We return to Alaska for the first time in two years with a very special Spotlight program featuring the very best wines of California and Oregon!  Our Spotlight experience will be built around the exclusive and private world of Domain H. William Harlan, the winegrowers who produce Harlan Estate, BOND, Promontory, and The Mascot wines in the Napa Valley, California. 

The Domain was founded in 1984, with Harlan Estate, a winegrowing property on the east-facing slopes of the western hills of Oakville, California. Harlan Estate consists of 240 acres of natural splendor set above the fabled Oakville bench lands.  Bill Harlan, the founder and owner of the Domain, is also co-owner of the Meadowood Napa Valley resort and spa, the Inn at Southbridge resort and spa, and The Napa Valley Reserve, a members-only winegrowing estate and club in the heart of the Napa Valley.  

Harlan, arguably the most influential figure in the Napa Valley, is a former thrill seeker who raced motorcycles, taught flying lessons, docked a schooner on seven continents, and played professional poker.  In 1975, he founded Pacific Union Company, one of the premiere real-estate brokers in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He eventually settled in the Napa Valley to pursue his abiding appreciation for fine wine.  In the 1990s his eponymous hillside winery redefined the style of Napa reds and helped spawn the so-called Cult Cabernet movement—an elite group of boutique wineries selling opulent reds for hundreds of dollars to eager collectors.

Recently, Harlan turned the reins over to his son Will, who will oversee Harlan Estate, BOND and Promontory, where he has held a leadership role since 2017. Will will also continue to oversee The Mascot, a brand he founded using grapes from younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory.  Bill Harlan will continue in the role of founder and chairman.  (To learn more about the Harlan Legacy and their 200 year plan for the Estate, click here for an interview with Bill and Will Harlan. )

Domain H. William Harlan wines have grown in reputation and recognition.  Robert Parker said of Harlan Estate, “These wines possess all the elements of greatness —individuality, power combined with elegance, extraordinary complexity, remarkable aging potential, and compelling richness without ponderousness.”   The wines from all the Harlan family properties are considered to be among the finest wines produced in the world.  Here are details on the wines to be featured on our pre-sail and on-board experiences: 

• PROMONTORY has become one of the most buzzed-about wines on the market since its initial release, the 2009 vintage. The grapes are grown in line with the natural principles of the Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka. The wine, made by winemaker David Cilli, ages for five years in large Austrian casks, instead of the expected French barriques. Though the territory of Promontory is expansive, the production is small: A bottle of Promontory sells for about $900 retail. “We think of it as a mineral expression of Cabernet, rather than a fruit expression of Cabernet,” Will Harlan says of Promontory. “The property is further south, higher in elevation and has a unique topography that almost creates its own weather patterns. It makes for a fresh, foresty, much wilder-seeming wine.”  Promontory will be the featured wine during the private dinner in Prime 7 as part of our on-board experience.  

• BOND is a physical winery – yet more importantly, BOND is a philosophy of creating premium wines from a single variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) from ‘grand cru’-quality, site-specific Napa Valley vineyards.  Today, five premium vineyards make up the BOND portfolio. These vineyards were hand-selected and evaluated over a number of years before becoming part of BOND. Each of these vineyards, which range from 7 to11 acres in size, is managed by the BOND winegrowing team.  Attention to detail with respect to management during the growing season and the decision on when to harvest is paramount. There are five different wines vinified annually at BOND: BOND Melbury, BOND Vecina, BOND Quella, BOND St. Eden, and BOND Pluribus.  Here are notes on the 2018 BOND Vecina from winemaker Cory Empting: “The aromas are vivid and savory, yet the virtue of this Vecina resides in its stoic nature. The electric impulse that pervades the other 2018s, in this wine, manifests itself uniquely, passing like a steel blade through its vertical structure. Though the physique of the wine is muscular, the texture is extremely fine. The finish has a wise austerity that resolves with a persistent resonance.” We will enjoy flights of the BOND wines during our on-board tasting. Wine flights are an excellent way to approach the art of wine tasting. The opportunity to sample the different BOND wines side-by-side reveals the subtle differences that might otherwise be missed.  David Cilli will lead the BOND flight experience—a very special treat for our guests.

• THE MASCOT is a limited-production wine label founded by Will Harlan. The wine is made from distinct hillside vineyards: specifically, the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory. These vines exhibit the pedigree of these singular places and  reveal the promise of their future as contributors to the ‘grand vins’ of the estates.  The Mascot started out as a small project shared among the family, winemaking team, and close friends. Drawing fruit from blocks of recently replanted vineyards, the wine shares a glimpse into the evolution of its parent estates: a youthful snapshot of their future.  A hedonistic blend of power and balance, The Mascot is aged in bottle for five years before release and is approachable now, yet it will age for decades given the opportunity.  A few notes from the winemaker on the 2016 vintage: “Following several dry years, 2016 brought one of those welcome, benevolent growing seasons that instills an enthusiasm in the winegrowing team at the approach of harvest. The winter saw abundant rainfall, and the spring brought with it an even temperance. June and July delivered several waves of warmth, which are typical of the Napa Valley; however, regular fog layers dappled with sunlight kept the region cool throughout August, ushering in a moderate Indian summer that imbued the fruit with an invigorating vibrancy, and enabled us to pick at an unhurried pace. In the resulting wine, aromas suggest cool, fragrant mists, an intermingling of bright fruit with gentle florals, and traces of fresh, wild herbs. A sip reveals a polished core—a soft, inviting texture bonded by strength. These playful curves resolve towards an elevated finish, as well as light, colorful notes that dance on the palate—and entice the imagination.”  THE MASCOT will be the featured wine during the private dinner in Chartreuse as part of our on-board experience.  

• The various tastings and meals will be complimented by presentations about the history of the Harlan family Domain and winemaking in Napa Valley.  Guests participating in the on-board wine program will also be treated to a special on-board lunch featuring the best wines of Oregon when we visit Astoria.  To sign up for the on-board Harlan wine experience, click here: https://www.rssc.com/cruises/MAR220505/activities/onboard#tabs and sign up for SFOTBA   NOTE: Space is limited. 

• Additional wine tasting activities  – complementary and open to all guests on the Spotlight voyage  – to be announced.

• NOTE:  Harlan Wines will be available for purchase in all Mariner restaurants throughout the cruise.