Pnp. Quite tannic and didn’t settle down after 3 hours in bottle. Poorly integrated. A departure from previous bottles where the fruit was more at the fore. Saved half the bottle for tomorrow.
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Last bottle of 100. Still drinking lovely. Tannins have nearly completely yielded to smooth black fruit. Cassis, licorice, vanilla. I'll miss the 2016s.
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The neighbor walked over when we were drinking a Relentless - so I ran downstairs and popped this for him - and he sucked down almost the entire bottle.
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From magnum. Somewhat faceless and stereotypical but enjoyable and good napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This has shed some of its baby fat and is expressive and delicious on the palate and should hold and likely improve over the next 3-5 years at the least. The ceiling is likely around 93 points or less but this is certainly nice for the price. If you like a good new world expression of cabernet without overbearing tannins this is a good go to.
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Good value Canernet when you want a nice glass of wine but don’t want to have to think about what you are drinking. Four square and somewhat unremarkable. While I probably won’t buy this again for my personal cellar, I would buy it off a wine list at a restaurant especially if with a group of people who like prefer new world wine.
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Nice entry level bottle by Hall. Tasted a lot more focused than 2 years ago. Notes of mellow oak, dark fruits and tobacco. Palate adding some savory notes with warm vanilla and cedar. Nice tannins, good finish.
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Great wine for a great price. The 2016 vintage was quite tannic but opened up nicely after 6 years. Well rounded, balanced wine. Fruit forward. Cant go wrong with this wine. I suggest getting a few of the 2018 now available and hold till 2024
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This is a nice Napa Cab, which benefited significantly from a bit of time out of the bottle. Pop & poured, and initially somewhat tight. An hour later it was delicious. A truly solid wine, and very enjoyable. Well structured. Sad this was our last bottle.
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Lovely bouquet of fruit, but little else to get excited about. Hollow mid-palate, very short finish. Poured two hours before dinner, didn't really open up much after that. For the fan of one-dimensional cabernet.
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Decanted and enjoyed from magnum with grilled ribeyes for Father’s Day. A bit of unresolved oak on the nose, with dark cherries, blackberries, juicy plums, vanilla and herbaceousness underneath. Tannin and acids looking for equilibrium. Developing. Upside potential as this starts to come together. Hold, or enjoy with long decant and big food.
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Solid, pure Napa Cab. Hits the mark on what you would expect from a standard, mid tier NV Cab.
Loads of up front black fruit, well integrated oak with a noticeable vanilla undertone mixed with some baking spices. Still youthful and vibrant but with well integrated, supple tannins. Nothing overly complex but could develop some tertiary notes with a few more years in the bottle. Enjoyable, smooth, juicy, and fruit forward.
Certainly benefitted from a 3 hour decant and enjoyed with a few reverse seared steaks.
Color: Purple at the core, Dark Ruby at the hue
Nose: Black fruit, vanilla, baking spices
Palate: Consistent with the nose; Very juicy and fruit forward with black currant and a touch of tart black cherry. Well integrated oak with vanilla and baking spices. Medium plus acidity, medium tannins (softened due to decant, medium plus if you PnP), medium plus alcohol.
Finish: 30 - 45 second Finish of black cherry and vanilla.
Wine is a deep garnet to purple color with bright garnet edge. It has a beautiful bouquet of kirsh, vanilla and mineral earth. On the palate it is plush with black currant, vanilla and hints of sweet tobacco leading into a long finish of dark fruit and wet stone. Really lovely Cabernet that has extraction and intensity without becoming overbearing.
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Paired against same year Kathryn, this held up well. Bright red fruits and a little gamey cassis taste keep this very interesting. Both were decanted over an hour and served with filet.
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Had a taste on Day #2 and this had nice depth, dark fruited with nice powdery tannins and chocolate on the finish. A little thinner and the finish shorter than better 2016 cabs but nice none the less and a good QPR.
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Nose - BEAUTIFUL. Dark, black cherry, plum, red licorice, chocolate, vanilla. Wafting from the glass and so elegant makes you want to dive in for a taste.
