BOND thoughts?

[Alexander_Smith]

Agree with this point: VHR, Favia, Spottswoode and Dalla Valle cost half the amount and same quality if not better…

[D_Mowe]

@HoosJustinG

don’t know that I actually agree with the advice to try an older bottle. Harlan and Bond have both pulled back in style pretty significantly in the last few years. If you go buy a 2010 on WineBid you’re not going to get much insight as to whether or not you’re going to like the '22 IMO.

100% this. They made a huge stylistic shift in 2019 across the whole Portfolio. A 2021 Harlan or BOND taste nothing like a 2016 for instance.

[chr1spark]

Just stumbled on this but would you mind elaborating more on the stylistic shift Harlan made? More Bordeaux like?

[Alexander_Smith]

yup Interested to hear @D_Mowe thoughts on what changed…

[Matt_A]

I’m just now seeing this.
@BKeller Your 2021 Bond Matriarch was $275? Your offer was in July?

The release was today I thought.

I’ve bought the Matriarch since the 2014 vintage. My offer was $300/bottle for the 2021. 3 pack minimum.
At that price point, I’m out. I can get Realm Beckstoffer To Kalon for that price.

[D_Mowe]

@chr1spark

Just stumbled on this but would you mind elaborating more on the stylistic shift Harlan made? More Bordeaux like?

The wines are much more pulled in both from an extraction standpoint as well as an alcohol stand point. For example - I think for multiple years in a row now they have been the first pick at Vine Hill by a pretty good margin (goes into Bond Vecina). The wines of today across the Harlan, BOND and Promontory offerings show much more tension & texture than say a 2016 or before. There’s fruit but more of a fresh purity of fruit rather than ultra ripe fruit. Look at 2020 - everyone was decimated by the smoke because if you harvested before the first fire it was too early for most sites so you had some risk harvesting anytime after the first fire (there were 2 fires) but Harlan put out an AMAZING 2020 which was all in before the first fire so had zero smoke affect.

I cannot confirm concretely but word on the street is they are picking sub 24 brix which is unheard of in their class of wines. Only ones i know of doing that are the likes of Ashes & Diamonds or Mathiason (although my 24 MOWE Cab came in at 23.9 but was more a grape Sampling error than true intention since flavors were great and we thought we were 24.5)

[BKeller]

I just got it for $300. But back then they offered to me for $275. Was from a sales rep.

[T.Phillips]

100% agree. Love what Cory is doing with Harlan family brands. The wines exude elegance. The 21 promontory is gorgeous.

Fwiw Ketan Mody trained under Cory and they are of similar minds on serving the vineyard and redirecting the cabernet ship towards the more classic california style. Im a massive fan of both and think they are integral in pushing napa cabernet back towards world class wines and away from parkerization

[Alexander_Smith]

This is incredible insight, Thank you!

[D_Mowe]

@T.Phillips

Fwiw Ketan Mody trained under Cory and they are of similar minds on serving the vineyard and redirecting the cabernet ship towards the more classic california style. Im a massive fan of both and think they are integral in pushing napa cabernet back towards world class wines and away from parkerization

Ahhh I left off Ketan. Indeed he is for sure in the same camp of sub 24brix harvesters.

[chr1spark]

@D_Mowe

pick at Vine Hill by a pretty good margin (goes into Bond Vecina). The wines of today across the Harlan, BOND and Promontory offerings show much more tension & texture than say a 2016 or before. There’s fruit but more of a fresh purity of fruit rather than ultra ripe fruit. Look at 2020 - everyone was decimated by the smoke because if you harvested before the first fire it was too early for most sites so you had some risk harvesting anytime after the first fire (there were 2 fires) but Harlan put out an AMAZING 2020 which was all in before the first fire so had zero smoke affect.

Appreciate the color! Though I haven’t tried your wines yet (in my wine fridge) I look forward to your releases as well down the road haha

[gavin.f]

Signed up randomly a while ago. First offer (just received).

2021 Matriarch - $300/btl
2022 BOND Terroir Portfolio: 5 x 750ml - $3,500 per five-bottle case

Seems like secondary, with age, for Matriarch is $125-$200. Tough dynamic.

[Alexander_Smith]

Will be trying Harlan 2020 next week at PNV so will be looking forward to this one since the 2019 I tasted a couple of years ago I was not blown away by…

[Alexander_Smith]

Tasted Harlan 2021 and Bond Vecina 2021 yesterday at a trade event, complete u-turn. I openly said I did not like the 2019 haha. the 2021s were incredible: Mineral, savoury, floral, multiple layers, structure and more importantly for me I found this had incredibly focused power. I will write a longer report of my trip to PNV, however a few quick points since I know some might be interested. 2021s the word which I kept telling myself is mineral, these wines are going to need a ton of time and felt in general quite tight. 2022s were hit and miss, VHR and Tor did really well, others did not, a lot were very ‘pretty’ but missed some structure. I have only tasted a few 2023 , however will taste 40 or so this morning, sorry for side tracking but TLDR, Bond and Harlan produced incredible 2021s…

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

I think amazon is going to ruin the brand by stretching the franchise into too many dilluted fragments, mediocre mini series, etc. Milk it dry like whats being done to star wars, marvel, and others

[jgreco]

Buy a 6-pack of Haut Brion and treat yourself to a nice dinner out with the remainder of the difference. These initial offers from high end Napa producers are there to prey on new consumers so you feel like you’re part of an exclusive club.