Text by: Greg Somm
California isn't a wine for the delicate, those who prefer beautiful, natural wines. Everyone should choose their own. I just wish there was a greater awareness and understanding of the breadth of the wine world than many people sometimes realize. American wines should be discussed in the context of so-called "cult" wines. They are the ones that have truly, and unequivocally, put the United States on the global wine map. And when you taste them thoughtfully and without prejudice, you realize that people in charge of them simply strived to make wine with all the perfectionist approaches, which ultimately produced the results we all see. Our set was quite unusual in its details.
Opus One 2007 is a wine that can't help but capture your attention. Open, generous, expressive, and full-bodied on the palate. It tastes perfectly, and compared to Bordeaux 2007, it's simply fantastic, not a bland, greenish substance. I'm not downplaying Bordeaux, it's just obvious from the vintages. Of the Harlan 2015, 2012, 2005, and 1995 wines, my favorite was the 2012. It's fantastically complex and balanced. The 2015 is a bit younger but just as beautiful as the 2012, while the 2005, on the contrary, is very subtle and elegant, like a 2005 Lafite.
But 1995 was already overly evolved. I'd compare it to a 1995 Monfortino, which speaks of oxidation and decadence. Generally, I'd place the Harlan style more in the Right Bank region of Bordeaux. It has such beautiful earthy aromatics, coupled with hints of sweet red berries.
Pairing the Screaming Eagle 2021 with the 2016, I caught myself feeling that this wine, too, was striving for subtlety and elegance. The 2021 is still quite young, but in its presentation it's much closer to Clos Rougeard's Le Bourg than Opus One.
This makes me look forward to new experiences in the future. But I wouldn't call 2016 overly expressive either. The beautiful aromas of ripe black and red berries against a background of tobacco, leather, and oriental spices capture all the attention. And the balance is once again perfect. Stylistically, Screaming Eagle is a rich, Left Bank Bordeaux style. In conclusion, I want to note that comparison is the key to learning wine.
