Unleashed today is The Mascot 2019, an exemplary Napa Cabernet blended from the younger vines of the Harlan family’s three iconic estates: Harlan, Bond and Promontory.

Initially reserved for family and friends, the first commercial vintage of The Mascot was 2008. Grapes destined for the wine receive the same TLC as those for the Grands Vins but its raison d’être is different – in the words of Will Harlan:

‘From the start, the principal characteristic of The Mascot was vigour tempered by approachability. We decided to mature the wine a little longer, so that, upon release, it was delicious to drink and intensely vibrant, with the force and depth that enabled extended aging—a wine to enjoy viscerally and without excessive reverence.’

The Mascot provides something of a snapshot of the 2019 vintage, which will be remembered as a truly great one for Napa.

Budbreak was delayed by a cool, damp spring, leaving the vines well set for summer, which saw plenty of sunshine without excess heat. An Indian summer generated extra ripeness and allowed the harvest to unfurl in leisurely fashion (across a full five weeks), with numerous passes through each vineyard.

The best 2019s combine richness with freshness and definition: not for nothing was Harlan Estate 2019 awarded 100 points by Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski.

Stannary is proud to enjoy a close relationship with the team behind The Mascot. On October 3rd, we will be joined at Hakkasan by The Mascot Director Mollie Maisch, who will talk us through a vertical including the 2019. The Mascot 2019 will also be available to taste at our American EP tasting on September 18th. It is today offered En Primeur and should land on these shores in late November.

The Mascot 2019 

£858/6 bottles In Bond En Primeur

Perhaps the most seductive Mascot to date, but with a gravitas befitting some of Napa’s most exulted terroirs. Richly hued, it sits beautifully in the glass, and there are hours of satisfaction to be had from this wine’s nose alone, with an emphasis on blackcurrant, cedar and crushed stone, as well as subtle herbal notes including thyme and mint. The 2019 boasts an incredible depth of fruit and tannins that simply caress the palate, while the acidity is perfectly integrated yet provides ample drive and definition – and the promise of a long drinking window.

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A word on the label…

Dogs play a prominent role in the lives of the Harlan family. Will Harlan’s favourite childhood book – read to him by his father, Bill – was The Bar Sinister by Richard Harding Davis. Published in 1903, it’s the tale of a plucky English bull terrier called Kid. A bull terrier named Prince also features on an engraving of a stock certificate (a Harlan family heirloom) from the Farmers Deposit National Bank which is reproduced for The Mascot’s striking label. In his native Pittsburgh, Prince was the mascot of the local sports teams, and was famed for the enthusiasm with which he greeted visitors to the bank. For Will Harlan, ‘these noble hounds represent abiding courage, generosity of spirit and (in keeping with Prince’s fondness for warm welcomes), The Mascot continues to acquaint newcomers with the profound and convivial pleasures of Napa Valley Cabernet, opening the doorway to the family’s Grands Vins whose still deeper roots await.’