Palate - lingering earthy finish, beautiful ripe fruit, kind of a soft (lacking mid-palate), Nice wine - wish the palate matched the nose slight more. But high quality wine - would pair nicely with a variety of grilled meats - but stands alone too.
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I didn't finish the bottle. Agree with 'Wine G', the 2016 just didn't work for me. At $50/bottle, I'm disappointed. My remaining bottles will wait a few years before I try again.
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Smooth, easy-drinking cabernet. Dark red, chocolate in the nose, plus cassis and red berry. Medium body, rich but silky, chewy tannin, long finish. Good value. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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Not sure if it was an off bottle, but wasnt agreeing with this wine , it seemed a bit too tannic and never opened up. Pop/pour but let it open up for a couple hours, didnt change much. Tried on day 2 as well, couldnt get into it, didnt finish the bottle.
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A solid example of what a good Napa Cab should be at a very minimum. Dark fruits, leather, stone, velvety. Not enough weight in the mouth and finish is a bit short to get the 90 pt standard
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This is a bottle that really expresses how wine can evolve with air. The nose starts off with red berries and cherry and eventually opens up into more dark berry aromas, boysenberry jam, smoking wood, and slight licorice.
The palate is extremely flavorful. Deep plum flavors mixed with blackberries, dark chocolate, and licorice. Heat is a constant through the evolution, although it does die down after a while. Let this bottle breath for an hour or two.
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One-hour decant through an aerating funnel. Nose was somewhat muted during decant. Dark ruby in color; clear with no sediment. After resting in the decanter, the nose opened up and was very St. Julianesque: blackcurrants, dried cut flowers and lead pencil. Deep sweet black fruit and a subtle cedar undertone. Good structure. Long finish ending with a little coffee. I believe I opened this at least a year (or maybe three) too soon. Might be a little numb right now but I predict great things after a little more time on its side.
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Note:Not decanted much 1 hour Nose: Nice sweet nose of vanilla,blueberries and some chocolate. A little heat coming in. I will revisit after a few more hours today or tomorrow. Note the heat wears off after an additional hour.
Update: after an additional 2 hours the fruit becomes more prominent.
Sight: Deep Garnet and Inky
taste: Full bodied wine, earthy/loamy in character with a very creamy and voluptuous consistency. This is the Marylin Monroe of wines with very little rough edges. I also get get dashes of dark chocolate, vanilla , sweet tobacco and blueberries caressed seamlessly by the sweet tannins. Because of its low acidity, this wine is very easy to drink and enjoy now. Very Cali in its appeal.
Update: The wine gained a little weight after a couple hours. Very nice concentration. I also get a little more acidity in the mid palate. A lot more juicer than 2 hours ago. Nice development.
Finish: Nice long finish (40+seconds). Mid palate is very, very good.
Overall: Good solid cab for the price point ($48)< mind you CA wines are expensive but they have the quality.
Score: 92-93. After further decanting the score was adjusted to 93 to compensate for the improvement. I would decant for at least 3-4 hours to properly enjoy.
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Lovely balance of fruit and oak. Pleasing to the palate and finishes strong. Dark fruit that drinks well on its own but would pair well with a steak. Hall keeps me wanting to return for another tasting. Well done.
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Very strong fruit forward. Maybe a little jammy, but after 30+ minutes breathing, very drinkable. I think you could find better value elsewhere, though. But smooth, drinkable wine. Plum and blackberry notes.
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One hour decant- solid, good valued, crowd pleaser. Big up front fruit with overall nice balance and finish. No heat and would benefit from a few more years of age. However, this can be drank now. Paired well with Elk, Bison and Buffalo NY strips. Only lacking in complexity, hence the price point.
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Get together to drink some of Hall’s 2016 entry level cabs to see how they compare - Coeur, Terra Secca, North End, and Hall Napa cab. Dark red and black fruit - currants/cassis, dark cherry, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate but a little lighter profile than previous bottles - medium body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but appears to be at a nice drinking point despite its youth. Once again, 96% cab and 4% merlot.
