A Napa Valley leader makes quite a radical adjustment.
In spring of 2021 I met with winemaker Cory Empting at Harlan Estate to taste their 2020s from barrel. The wines had just finished malolactic conversion and because of the pandemic no one from outside the winery team had tasted them. The final bottling had not yet been blended so we sampled lots from across the cellar. The wines were not only free of the smoke taint that plagued many Napa 2020s, but vibrant. I returned earlier this spring to taste the final assemblage for the 2020 vintage (not yet...