drinking well, in a good place. It's interesting to see the CT ratings by "time", as this wine progressed from 90 to solid 92 the past 3 yrs. "Sometimes aging works, sometimes it doesn't."
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Still drinking prime after a 2h decant. Red and black fruits, vanilla, dill, licorice, mouth-watering acidity, and sweet tannins. For the price, this is still one of my favorite CA Cabs.
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Classic Napa cab with nose of bell peppers, perched earth, bit of coffee and mud. Palate has green vegetables followed by chocolate and chewy tannins.
Makes you feel like running through fields of vegetables smelling the damp earth as the sky is covered with dark clouds that remind you of the maiden that stole your soul.
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Pretty typical of the '12 vintage, feels cool and aloof (especially compared to the '13 vintage which I generally find to be congested and overdone). This is pretty solid, balanced, sour cherry, not much dryness or acidity.
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Doesn't need much decanter time, but most of this bottle was drunk after 2-3 hours in the flask. Really a nice Cali Cab that is very balanced and not over-the-top in any way. Blackberries, black cherry, dill, and licorice come to mind as I write this after dinner. We had this bottle with grilled flank steak and green beans mixed with grilled bell pepper and zucchini. It went really well with the grilled flavors of the veggies and beef. Normally, I don't care for a Cali Cab with steak (who really wants jammy fruit with meat??), but this really worked well. CT notes with scores average 92, and I'm inclined to agree (92-93). The great food pairing pushed me to the upper score. This is much better than I was expecting. At just under $40, this is a decent value.
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This wine was a late bloomer to me. The first time I had it back in 2015 I was really disappointed (scored it 84). These are finally drinking well. Great wine for the price point.
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Cellar Tracker says I have six of these, but this one I drank is the only one I could find. Too bad, this is drinking really well now. Has mellowed to background tannins with blueberry and chocolate. First night was good but second night seemed to gain some weight and extra mouthfeel. Even better. Start drinking now and maybe for another couple years. Hope I find another bottle.
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Muted Napa cab nose that smells a bit more of alcohol than expected. Black cherry and eucalyptus along with the too much alcohol. Nice mouth feel, quite spicy. Black and red fruit - tart with fine drying tannins. A good wine on a cold spring night.
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Gave this a 2 hour decant, and perhaps this was more than needed. Nice easy drinking Cab, but a bit fluid and bordering on hollow by the end of the evening - I would suggest drink up now.
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Beautiful aromatics. An array of black cherries, red currants, plums, cigar box, and a whiff of toasty oak amid a nostalgic scent reminiscent of the inside of an open drawer in an antique, camphor chest. The palate shows tremendous verve amongst Cabernet typicity. Bright, fleshy, and fluid, with fine grained tannin, a vibrant cut, and Christmas spices on the, juicy red fruit finish. Lovely all around.
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PNP and honestly tasted like a decent wine right out of the bottle. Probably one of the better value wines you can have. Some tobacco and bright berry combination which admittingly is weird but works in this sub $50 napa cab.
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Decided to try Hall's entry level offering over the weekend. Decanted for about 2 hours before serving with dinner. It was very tight initially on the open. I thought it was a decent wine, but nothing special here - especially given how acclaimed the vintage was. Really lacked complexity you'd expect for a $40 wine. You can do worse in that price range, but I probably will not buy again.
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Decanted for 2 hours. See previous note. This wine has a few years left in it. Tannins could use just a bit more softening but a nice drink none the less.
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Aerated and decanted for 45 minutes. Very well-balanced wine with lots of dark fruit (black cherry and blackberry) moderate tannin and acid, medium plus body. Smooth fruit driven wine that is drinking beautifully right now. Very good QPR.
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Color is deep dark purple red....nose is sugar tossed blackberry, Framboise, leather.....tongue is licorice tinged tarter blackberry blueberry tannins..... Very good
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Dark cherry color, but still bright red at the edge of the glass. Perfect mouthfeel and glass coating effect. Restrained fruit with firm tannins that will enhance the wine with time. Right amount of acidity, with wonderful lingering flavors. Medium complexity only because its mostly a fruit driven wine. Looking forward to tasting this wine in another 2-3 years.