The 2016 Hall Coeur was the consensus favorite followed by the Terra Secca, Hall Napa cab, and North end.
Consistent with my previous bottles, this is damn good and drinking well with 1-2 hours of air. It’s a classic Napa Cabernet, great body and texture, worth the money and as far as Napa Cabs go, a QPR.
Young but drinkable. Acidity of the 2016 vintage making it great with food though I drank the whole bottle with two bites of cheddar cheese. Great QPR. Give it a few years to reach its peak IMO.
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Still young, but a steady eddy Napa Cab that is a consistent solid performer for the price. Creme de cassis, blackberry, touch of stewed plums, and spice. Not as sweet as Caymus like as I remember. More structure and complexity than jammy Caymus syrup.
Tried a bottle to see if it's worth buying more. This used to be a regular buy when I could get it for $36. Now that it's a little more pricey I wanted to check in on a bottle before buying more.
Great balance for a young wine, 16 has good acidity to balance the firm tannins. Rounded out by a good fruit body and a touch of heat. This should balance out nicely with just a couple years, buy more when you see it for $40-45.
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Intense ripe blackberry and currant with vanilla and some spice (licorice?). Tannins were soft. A little more acidity might have given this more focus.
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Black and dark red fruit - currants/cassis, blackberry, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Nice vibrant/rich flavors of dark berries, some spice/licorice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away despite its youth. A nice vintage of this wine and a solid QPR in the mid $50s. In my opinion, in line with the 92 rating from WA. 94% cab and 6% merlot.
Lucius red and blue fruits, great intensity with sweet velvety tannins. This drinks well out of the gate is seems to be meant for early consumption over the next 5 years. If you don't like in your face Napa cabs, this probably isn't for you. Not to say it's cult like, but it's very New World in nature.
Ok is young, only 3 years plus, but this Cab. Is far from being ready. Bitter dark fruit and vegetable undertone that reminds me of under ripe fruit. The good news it has time to improve. I’ll review again in a year. As of now there are better $50 2016 Cabs. Around.
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The 2014 Hall cab was almost my favorite Hall, but it's lost some pizzazz over the past couple of years. This 2016 is pretty bland right now, fruity, with very flaccid tannins and little complexity. Perhaps it gets better with age. I won't open any more of it for a while and see what happens.
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Too young I suspect. A little simple, not a lot of depth. With 2 hours of air there was improvement though - and in the end it was enjoyable with Korean ribs.
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The wine was decanted, aerated for an hour, and drunk over the next 2 hours. This is a very nice cabernet sauvignon with copious dark fruit and other flavors, moderate complexity, and a lingering finish. It has new world freshness and vibrancy without being jammy. While tasty now, it would have been even better with longer aeration. Its moderate, but smooth, tannins suggest it will improve further with additional bottle aging.
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P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which PRETTY much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the few, firming, unoffensive, dusty tannins. Approachable now, DESERVES through '20, then (safely) drinkable through '23? Nicely done in a flirting with R.S. style, & even arguably a "good value" (for *this* AVA), particularly when cf'd to similarly styled wines such as Caymus. 15.5% ABV; My EXC- (90,91/ 100 using that metric); [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]
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Cedar, plum, cherry liquor, glycerine. Round and supple. Soft tannins. Made to please. Sweet dark fruit with hints of spice and oak. It lacks structure. Not exciting, but nothing bad to say about it.
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2/18/2024 - Hrv123 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pnp. Quite tannic and didn’t settle down after 3 hours in bottle. Poorly integrated. A departure from previous bottles where the fruit was more at the fore. Saved half the bottle for tomorrow.
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2/6/2024 - ppandian Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good Napa Cab. Red fruit and mellow tannins. Slightly fruit forward..
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11/2/2023 - tbrader wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle of 100. Still drinking lovely. Tannins have nearly completely yielded to smooth black fruit. Cassis, licorice, vanilla. I'll miss the 2016s.
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10/10/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not much to write home about, esp for a '16 Cali cab.
