Wine Advisor
Harlan, The Maiden 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 The Maiden is every bit as stunning from bottle as it was from barrel. Dark cherry, mocha, spice and new leather infuse the 2016 with tons of character. Deep, sensual and wonderfully inviting, the 2016 has so much to offer. It's one of the best - maybe the best - Maiden I have ever tasted. All of the pedigree and dimension of the vintage comes through so clearly.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Harlan's 2016 The Maiden is a very pretty, nuanced and understated wine. Rose petal, mint and red/purplish berry fruit are all nicely lifted in this gracious, mid-weight wine. As it has been now for a few years, the Maiden is very much delicate and classy in style.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 The Maiden is a little closed to begin, giving way to notes of crushed blackberries, fresh blackcurrants, warm plums and black pepper with hints of tobacco, charcoal, menthol and underbrush. Full-bodied, the palate is taut and muscular, packed with tightly wound layers of black fruits and savory sparks, framed by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing on a lingering earthy note.
About the Producer
The land at Château Harlan is unique in that the vineyards are situated on hillsides that are well drained and rise and fall with the slopes. The first 9.7 hectares of vineyard, planted between 1986 and 1987, was planted in a staggered manner, as the two small plots that make up the vineyard are located on either side of the hillside. The vines were planted with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyards are planted at varying densities, with half of the vineyards planted with 1,750 vines per hectare and the other half with 5,500 vines per hectare. The high quality of Château Hallam's wines is a result of the meticulousness of the entire winemaking process. The winemaking philosophy at Château Hallam is to preserve the natural flavour of the grapes and to take a gentle approach to the growing and fermentation process. The barrels in the winery are all new French oak barrels. The main wine, Harlan Estate Proprietary Red, is aged in barrel for 25 months, while the unselected wine is bottled after 10 months as a secondary wine, The Maiden, without filtration or clarification. The wines of Château Hallam are dark in colour, fruity and floral, with strong, restrained tannins and a firm, robust texture, and have the potential to age for at least 20 years. Best vintages include: 1991, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007.
