The 2002 St. Eden, which comes from a valley floor vineyard in the Oakville corridor, is unreal. I had given the 2001 a perfect score, but the 2002 (made by the brain trust of on-site winemaker Bob Levy and outside French consultant Michel Rolland) is showing incredible elements of cedarwood, licorice, chocolate and creme de cassis as well as exquisite texture, full-bodied intensity, and unbelievable purity and length. It is only the second vintage for this vineyard, leased by Bill Harlan for several decades, and it has turned out to be a killer Cabernet Sauvignon and a great classic of Napa. It should drink well for 20-25 years. These three Bond wines, the third vintage from entrepreneur and proprietor Bill Harlan, continue to validate his visionary belief in their potential. Tel. (707) 944-1441; Fax (707) 944-1444

The inky/purple-tinged 2002 St. Eden Proprietary Red reveals notes of unlit cigar tobacco, beautiful blueberry and creme de cassis fruit, and notions of licorice, spice box, and incense. It is full-bodied, with wonderful sweetness and plumpness as well as a meaty richness that cascades over the palate with a seamlessness that must be tasted to be believed. This is the newest brainchild of the irrepressible Bill Harlan and his sensational winemaking team of Bob Levy and Michel Rolland. These are all 100% terroir-based Cabernet Sauvignons from distinctive sites in Napa Valley. There are 600-700 cases of each cuvee. The Melbury represents a hillside vineyard site above Lake Hennessy, the St. Eden is a valley floor vineyard in the Oakville corridor, and Vecina is a western hillside vineyard adjacent to Harlan Estate. I also tasted a stunning wine from Spring Mountain, which may be the next site that Bill Harlan offers to Bond’s mailing list clients. The quality of these singular, extraordinary offerings is world-class.(Release date 4/06)Tel. 707.944.9445, Fax. 707.944.9554, Email info@bondestates.com

More structured than the Melbury, with deeper, firmer tannins: but it’s certainly not a tannic, hard wine. It’s the quality of the tannins, fine, ripely sweet, intricate. The flavors are enormously rich in blue and black berries, as well as chocolate. Magnificent wine, fleshy, fat, opulent. As delicious as it is now, should age well through 2020.——S.H.(9/1/2006)—— 96