Promontory - Napa Valley 2020

In the last four decades, no one has come to redefine Napa Valley more than Bill Harlan. With Promontory, Harlan has yet again proven his wines in a league of their own.

Everything about Promontory is unique.

Tucked away in the Mayacamas foothills, Promontory's high-elevation vineyards are a geological museum sitting on a fault line with sedimentary, volcanic and, most importantly and rare for Napa, metamorphic soils. All these attributes combine to produce a slow-to-evolve wine with lower alcohol and brighter acidity than what we expect from Napa Valley.

By experience, Promontory’s winemakers have learned that the normal rules for making Napa Cabernet don’t apply. With slight empirical changes made each year, Montalcino-born winemaker Davide Cilli ferments in large format cement vessels and ages in Stockinger foudres, with èlevage lasting 30-36 months.

While these methods sound more like Barolo than Bordeaux, the results are some of the most transcendent expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon that exist.

The first Promontory vintage (2008) wasn't released for an astonishing seven years, as the Harlan team observed its evolution. Then it took just five years for Promontory's 2013 vintage to become 2019's most widely traded American wine on the UK's LivEx, eclipsing even the most established Cult Cabs.

Promontory’s power in the marketplace has only continued to grow. And now, with the 2018 vintage receiving 100-point ratings from five top critics, that can only accelerate.

"The 2020 Promontory is deep garnet-purple in color. It soars out of the glass with notes of fresh black cherries, crushed blueberries, and kirsch, followed by hints of wet slate, Indian spices, candied violets, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly knit, with so many mineral and floral nuances intertwined with the red and black fruits, supported by very firm, very fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed. There is so much energy here, it practically vibrates in your mouth! A masterpiece.” - 100 Points, The Wine Independent

"Incredible aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, lavender, violets, hazelnut and black tea. Forest floor. So complex. Full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that are ultra-fine and melt into the wine, spreading across the palate. Perfectly meshed. This has real presence and energy. Cool wet stones, mountain air, and dark fruits make up the palate. November 2024 release. It will need three to four years to come around. Try after 2028.” - 99 Points, James Suckling

“The 2020 Promontory is a medium to full-bodied, concentrated 2020 that certainly does well in the vintage, even if it lacks the vibrancy of a truly great vintage from this estate. With everything harvested by September 21, it has a rich, powerful bouquet of ripe black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and subtle violet and floral notes. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, lots of minerality, and firm tannins, which are common in the vintage.” - 95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

Producer: Promontory

Country: USA

Region: California

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Appellation: Napa Valley

Vintage: 2020

Size: 750ml