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Purple-black hue with a phenomenal powerful nose of jammy blackberry preserves and creme design cassis. Full bodied and big. Gobs of scrumptious fruit with hints od cocoa and spoce braced by firm tannins. A lovely Napa cab that should continue to soften and improve in complexity over the next 5 years or so.
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Aerated with Vinturi - popped and poured Notes of black pepper and cassis instantly hit the nose Black fruit as well is starting to come out Little hot at 14.9% but still nice. Subtle light fruit tines move to easy tannins structure that slides into a dryness Some light licorice that has a bit jamminess to the very end. Should be outstanding with steak. 91 due to good control of transitions across the palate
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soft nose. nice smooth, full body with brooding red and black fruit flavors and a lingering hint of baking spice. oak nicely integrated; subtle but present. short finish. easy drinker.
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Started off with some heat to it. We assumed it was from the restaurant serving to warm. Really opened up nicely and mellowed as dinner went on. Paired well with filet and mushroom ravioli.
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14 of the 16 appellations going into this bottle, much from Diamond MOuntain. And actually that is balanced, full bore Cabernet. Really kinda works it out for around $60 or so.
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A nice rubyesque rim on a deep violet wine that has pleasant, but not particularly forward, aromas of dark Cherry, plum and boysenberry. On the palate, it has a smooth transition from front to back with a mild structure and imminent drink-ability. Given its moderate price, it is a fair QPR, nothing spectacular, nothing notable, which is a victory at this price point.
Nice Cali Cab that is no fruit bomb! Sturdy tannins with balance of earth and dark red fruit. Smooth but still stout enough to give it a richness and full bodied enhanced experience. Good bottle, good vintage.
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Decanted for 6+ hours. This wine is a dark opaque purple. Red and blue fruit on the nose. It certainly does better with food than on its own. The grilled Ribeye was a great pairing. Medium plus tannins and the acidity is over the top at the moment. Give this bottle some time in the cellar and you'll be rewarded.
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Opened and slow decanted for an hour before pouring into a decanter. Opened up over time. Pretty typical Napa cab - fruit forward, lots of cassis, some coffee/tobacco notes. Plenty of structure. Solid but nothing to write home about. Went well with the grilled filet I was eating with it.
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Day one: Got a bottle as a "tester"...it's Ok but no need to reload.
Day two update: capped off, put in the fridge overnight. Slightly better on day two but still not what we had hoped for. A nice Cab but lacks any "wow" factor that makes us want to get more. This is a wine you can order off the wine list at a restaurant and know you are "safe" with your selection when nothing else jumps out at you.
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Opaque purple color turning violet at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose gives off red and black fruits running on high octane (14.9%). The palate is full-bodied with a voluptuous mouth feel in a velvety texture. Flavors of dark cherry, mocha, hoisin sauce, cola, fig paste, and spice. Very powerful and structured. Finishes long and heightened with fleshy tannin. Drink now with a 45-minute decant until 2027.
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Pretty straight forward and solid Napa cab. In my opinion quality seems right for the price. Ready to go now but might pick up some complexity in a couple years.
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A nice nose of rich red fruits, earth and heat. Medium to full body, but ultimately disappointed me. The fruit was a little flat, and simple, and while the depth and finish was nice, their wine doesn't hold up to many other entry level cult Napa cabs in the $40-60 range, giving this poor QPR. Maybe a couple more years could help out, but I probably won't be finding out... Try the Hess estate cab, or a hunnicutt cab, and revel in their structure instead of this wine.
Kind of one note without a lot of depth. I used to like this wine a lot, but I wonder if the best grapes in 2012 went into all those other bottlings Hall has now. Definitely drinkable and I think another year I the bottle might help it.
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We ordered three bottles at a local steakhouse and this failed to impress anyone at the table. I used to really enjoy Hall's Napa cab so its disappointing. I sense that Hall is now so diversified in their offerings that there's not much quality left for the "regular" Napa cab at the end of a vintage. 2012 was a great year. What happened?
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This would have a higher rating if it was not 40 bucks. Classic. Nicely balanced. Nothing bad to say. In fact, I was sorry to see it go. I would buy a case today if It was $25. I bought this at Costco. It reminded me of 2008 Mettler Lodi cab. I'll be back...just not a case.
