with sweet tannins, loads of ripe, juicy fruit, licorice, and a tremendous consistency. The wine shows bright, forward cassis and black fruits.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The '04 Maiden is very close to Harlan Estate in quality. The Maiden is a touch less elegant; but it is such a wholesome wine, so succulent in blackberry, cassis, licorice, and roasted cedar. The tannins are so regal—even the slight prickle of acidity works for polish.
Cellar Selection -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The second wine from Harlan Estate, the 2004 The Maiden shows plenty of cedary Christmas fruitcake and creme de cassis notes, a touch of vanillin and a rich, opulent mouthfeel (no tannins stick out whatsoever). The wine is plush, succulent, and altogether hedonistic and intellectually satisfying.
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.