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The November 2025 Auction: Part 4
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1 / 2Lot 858
Estimate: $1,200
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Collection name
Reviews
99AG
"The 2015 Promontory is another absolutely thrilling wine from the Harlan family's Promontory property in the hills above Yountville. Dense and dramatic in the glass, the 2015 races across the palate with stunning depth. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, licorice and menthol fill out the wine's layers effortlessly, but it is the wine's overall balance that leaves the most lasting impression. Specifically, winemaker Davide Cilli has succeeded in finding a level of finesse in the tannins that eludes so many 2015s. Well, it didn't take very long for Promontory to scale the heights in Napa Valley. It has been a pretty fast ascent for Promontory, a project I have followed ever since Bill Harlan showed me the first maps of the property as he was putting together the pieces that constitute the present day estate. Winemaker Davide Cilli has turned out a set of mind-blowing wines over the last few years. In this tasting, the 2014 is extraordinary, but the 2015 and 2016 aren't far behind. If anything, those vintages may very well have their day too, given the glacial pace at which these wines age. Promontory starts off its life in small French oak barrels, but then finishes its aging in Stockinger ovals. Large format oak is a pretty radical departure from the way most Napa Valley Cabernets are made, and yet it is an approach that has proven to be exceptionally well suited for Promontory. It is hard to be great. It is even harder to create an environment in which others can excel. Bill Harlan has done that repeatedly. He did that with Bob Levy at Harlan Estate and BOND, and then gave Cory Empting the space to take those wines to the next level. Now, Harlan and his team have done the same thing at Promontory. These wines are positively stunning. That's pretty much all there is to it."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"The 2015 Promontory is another absolutely thrilling wine from the Harlan family's Promontory property in the hills above Yountville. Dense and dramatic in the glass, the 2015 races across the palate with stunning depth. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, licorice and menthol fill out the wine's layers effortlessly, but it is the wine's overall balance that leaves the most lasting impression. Specifically, winemaker Davide Cilli has succeeded in finding a level of finesse in the tannins that eludes so many 2015s. Well, it didn't take very long for Promontory to scale the heights in Napa Valley. It has been a pretty fast ascent for Promontory, a project I have followed ever since Bill Harlan showed me the first maps of the property as he was putting together the pieces that constitute the present day estate. Winemaker Davide Cilli has turned out a set of mind-blowing wines over the last few years. In this tasting, the 2014 is extraordinary, but the 2015 and 2016 aren't far behind. If anything, those vintages may very well have their day too, given the glacial pace at which these wines age. Promontory starts off its life in small French oak barrels, but then finishes its aging in Stockinger ovals. Large format oak is a pretty radical departure from the way most Napa Valley Cabernets are made, and yet it is an approach that has proven to be exceptionally well suited for Promontory. It is hard to be great. It is even harder to create an environment in which others can excel. Bill Harlan has done that repeatedly. He did that with Bob Levy at Harlan Estate and BOND, and then gave Cory Empting the space to take those wines to the next level. Now, Harlan and his team have done the same thing at Promontory. These wines are positively stunning. That's pretty much all there is to it."
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The fourth-largest wine producer in the world, led by California. American fine wine is defined by ripe, expressive fruit and a spirit of innovation, with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon among the most sought-after wines globally.
California's most prestigious wine region, celebrated worldwide for opulent, structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Diverse soils and mountain-to-valley-floor sites yield wines of remarkable ripeness, power and longevity.
Yountville is a sub-AVA in central Napa Valley, California, producing balanced, structured Cabernet Sauvignon of ripe dark fruit and firm yet refined tannins, blending power with elegance.
The world's most planted premium red grape, yielding deeply colored, tannic and structured wines with cassis, cedar and graphite notes. Firm tannins and acidity make it exceptionally age-worthy, whether as a varietal or the backbone of a Bordeaux blend.