KOGS
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Really disappointed with this. Especially after both the '10 and '11 were pretty good. I would have thought for such a great year that the '12 was going to be on the scale of the '08 (I thought the Hall '08 was one of the best QPR's for any wine that year). Perhaps it is still young as I did get a lot of green notes. I bought a case, so I will let them lie for a while and hope they improve.
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Big, rich, ripe, soft and lush. Cassis and cherry with some spice and oak, a full-body and velvety texture. However, it lacks the power, structure and complexity I expect from a Napa Cab. Pleasant, but has an almost merlot-like character.
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a red and black fruit form of Cabernet, but sweet blackberry fruit as it's wallpaper. 55% new french oak for 20 months. 97% Cab Sauv, 2% PV, 1% CF. Opulence from the valley floor, power and stucture from the mountain sites. Across the board, they want rich and dense mid-palate. I'll give them that. 'They make a more extracted style, but the tannin is not as apparent, as they fill in the donut with a full mid-palate.'
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Tannic and a bit overoaked but does have a long finish. Improved with time as more of a black cherry note developed. Never been much of a fan of The Hall cabs though.
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Very pleasant and approachable cab. Not a lot of complexity. Maybe a little too much cab franc. Very soft tannins. Drinking well now. I don't think it will improve with age
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See previous note(s)... Coffee, coconut, blackberry and chocolate brownie just quinces your nose. A quite long finish, with a full body. This seems to split people down the middle. It's obvious what side of the fence I am championing. Decant or drink 2017 - 2032.
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This seems to have a less oak is better approach....which is good. But at this price it needs more depth, more cassis, more varietal character, less grapey texture. Less than impressed. Four CT tasters gave this wine 93-96 points, this was one of those times that CT failed me. What were they tasting? Your comments are welcome.
She is back with an unrelenting vengeance. First off, this is the best entry-level Napa Cabernet that you will find. The fruit and polish are hypnotizing, with blueberry, Turkish coffee, shaved coconut, melted fudge and Indian spice, ending with flower shop. The nose is exuberant, yet the palate is absolutely suave and demure. Silky tannin and every level of the behaved palate is evident. Decanted for two hours. Drink 2017 - 2034.
Quite elegant and refined, this iteration of the Hall Napa Cab offers aromas and flavors of black currants, pickling spice, dark chocolate, vanilla bean and supple touches of tobacco. Full-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (despite 14.9% on the label) and with ample sweet tannins, it builds in the middle and closes medium-to-long. This wine shows beautiful purity of fruit and has an underbelly of impressive structure. It should drink well for another decade or more. Drink now-2025.
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Decanted for one hour and poured through a vinturri. Colour is dark purple with some dark rubyish undertones; nose is getting some sweet plums, blackberries, and blackberry paste with a slight hint of cassis. On the palate, the tannins are already slightly integrated and am getting light black fruits along with some hints of red fruits to go along; body is somewhat lighter as well. Since this is my first try of a Hall cab, I couldn't comment much on how this has changed from previous vintages, though for the price I paid, I was expecting a little more "oomph" out of this one. Maybe the other bottles I have will evolve for the better in the future.
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Vindredi (Barcode (Bellevue, WA)): Tasted blind. My first note is "yum!". Very pretty nose, with sweet fruit, flowers and spice. Soft and lovely palate, with ripe red fruit and fine spice. Slightly drying tannins come along with good acidity on the finish. While elegant, this started off a bit simple, but improved quite a bit with time in the glass.
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97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot 1%CF, 20 months 55% new French oak. More toned up than the Merlot. A solid blackberry fruit expressed. Easy drinking, just a kick of glimmering spice on the palate. Not overly concentrated.
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young but nicely balanced. good black fruit and smooth midpalate. Tannins are well integrated for such a young wine. somewhat closed upon opening but by hour 3 was a great glass for the money.
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Have to go back a decade or longer to find a Hall Napa Valley Cab that I didn't find appealing upon release.
Last year's was much better in a difficult vintage. This tasted a bit flat beginning in the mid pallet and continued with a muted finish. The signature big fruit and firm ripe tannins are absent, hopefully they will develop in the future.
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I am a Hall fan but very disappointed in this vintage. I have drank other 2012 Cabernet's and have really enjoyed them. Not sure what Hall did here but this wine has a cheap nose, is very flat and linear and has little tannic structure. Bummed...wouldn't pay more than $20 for the quality they put out here.
