Situated southeast of the winery on the border between Oakville and Yountville, Vecina received a more generous allotment of the rain that did fall early in the mostly dry year. The window for harvest was the longest of the five vineyards, stretching from August 22nd to September 3rd.
 
The nose offers a preview of the wine’s firm, vertical posture as notes of dark fruit, coffee, and wild sage rise to greet the approach. The wine’s notable structure is somewhat softened by a suppleness that seeps in from its perimeter, while the brisk tannins ascend steeply on the midpalate. This structural poise, at its summit, rewards the senses with a halo of warmth that, like the colors of a sunset, intensifies as it ebbs.
 
Known in all contexts outside of Bond as Vine Hill Ranch (VHR), Vecina is the only vineyard here that was famous before its association with Bond.
 
Cory Empting began his career as the assistant winemaker to Bob Levy (Harlan) and now oversees winery and vineyard operations. Bond, an Oakville winery owned by Bill Harlan, typically buys fruit from a vineyard for about 10 years before deciding whether it’s worthy of its label.
 
VECINA is coined from the Spanish word for neighbor. This is our endeavor with the property situated directly southeast of the BOND winery.
 
The beautifully terraced volcanic soil slopes of this property reside in Oakville's western foothills. The 11-acre site faces due east and is the recipient of cool morning sun. Vecina, which appeared with the 1999 vintage in the inaugural BOND release, is always powerful, intense and savory. Vecina's other hallmarks are blackberry fruit, with wild forest floor and mineral associated overtones.
SOIL: Bedrock overlain with fine grained alluvial wash. Eastern Exposure.
ELEVATION: 221-330 feet
 
BOND is a range of Napa Valley red wines focused on the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. The brand name proclaims the strong relationship developed over time between the winemakers and the growers who work with them.
BOND history
The project was conceived by Bill Harlan and Bob Levy of Harlan Estate – a winery that quickly became one of California's cult producers, along with the likes of Screaming Eagle. Harlan Estate sources its fruit from its own vineyards, but Harlan and Levy were interested in cultivating fruit from specific terroirs around the Napa Valley.
The result was BOND (initially known as Bond Estates), which began making wine in 1997. The first commercial release came two years later.
Wines and vineyards
There are five Cabernet Sauvignon wines under the main BOND banner. The fruit is sourced from sites the Harlan family have identified as being comparable to Grand Cru sites in France. These are small plots of between seven and 11 acres (three to five hectares) located around the Napa Valley.
The wines are labeled with proprietary names. The first releases in the lineup were the Melbury and Vecina wines in 1999, the St Eden followed in 2001, the Pluribus in 2003, and finally the Quella in 2006.
BOND has since received its own considerable critical recognition. Multiple wines have been rated 100 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
The range is made at a dedicated winery in Oakville. The winemaking approach is consistent across the BOND portfolio to ensure that the wines communicate the character of each cru site. 
A further wine, Matriarch, is labeled as a distinct brand. It also debuted with the inaugural 1999 vintage, and is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from all five sites.