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7/25/2023 - BordeauxBoy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soft. Enjoyable cab. Pnp'd. Opened quickly. Don't think it will get any better but will last for 5 more years.
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6/25/2023 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The neighbor walked over when we were drinking a Relentless - so I ran downstairs and popped this for him - and he sucked down almost the entire bottle.
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6/23/2023 - Rossodio Likes this wine: 91 Points
From magnum. Somewhat faceless and stereotypical but enjoyable and good napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This has shed some of its baby fat and is expressive and delicious on the palate and should hold and likely improve over the next 3-5 years at the least. The ceiling is likely around 93 points or less but this is certainly nice for the price. If you like a good new world expression of cabernet without overbearing tannins this is a good go to.
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1/31/2023 - Vtdarush Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full bodied with lots of fruit -- almost jammy and with somewhat tight tannins. Certainly benefited from an hour in the decanter.
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12/19/2022 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good value Canernet when you want a nice glass of wine but don’t want to have to think about what you are drinking. Four square and somewhat unremarkable. While I probably won’t buy this again for my personal cellar, I would buy it off a wine list at a restaurant especially if with a group of people who like prefer new world wine.
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11/3/2022 - Baslers Winery wrote:
Full bodied and fruity. One of our favorites.
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10/27/2022 - Baslers Winery Likes this wine: 94 Points
Full-bodied with a fruity finish.
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10/7/2022 - talid Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice nose of cassis and some tobacco. Medium acidity and tannin and surprisingly a little muted on the palate. A good, but not outstanding, Napa cab.
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10/2/2022 - Cablover1982 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice entry level bottle by Hall. Tasted a lot more focused than 2 years ago. Notes of mellow oak, dark fruits and tobacco. Palate adding some savory notes with warm vanilla and cedar. Nice tannins, good finish.
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9/23/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pleasant, nothing remarkable.
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7/21/2022 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 91 Points
I find Hall NV regular bottling to be consistently good mid week quaffer. Good QPR especially when you can find these on sale.
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6/7/2022 - Yondan wrote: 92 Points
Great wine for a great price. The 2016 vintage was quite tannic but opened up nicely after 6 years. Well rounded, balanced wine. Fruit forward. Cant go wrong with this wine. I suggest getting a few of the 2018 now available and hold till 2024
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5/29/2022 - WineTimeFineTime Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent and aging really nicely. Still fruit forward but the middle emerges with graphite and blackberry jam and tannins.
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5/6/2022 - denisontb Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is a nice Napa Cab, which benefited significantly from a bit of time out of the bottle. Pop & poured, and initially somewhat tight. An hour later it was delicious. A truly solid wine, and very enjoyable. Well structured. Sad this was our last bottle.
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3/12/2022 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pretty average Napa cab.
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2/5/2022 - Cfavs15 wrote:
With JK
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1/30/2022 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid Napa Cab! A little air helped this open up too.
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12/9/2021 - TCKM wrote: 91 Points
Nice Napa cab. Well balanced, pure.
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11/25/2021 - Thebigbaby Likes this wine: 88 Points
Magnum for Thanksgiving. Fruit and straightforward Napa cab. Crowd pleaser that did show its alcohol level of 15.5%, though. Solid.
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10/11/2021 - Tacoma714 wrote: 92 Points
Best QPR of any Napa wine under $50. But more. You won't be disappointed. I never get tired of it
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9/30/2021 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Refreshing fruit forward CA cab. Lingering finish and smooth tannins. Ready to drink now but should last several more years
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8/8/2021 - td1836 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Napa Valley profile. Smooth tannins, lots of dark fruit, some oak, moderate to low acidity. Easy to sip on and enjoy without food.
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7/27/2021 - OWC wrote: 91 Points
Lovely everyday Napa cab that makes all the right noises. Great, freah fruit with some staying power. Drink now or hold
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7/19/2021 - oldcabman Likes this wine: 86 Points
Lovely bouquet of fruit, but little else to get excited about. Hollow mid-palate, very short finish. Poured two hours before dinner, didn't really open up much after that. For the fan of one-dimensional cabernet.
