The 2004 Vecina emerges from an 11-acre western Oakville hillside not far from the famed Harlan Estate. This wine, which I rated identically in 2008, has a huge nose of bouquet garni, roasted meats and is clearly the spiciest of all the Bond 2004s. It is full-bodied, viscous and thick, with some tannins still to resolve in the finish. Again, there’s no reason to defer gratification because of the incredibly complex aromas as well as flavors. Some new saddle leather also makes an appearance in this multidimensional, full and impressive wine. This is a terrific example of great Napa viticulture combined with extraordinary craftsmanship from Bob Levy and Michel Rolland, with a long-term vision provided by the inimitable Bill Harlan. Drink this wine over the next 2-3 decades. A brilliant project of Harlan Estates’ proprietor, Bill Harlan, these single-vineyard wines have been everything a Cabernet connoisseur could ever hope for since they were first released. Amazingly, these wines taste better with age than they did young, which is exactly what Harlan and his winemaking team of Bob Levy and consulting enologist Michel Rolland are trying to prove.

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