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4/7/2023 - redz wrote: 92 Points
drinking well, in a good place. It's interesting to see the CT ratings by "time", as this wine progressed from 90 to solid 92 the past 3 yrs. "Sometimes aging works, sometimes it doesn't."
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7/3/2022 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking prime after a 2h decant. Red and black fruits, vanilla, dill, licorice, mouth-watering acidity, and sweet tannins. For the price, this is still one of my favorite CA Cabs.
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12/24/2021 - aecklund wrote: 94 Points
Perfect time to drink
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10/16/2021 - winecoffee wrote: 91 Points
Classic Napa cab with nose of bell peppers, perched earth, bit of coffee and mud. Palate has green vegetables followed by chocolate and chewy tannins.
Makes you feel like running through fields of vegetables smelling the damp earth as the sky is covered with dark clouds that remind you of the maiden that stole your soul.
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4/6/2021 - PapaGreenz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking perfectly this last bottle of my case with the best. If you have it drink it now, enjoy
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12/31/2020 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 91 Points
I was afraid this was getting past it's prime - but still showing very nicely!
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10/28/2020 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
Pretty typical of the '12 vintage, feels cool and aloof (especially compared to the '13 vintage which I generally find to be congested and overdone). This is pretty solid, balanced, sour cherry, not much dryness or acidity.
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10/14/2020 - pinoteer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Doesn't need much decanter time, but most of this bottle was drunk after 2-3 hours in the flask. Really a nice Cali Cab that is very balanced and not over-the-top in any way. Blackberries, black cherry, dill, and licorice come to mind as I write this after dinner. We had this bottle with grilled flank steak and green beans mixed with grilled bell pepper and zucchini. It went really well with the grilled flavors of the veggies and beef. Normally, I don't care for a Cali Cab with steak (who really wants jammy fruit with meat??), but this really worked well. CT notes with scores average 92, and I'm inclined to agree (92-93). The great food pairing pushed me to the upper score. This is much better than I was expecting. At just under $40, this is a decent value.
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7/15/2020 - Dr Burt wrote:
Boone & Lance
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7/9/2020 - WineJ2019 wrote: 90 Points
I suggest drinking these soon
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4/6/2020 - DanielJ Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Rich deep flavor. Good complexity. A little bramble and blueberry.
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3/15/2020 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine was a late bloomer to me. The first time I had it back in 2015 I was really disappointed (scored it 84). These are finally drinking well. Great wine for the price point.
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11/17/2019 - Mapleglo330 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cellar Tracker says I have six of these, but this one I drank is the only one I could find. Too bad, this is drinking really well now. Has mellowed to background tannins with blueberry and chocolate. First night was good but second night seemed to gain some weight and extra mouthfeel. Even better. Start drinking now and maybe for another couple years. Hope I find another bottle.
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11/17/2019 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking nicely and well within it's window!
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10/29/2019 - Colorado3G wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well....maybe still could use a short decant.
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10/10/2019 - yipen wrote:
Not bad but not too good as well. lack the Napa fruitiness.
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5/24/2019 - comlaw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes. Basically the same as the previous bottle I drank
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4/2/2019 - JTA9904 wrote: 91 Points
Smooth. Did not take long to open up. Ready to drink now.
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3/28/2019 - randyjc wrote: 88 Points
Muted Napa cab nose that smells a bit more of alcohol than expected. Black cherry and eucalyptus along with the too much alcohol. Nice mouth feel, quite spicy. Black and red fruit - tart with fine drying tannins. A good wine on a cold spring night.
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1/1/2019 - West Chester Wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very well balanced and full flavored.
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12/30/2018 - Heaterguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanter for three hours. Purple ruby hues with reticent nose, Nice food wine with
dry-aged strip steak. Last bottle. I think it has reached its peak.
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11/16/2018 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote: 90 Points
Gave this a 2 hour decant, and perhaps this was more than needed. Nice easy drinking Cab, but a bit fluid and bordering on hollow by the end of the evening - I would suggest drink up now.