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6/20/2021 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and enjoyed from magnum with grilled ribeyes for Father’s Day. A bit of unresolved oak on the nose, with dark cherries, blackberries, juicy plums, vanilla and herbaceousness underneath. Tannin and acids looking for equilibrium. Developing. Upside potential as this starts to come together. Hold, or enjoy with long decant and big food.
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5/26/2021 - CashUSM16 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid, pure Napa Cab. Hits the mark on what you would expect from a standard, mid tier NV Cab.
Loads of up front black fruit, well integrated oak with a noticeable vanilla undertone mixed with some baking spices. Still youthful and vibrant but with well integrated, supple tannins. Nothing overly complex but could develop some tertiary notes with a few more years in the bottle. Enjoyable, smooth, juicy, and fruit forward.
Certainly benefitted from a 3 hour decant and enjoyed with a few reverse seared steaks.
Color: Purple at the core, Dark Ruby at the hue
Nose: Black fruit, vanilla, baking spices
Palate: Consistent with the nose; Very juicy and fruit forward with black currant and a touch of tart black cherry. Well integrated oak with vanilla and baking spices. Medium plus acidity, medium tannins (softened due to decant, medium plus if you PnP), medium plus alcohol.
Finish: 30 - 45 second Finish of black cherry and vanilla.
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5/25/2021 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pleasant, smooth, not overly complex or remarkable.
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5/10/2021 - caesar77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine is a deep garnet to purple color with bright garnet edge. It has a beautiful bouquet of kirsh, vanilla and mineral earth. On the palate it is plush with black currant, vanilla and hints of sweet tobacco leading into a long finish of dark fruit and wet stone. Really lovely Cabernet that has extraction and intensity without becoming overbearing.
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4/24/2021 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Paired against same year Kathryn, this held up well. Bright red fruits and a little gamey cassis taste keep this very interesting. Both were decanted over an hour and served with filet.
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4/6/2021 - Polindz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Fruit forward and smooth.
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3/11/2021 - WineTimeFineTime Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really great as a pairing wine with steak, where its fruit can shine in complement.
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2/5/2021 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had a taste on Day #2 and this had nice depth, dark fruited with nice powdery tannins and chocolate on the finish. A little thinner and the finish shorter than better 2016 cabs but nice none the less and a good QPR.
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1/20/2021 - nuto5172 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Some very soft vanilla on the nose...the finish was mainly ripe blueberry and elegant tannins already. Sipped on its own and will mature for sure
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1/20/2021 - mreinhard74@gmail.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hall always delivers with a great QPR. Bright fruits, touch of oak and tannins that hold it together but don’t overpower. Great weeknight choice.
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1/20/2021 - BMWclarinet wrote: 91 Points
Nose - BEAUTIFUL. Dark, black cherry, plum, red licorice, chocolate, vanilla. Wafting from the glass and so elegant makes you want to dive in for a taste.
Palate - lingering earthy finish, beautiful ripe fruit, kind of a soft (lacking mid-palate), Nice wine - wish the palate matched the nose slight more. But high quality wine - would pair nicely with a variety of grilled meats - but stands alone too.
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1/16/2021 - MattFultz wrote: 90 Points
My wife and I both thought it quite nice. Decently complex, and I think fair value at Costco. Great with a steak and asparagus.
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1/11/2021 - Jgara wrote: 80 Points
Not worth the price. Great nose, lacks complexity.
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1/2/2021 - RodNey12 Does not like this wine:
I didn't finish the bottle. Agree with 'Wine G', the 2016 just didn't work for me. At $50/bottle, I'm disappointed. My remaining bottles will wait a few years before I try again.
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12/25/2020 - denisontb Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely delicious. Smooth, long finish. Great Christmas wine !
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12/25/2020 - zanzabar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had Christmas with Megan's family. Decanted for 3 hours then put back in the bottle. Delicious, best hall since 2006 in my opinion.
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12/23/2020 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth, easy-drinking cabernet. Dark red, chocolate in the nose, plus cassis and red berry. Medium body, rich but silky, chewy tannin, long finish. Good value. 5-12-16-8: 91/100.
