Wine Spectator reviewed this wine in 1998 as follows: "Smooth, ripe, rich and concentrated, with a focused core of spicy pear, hazelnut, fig, melon and light toasty oak. Complex and inviting, finishing with a spicy flavor and fine length. 90 points." Laurie Daniel, writing just two months ago (Sept. 7, 2005) in the San Jose Mercury-News, wrote: "They also poured a 1995 Mt. Harlan Chardonnay to let me see how the wine ages. It was rich, fleshy and still vibrant."

I’ve found that many Americans have yet to discover the joys of drinking wellaged – and ageworthy – Chardonnays. Here's your chance.

Bottled: May 15, 1996
Produced: 1,022 cases
Alcohol: 13.7%

From Wine Spectator of July 31, 2005: "An alluring style that combines ripe, firm black cherry and sour cherry fruit with a mix of spices, giving it a touch of nutmeg and hazelnut. Tannins are firm on the finish, giving it an excellent structure. Drink now through 2011. 91 points." And WineSkinny.com, Aug.- Sept. 2005: "Rich ribbons of flavors include focused black cherry, blackberry, allspice, sweet earth, roasted nuts, and nicely integrated toasty oak. Continues to evolve through the long, lush finish. Ready to drink now and over the next five or six years."

Bottled: May 20 & 21, 2003
Produced: 1,097 cases
Alcohol: 14.2%

The great Robert Parker tasted this wine in April, 2003, and described it Nov. 10, 2003 on eRobertParker.com as follows: "Low yields of 1.1 ton of fruit per acre (16.5 hectoliters of wine per hectare of vineyard) result-ed in a medium ruby-colored Pinot offering a big, sweet nose of straw-berries, cherries, spice box, and cloves. Medium to full-bodied, with moderate tannin, this pure, earthy, concentrated effort needs another 1-2 years of cellaring. It should drink well for 10-15 years. 90+ points." WineSkinny.com on Nov. 22, 2004, described it thusly: "Mocha-scented blueberry and ripe cherry flavors, pick up allspice and a dash of funky earth. Dusty tannins are offset by a nice, bright acidity and lengthy fin-ish. Ready to drink now and over the next five or six years."

Bottled: March 28, 2002
Produced: 917 cases
Alcohol: 14.6%

This is a fabulous pinot: intense yet nuanced, powerful while at the same time showing great harmony and balance. The tannins in all our ’97 single-vineyard pinots are much softer than in most of our other vintages, making this wine, the three other single-vineyard pinots, and especially the ’97 Mélange Mt. Harlan Pinot, smoother than the norm at their current age of just over 4 years.

Bottled: February 23, 1999
Produced: 801 cases
Bottle sizes: 750ml, 375ml, 1.5L, 3L