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10/18/2018 - Baron Slick wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful aromatics. An array of black cherries, red currants, plums, cigar box, and a whiff of toasty oak amid a nostalgic scent reminiscent of the inside of an open drawer in an antique, camphor chest. The palate shows tremendous verve amongst Cabernet typicity. Bright, fleshy, and fluid, with fine grained tannin, a vibrant cut, and Christmas spices on the, juicy red fruit finish. Lovely all around.
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10/8/2018 - suarezd wrote: 88 Points
Very good; good fruit, moderate secondary characteristics.
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10/3/2018 - oenophilemoose wrote: 90 Points
PNP but should have decanted to fully open. Otherwise, somewhat restrained.
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7/28/2018 - Bodyfxr wrote: 91 Points
See previous notes.
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5/24/2018 - tomoem wrote: 89 Points
PNP and honestly tasted like a decent wine right out of the bottle. Probably one of the better value wines you can have. Some tobacco and bright berry combination which admittingly is weird but works in this sub $50 napa cab.
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5/20/2018 - Brohan Polanski wrote: 89 Points
Decent but still tight knit
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4/27/2018 - Rocco Ng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Is about time
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1/29/2018 - Margaux Bro wrote: 90 Points
Decided to try Hall's entry level offering over the weekend. Decanted for about 2 hours before serving with dinner. It was very tight initially on the open. I thought it was a decent wine, but nothing special here - especially given how acclaimed the vintage was. Really lacked complexity you'd expect for a $40 wine. You can do worse in that price range, but I probably will not buy again.
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1/24/2018 - rap wrote:
- Flavours of blackberry, black currant and cloves with a medium/full body. Fleshy texture with a medium finish - 92-93 points
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1/24/2018 - rap wrote:
- Garnet color and has flavours of blackberry, black currant and cloves with a medium/full body with a medium finish.
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12/9/2017 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking very well right now! A decant also helps open it up!
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11/13/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great drinking window right now...
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10/28/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. See previous note. This wine has a few years left in it. Tannins could use just a bit more softening but a nice drink none the less.
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10/22/2017 - comlaw Likes this wine: 93 Points
Aerated and decanted for 45 minutes. Very well-balanced wine with lots of dark fruit (black cherry and blackberry) moderate tannin and acid, medium plus body. Smooth fruit driven wine that is drinking beautifully right now. Very good QPR.
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9/1/2017 - Niagara wrote: 89 Points
ho-hum ... zzzz
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8/7/2017 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Give it air as it balances out much better and smoothes the rough edges. Really good QPR
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7/22/2017 - KJD45$ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color is deep dark purple red....nose is sugar tossed blackberry,
Framboise, leather.....tongue is licorice tinged tarter blackberry blueberry tannins..... Very good
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6/20/2017 - nowine4u Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark cherry color, but still bright red at the edge of the glass. Perfect mouthfeel and glass coating effect. Restrained fruit with firm tannins that will enhance the wine with time. Right amount of acidity, with wonderful lingering flavors. Medium complexity only because its mostly a fruit driven wine. Looking forward to tasting this wine in another 2-3 years.
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4/10/2017 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still very juicey and ripe with a touch of vanilla influence. Gaining some complexity and very enjoyable at this moment...very solid wine.
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3/5/2017 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
Purple-black hue with a phenomenal powerful nose of jammy blackberry preserves and creme design cassis. Full bodied and big. Gobs of scrumptious fruit with hints od cocoa and spoce braced by firm tannins. A lovely Napa cab that should continue to soften and improve in complexity over the next 5 years or so.
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2/5/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour. Straight forward cab with nice structure. Red fruit interlaced with cassis and graphite. Needs time still.
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1/12/2017 - Glenn92 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aerated with Vinturi - popped and poured
Notes of black pepper and cassis instantly hit the nose
Black fruit as well is starting to come out
Little hot at 14.9% but still nice. Subtle light fruit tines move to easy tannins structure that slides into a dryness
Some light licorice that has a bit jamminess to the very end. Should be outstanding with steak.
91 due to good control of transitions across the palate
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12/22/2016 - wally248 Likes this wine: 91 Points
red and blue fruit aromas on the nose, under control fruit flavor, medium body, well rounded tannins, good acidity, average finish, a very good wine.
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11/15/2016 - bps2266 wrote: 90 Points
soft nose. nice smooth, full body with brooding red and black fruit flavors and a lingering hint of baking spice. oak nicely integrated; subtle but present. short finish. easy drinker.
