Harlan Estate Napa Valley 2010

100 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2010 Harlan Estate is a total head-turner. Powerful, dense and exotically ripe – as so many wines are in this vintage – the 2010 dazzles with magnificent intensity. Baritone inflections run through the black cherry, graphite, smoke, tar and licorice flavors. Heat spikes at the end of what was generally a cold growing season yielded wines that bring together structure and fruit density. Drink: 2018-2037. (Sep 2017)"

100 points James Suckling: "Another perfect red with fabulous transparency and clarity in cabernet sauvignon character. Black currants and blackberries throughout. Full body, yet shows wonderful form and tension. Layered. Better in 2020. (6/10/14)"

98+ points Robert Parker: "I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2010 Harlan Estate inch closer to perfection over the next decade. Surprisingly supple for this vintage, while this cuvee is not usually that flamboyant or exuberant in its youth, the 2010 is sensual and performing remarkably well. Its deep purple color is accompanied by notions of charcoal, graphite, camphor, creme de cassis, barbecue smoke and blackberries. As usual, this complex effort reminds me of a hypothetical blend of a great Pauillac and Graves (such as La Mission Haut-Brion). Rich, full-bodied and softer than I would have expected in this vintage, it is a prodigious, multidimensional, compelling wine. It requires 3-5 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following 30+ years. Drink: 2016-2046. (Oct 2013)"

98 points Stephen Tanzer (Vinous): "Saturated full ruby to the rim. Brooding scents of black fruits, licorice, minerals, menthol and forest floor. Dense, thick and utterly seamless but alive on entry, then powerful, delineated and penetrating in the middle palate, with licorice, mountain berry and mineral flavors carrying through an explosive, unflagging aftertaste. Utterly palate-staining, endless wine with great power and nobility, this saturates every square millimeter of the palate. The tannins are huge but plush. Deeper than Bill Harlan's new Portfolio wine, made from somewhat higher vineyards situated to the south of Harlan Estate, but I love the mineral lift and lighter touch of the other wine. The full ripeness and deep sweetness of the 2010 vintage gives the Harlan Estate considerable appeal today but it will last for a long time. In fact, my sample retained its bulletproof fruit sweetness for a week in the recorked bottle. Drink: 2023-2045. (May 2020)"

96 points Wine Spectator: "A serious wine that commands attention, from its initial rustic earth, crushed rock and dense berry flavors to its push of concentrated dark berry, dried herb, dried licorice, road tar and dried flowers. Never loses purpose or direction. Patience required. Best from 2015 through 2030. 1,550 cases made. (10/31/13)"