Harlan Estate, Promontory, BOND. Everyone wants to try them, few ever will. In fact, I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t lunge at the opportunity to experience one of Bill Harlan’s legendary creations if afforded the opportunity. Today’s that rare chance, courtesy of his son, Will: Coming from an impeccable blend of young vines across the family's three famous properties and matured for nearly five years before release, The Mascot could very well be Napa Valley’s greatest “insider” bottlings. 

In other words, the vines responsible for producing the wine in front of you will one day become the premium raw material for the iconic, high-dollar labels mentioned above. Although initially created as a small project for friends/family, The Mascot has since evolved into a jaw-droppingly powerful and opulent origin story for three of the most expensive luxury labels in the entire valley, and is now sold to a broader audience. As you can probably imagine, the vast majority of this Cabernet is doled out to their mailing list, and the remainder is rationed out in tiny doses so what we have to offer can be counted on just a few hands. This is an extremely rare opportunity to experience a highly sought-after Napa Valley Cab without the punishing price—take all four bottles allowed to you!

The succession to Harlan’s extraordinary vinous throne came just recently when Bill reached 80 years of age and turned to his son Will, who now serves as the managing director of the Holy Trinity of elite properties—Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory. The latter of which has been Will’s baby for the past four years. Prior to that, he founded The Mascot, a small project that originally started as a means to enjoy amongst friends and family. However, it quickly blossomed into something far more passionate: Will found himself becoming increasingly fascinated with the delicate art of blending and winemaking, and officially released his debut vintage in 2008. 

Since its inaugural release, The Mascot has been equipped with some of California’s finest and most expensive vine real estate. It pulls from BOND’s hillside single vineyards throughout Napa Valley, as well as Harlan Estate’s and Promontory’s plantings in the Mayacamas Range above Oakville. The only catch? The Mascot uses young vines only, between 5-12 years of age, before they are authorized for use in the three “parent” labels. Aside from that, The Mascot is loaded with serious pedigree and is raised with incredible patience/attention to detail: It sees nearly three years of maturation in new and used barrels followed by 18 months in bottle before release. The final blend was approximately 85-95% Cabernet Sauvignon rounded out with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.

Thanks to a cooler, drier start to the growing season in 2015, plus an extended three-year stay in barrel, this vintage of The Mascot is absolutely stunning: Although full-bodied and hedonistic, its understated grace and lasting buoyancy makes for one memorable Cabernet Sauvignon. One can actually feel and taste the mastery at play, and can’t help but let their imagination run wild with the idea that the raw material in this wine will one day form the backbones of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory. Give this a 45-minute decant and serve it between 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and you’ll pick up the purest notes of cassis, dried black cherry, black raspberry liqueur, plum pie, anise, cigar box, pipe tobacco, fresh evergreen, vanilla bean, finely ground baking spice, and whole clove. The palate is beautifully rich and layered with dense, dark berry fruit and hints of subtle herbs and spice that resonate on a long, mineral-studded finish. While we believe this wine does have 10 years of positive evolution ahead of it, this is crafted to be expressive and approachable early in its life with the potential to evolve well into the future, so there’s absolutely no sin in opening a bottle now. What a treat. We hope you’re able to snag one!