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10/26/2016 - ceweide Likes this wine: 91 Points
Started off with some heat to it. We assumed it was from the restaurant serving to warm. Really opened up nicely and mellowed as dinner went on. Paired well with filet and mushroom ravioli.
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10/21/2016 - WineWright Likes this wine: 90 Points
will improve with age
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10/8/2016 - Snowryeder Likes this wine: 90 Points
It tasted much better after a couple of hours of air. Still very young. Red, black fruit and chocolate. Medium finish.
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8/31/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
14 of the 16 appellations going into this bottle, much from Diamond MOuntain. And actually that is balanced, full bore Cabernet. Really kinda works it out for around $60 or so.
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8/22/2016 - MarkWhite Likes this wine: 91 Points
A nice rubyesque rim on a deep violet wine that has pleasant, but not particularly forward, aromas of dark Cherry, plum and boysenberry. On the palate, it has a smooth transition from front to back with a mild structure and imminent drink-ability. Given its moderate price, it is a fair QPR, nothing spectacular, nothing notable, which is a victory at this price point.
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8/8/2016 - Flyguy8650 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Cali Cab that is no fruit bomb! Sturdy tannins with balance of earth and dark red fruit. Smooth but still stout enough to give it a richness and full bodied enhanced experience. Good bottle, good vintage.
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8/6/2016 - CabIPA Likes this wine:
Decanted for 6+ hours. This wine is a dark opaque purple. Red and blue fruit on the nose. It certainly does better with food than on its own. The grilled Ribeye was a great pairing. Medium plus tannins and the acidity is over the top at the moment. Give this bottle some time in the cellar and you'll be rewarded.
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8/3/2016 - seanb912 wrote:
Opened and slow decanted for an hour before pouring into a decanter. Opened up over time. Pretty typical Napa cab - fruit forward, lots of cassis, some coffee/tobacco notes. Plenty of structure. Solid but nothing to write home about. Went well with the grilled filet I was eating with it.
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7/28/2016 - RobbieC wrote:
Day one: Got a bottle as a "tester"...it's Ok but no need to reload.
Day two update: capped off, put in the fridge overnight. Slightly better on day two but still not what we had hoped for. A nice Cab but lacks any "wow" factor that makes us want to get more. This is a wine you can order off the wine list at a restaurant and know you are "safe" with your selection when nothing else jumps out at you.
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7/3/2016 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 88 Points
A lot better than last time. Still needs more time. Still, for the vintage, expected more
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6/30/2016 - JWH6 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Particularly good bottle, first two we drank we rated an 88, this one a 90.
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5/27/2016 - jeramirez Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great wine, good value
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5/26/2016 - mgriffith Likes this wine: 90 Points
By the glass selection at Fleming's Steak House.
Definitely needs time to open up. Big wine, strong tannins. Big, slow legs.
Blackberry, leather, pepper nose. Dim room so difficult to accurately gauge the color. Dark purple to inky in this light.
Chocolate, bitter berries (almost like unripe black and/or raspberries).
Mellowed over the course of dinner.
If I had this in the cellar I would give it several years before opening again. Or at least a long decant.
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5/22/2016 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 92 Points
Opaque purple color turning violet at the rim with a transparent edge. The nose gives off red and black fruits running on high octane (14.9%). The palate is full-bodied with a voluptuous mouth feel in a velvety texture. Flavors of dark cherry, mocha, hoisin sauce, cola, fig paste, and spice. Very powerful and structured. Finishes long and heightened with fleshy tannin. Drink now with a 45-minute decant until 2027.
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5/4/2016 - ProTravelr Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Boring and flabby
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5/3/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Gravel on the nose, and big structure on the palate. And lots of structure. Needs time.
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4/17/2016 - Cyroof wrote:
Nice wine and good value
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4/15/2016 - libero wrote: 91 Points
Dark red, aromas Of prunes and dry figs. Melhor, NOT sete, round and acidifica and TANNIRA well balanced
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3/27/2016 - Rich E Mac Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Hall style - dark, brooding, oaky, cassis. Had with Easter dinner.
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3/12/2016 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Very good wine with cherry, dark fruits, subtle oak and floral notes. Medium plus finish and drinking well now.
