BOND
Summary
BOND is a Napa Valley producer established in 1999 by H. William Harlan that crafts single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines from five distinct hillside sites, including Melbury, Pluribus, St. Eden, Quella, and Vecina. The wines are produced in a gravity-flow winery designed for small-lot vinification, with each vineyard's lots kept separate throughout the precise process of double sorting, individual fermentation, and aging in new French oak.
Heritage & Leadership
BOND was established in 1999 by H. William Harlan, following his success with Harlan Estate. The project emerged from Harlan's vision to create wines that express the distinct characteristics of Napa Valley's hillside terroirs. Director of Winegrowing Bob Levy, who worked with Harlan since the 1980s, has overseen production from the beginning. The estate focuses exclusively on Cabernet Sauvignon from five specific vineyard sites, each producing its own wine under the BOND label.
Vineyards & Wines
BOND works with five hillside vineyards in Napa Valley: Melbury, Pluribus, St. Eden, Quella, and Vecina. Melbury sits on the slopes east of Rutherford, featuring red clay soil. Pluribus occupies a site on Spring Mountain at elevations above 1,100 feet. St. Eden grows on an iron-rich northward-facing knoll in the Oakville region. Quella stands on a southeast-facing hillside, while Vecina occupies western exposures in the Oakville benchlands. Each vineyard produces 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, with variations in character driven by their specific geographical locations and soil compositions.
Philosophy & Practice
BOND's winemaking approach centers on expressing each vineyard's distinct characteristics with minimal intervention. The wines ferment in small lots corresponding to vineyard blocks. Aging takes place in new French oak barrels, with each vineyard lot kept separate throughout the aging process. The winery employs gravity flow in its multi-level facility, designed specifically for careful handling of small vineyard lots. Fruit sorting occurs both before and after destemming to ensure only optimal berries enter fermentation.