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3/1/2016 - SlimShaney wrote: 91 Points
Burnt vegetable violets.
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2/17/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 90 Points
Pretty straight forward and solid Napa cab. In my opinion quality seems right for the price. Ready to go now but might pick up some complexity in a couple years.
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2/10/2016 - CJM wrote: 89 Points
Clear garnet. Cigar box, leather, chocolate, black plum. Cinnamon, white pepper. Medium to along balanced finish.
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2/4/2016 - bplant13 wrote: 90 Points
A nice nose of rich red fruits, earth and heat. Medium to full body, but ultimately disappointed me. The fruit was a little flat, and simple, and while the depth and finish was nice, their wine doesn't hold up to many other entry level cult Napa cabs in the $40-60 range, giving this poor QPR. Maybe a couple more years could help out, but I probably won't be finding out... Try the Hess estate cab, or a hunnicutt cab, and revel in their structure instead of this wine.
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1/18/2016 - jeffm_fla wrote: 88 Points
Kind of one note without a lot of depth. I used to like this wine a lot, but I wonder if the best grapes in 2012 went into all those other bottlings Hall has now. Definitely drinkable and I think another year I the bottle might help it.
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12/31/2015 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of fruit very little to no green. It is quite extracted. Anise, pepper, cherry, plum and blackberry. We loved it. Fantastic wine.
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12/23/2015 - Vailman wrote: 88 Points
We ordered three bottles at a local steakhouse and this failed to impress anyone at the table. I used to really enjoy Hall's Napa cab so its disappointing. I sense that Hall is now so diversified in their offerings that there's not much quality left for the "regular" Napa cab at the end of a vintage. 2012 was a great year. What happened?
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12/15/2015 - Kogs Likes this wine: 91 Points
This would have a higher rating if it was not 40 bucks. Classic. Nicely balanced. Nothing bad to say. In fact, I was sorry to see it go. I would buy a case today if It was $25. I bought this at Costco. It reminded me of 2008 Mettler Lodi cab. I'll be back...just not a case.
KOGS
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12/9/2015 - Asmiller wrote: 90 Points
Good for the price!
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12/5/2015 - Montaniel Likes this wine: 91 Points
The Pine Ridge Napa Valley Cabernet kicked Hall's ass in this tasting.....
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11/12/2015 - TastesGoodToMe wrote: 84 Points
Really disappointed with this. Especially after both the '10 and '11 were pretty good. I would have thought for such a great year that the '12 was going to be on the scale of the '08 (I thought the Hall '08 was one of the best QPR's for any wine that year). Perhaps it is still young as I did get a lot of green notes. I bought a case, so I will let them lie for a while and hope they improve.
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11/5/2015 - rgcfp80 wrote: 87 Points
Sweet fruit on the start with mild floral notes on the nose. Was expecting more from this wine.
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11/4/2015 - rickspicks wrote:
Big, rich, ripe, soft and lush. Cassis and cherry with some spice and oak, a full-body and velvety texture. However, it lacks the power, structure and complexity I expect from a Napa Cab. Pleasant, but has an almost merlot-like character.
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10/2/2015 - nzinkgraf wrote:
a red and black fruit form of Cabernet, but sweet blackberry fruit as it's wallpaper. 55% new french oak for 20 months. 97% Cab Sauv, 2% PV, 1% CF. Opulence from the valley floor, power and stucture from the mountain sites. Across the board, they want rich and dense mid-palate. I'll give them that. 'They make a more extracted style, but the tannin is not as apparent, as they fill in the donut with a full mid-palate.'
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9/19/2015 - yeti575rider wrote: 88 Points
Tannic and a bit overoaked but does have a long finish. Improved with time as more of a black cherry note developed. Never been much of a fan of The Hall cabs though.
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9/19/2015 - DanielJ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very pleasant and approachable cab. Not a lot of complexity. Maybe a little too much cab franc. Very soft tannins. Drinking well now. I don't think it will improve with age
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8/31/2015 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
See previous note(s)...
Coffee, coconut, blackberry and chocolate brownie just quinces your nose. A quite long finish, with a full body. This seems to split people down the middle. It's obvious what side of the fence I am championing. Decant or drink 2017 - 2032.
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8/18/2015 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Just popped. Spicy and hard on the nose. Juicy, lively, fresh, delicious.
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6/28/2015 - Montaniel Likes this wine: 95 Points
Once again the favorite wine of the night. This wine never dissapoints! There is no better Napa Cabernet out there for the money....
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6/25/2015 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Taste at TETE.
Some earth. Tannins.
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6/14/2015 - wineotim wrote: 89 Points
This seems to have a less oak is better approach....which is good. But at this price it needs more depth, more cassis, more varietal character, less grapey texture. Less than impressed. Four CT tasters gave this wine 93-96 points, this was one of those times that CT failed me. What were they tasting? Your comments are welcome.
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4/26/2015 - Montaniel Likes this wine: 95 Points
this is an unbelievable Napa cab for the price!
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4/21/2015 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 96 Points
She is back with an unrelenting vengeance. First off, this is the best entry-level Napa Cabernet that you will find. The fruit and polish are hypnotizing, with blueberry, Turkish coffee, shaved coconut, melted fudge and Indian spice, ending with flower shop. The nose is exuberant, yet the palate is absolutely suave and demure. Silky tannin and every level of the behaved palate is evident. Decanted for two hours. Drink 2017 - 2034.
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4/4/2015 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite elegant and refined, this iteration of the Hall Napa Cab offers aromas and flavors of black currants, pickling spice, dark chocolate, vanilla bean and supple touches of tobacco. Full-bodied, freshly acidic, seamlessly alcoholic (despite 14.9% on the label) and with ample sweet tannins, it builds in the middle and closes medium-to-long. This wine shows beautiful purity of fruit and has an underbelly of impressive structure. It should drink well for another decade or more. Drink now-2025.
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3/27/2015 - ChewyTannins Likes this wine: 91 Points
classic Napa. Big and concentrated. Still young and tight but good wine for the price point. Never disappoints.
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3/15/2015 - AMC Eagle wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for one hour and poured through a vinturri. Colour is dark purple with some dark rubyish undertones; nose is getting some sweet plums, blackberries, and blackberry paste with a slight hint of cassis. On the palate, the tannins are already slightly integrated and am getting light black fruits along with some hints of red fruits to go along; body is somewhat lighter as well. Since this is my first try of a Hall cab, I couldn't comment much on how this has changed from previous vintages, though for the price I paid, I was expecting a little more "oomph" out of this one. Maybe the other bottles I have will evolve for the better in the future.
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3/13/2015 - dpolivy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vindredi (Barcode (Bellevue, WA)): Tasted blind. My first note is "yum!". Very pretty nose, with sweet fruit, flowers and spice. Soft and lovely palate, with ripe red fruit and fine spice. Slightly drying tannins come along with good acidity on the finish. While elegant, this started off a bit simple, but improved quite a bit with time in the glass.
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2/18/2015 - roybivens Likes this wine: 87 Points
Not bad. One dimensional, but very enjoyable. Great dark ruby color. A fantastic 87. Score [ 50 + 5 + 11 + 15 + 6 ] = 87.
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2/15/2015 - partylikeakennedy wrote: 88 Points
Hm
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2/13/2015 - nzinkgraf wrote:
97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot 1%CF, 20 months 55% new French oak. More toned up than the Merlot. A solid blackberry fruit expressed. Easy drinking, just a kick of glimmering spice on the palate. Not overly concentrated.
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1/24/2015 - gtm Likes this wine: 94 Points
young but nicely balanced. good black fruit and smooth midpalate. Tannins are well integrated for such a young wine. somewhat closed upon opening but by hour 3 was a great glass for the money.
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1/16/2015 - PerfectVintage wrote: 87 Points
Have to go back a decade or longer to find a Hall Napa Valley Cab that I didn't find appealing upon release.
Last year's was much better in a difficult vintage. This tasted a bit flat beginning in the mid pallet and continued with a muted finish. The signature big fruit and firm ripe tannins are absent, hopefully they will develop in the future.
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12/22/2014 - Jonnysul wrote: 86 Points
I am a Hall fan but very disappointed in this vintage. I have drank other 2012 Cabernet's and have really enjoyed them. Not sure what Hall did here but this wine has a cheap nose, is very flat and linear and has little tannic structure. Bummed...wouldn't pay more than $20 for the quality they put out here.
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