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11/28/2020 - actx wrote: 91 Points
Typical hal. May wait a year or two for the next bottle.
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11/9/2020 - Wine G wrote: 86 Points
Not sure if it was an off bottle, but wasnt agreeing with this wine , it seemed a bit too tannic and never opened up. Pop/pour but let it open up for a couple hours, didnt change much. Tried on day 2 as well, couldnt get into it, didnt finish the bottle.
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11/8/2020 - MADV Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruit forward wine that does better with time in the glass A solid effort that will not break the bank.
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10/11/2020 - parkline_wine Likes this wine: 86 Points
A solid example of what a good Napa Cab should be at a very minimum. Dark fruits, leather, stone, velvety. Not enough weight in the mouth and finish is a bit short to get the 90 pt standard
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9/11/2020 - bin905 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Luscious viscous dark fruit, kirsch, bramble, tar, and spice flavors with ample zippy tannins.
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8/23/2020 - kcp Likes this wine: 91 Points
And I think there are better days ahead. Two down and four to go.
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8/13/2020 - Delko90 Likes this wine: 88 Points
This is a bottle that really expresses how wine can evolve with air. The nose starts off with red berries and cherry and eventually opens up into more dark berry aromas, boysenberry jam, smoking wood, and slight licorice.
The palate is extremely flavorful. Deep plum flavors mixed with blackberries, dark chocolate, and licorice. Heat is a constant through the evolution, although it does die down after a while. Let this bottle breath for an hour or two.
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8/12/2020 - OenophilistMN Likes this wine: 89 Points
One-hour decant through an aerating funnel. Nose was somewhat muted during decant. Dark ruby in color; clear with no sediment. After resting in the decanter, the nose opened up and was very St. Julianesque: blackcurrants, dried cut flowers and lead pencil. Deep sweet black fruit and a subtle cedar undertone. Good structure. Long finish ending with a little coffee. I believe I opened this at least a year (or maybe three) too soon. Might be a little numb right now but I predict great things after a little more time on its side.
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8/7/2020 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 90 Points
Very ripe, sweet and borderline harsh but at $30 smooth enough to enjoy.
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8/1/2020 - Cadby Likes this wine: 88 Points
Overripe attempt, not much structure, expecting more. Miss.
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7/31/2020 - Eduhersp Likes this wine: 93 Points
Note:Not decanted much 1 hour
Nose: Nice sweet nose of vanilla,blueberries and some chocolate. A little heat coming in. I will revisit after a few more hours today or tomorrow. Note the heat wears off after an additional hour.
Update: after an additional 2 hours the fruit becomes more prominent.
Sight: Deep Garnet and Inky
taste: Full bodied wine, earthy/loamy in character with a very creamy and voluptuous consistency. This is the Marylin Monroe of wines with very little rough edges. I also get get dashes of dark chocolate, vanilla , sweet tobacco and blueberries caressed seamlessly by the sweet tannins. Because of its low acidity, this wine is very easy to drink and enjoy now. Very Cali in its appeal.
Update: The wine gained a little weight after a couple hours. Very nice concentration. I also get a little more acidity in the mid palate. A lot more juicer than 2 hours ago. Nice development.
Finish: Nice long finish (40+seconds). Mid palate is very, very good.
Overall: Good solid cab for the price point ($48)< mind you CA wines are expensive but they have the quality.
Score: 92-93. After further decanting the score was adjusted to 93 to compensate for the improvement. I would decant for at least 3-4 hours to properly enjoy.
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7/21/2020 - M Plein Family wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoyed. Worthy of 90+ pts
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7/16/2020 - CorkTheif wrote: 87 Points
Too young even after 2 hours.
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7/16/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic Napa Cab, great new world flavors, love this value.
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7/6/2020 - WineTimeFineTime Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs time to open but once it does is very smooth with pronounced vanilla/bourbon barrel notes. Great with steak, even a bit sweet.
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7/3/2020 - BergerKing Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely balance of fruit and oak. Pleasing to the palate and finishes strong. Dark fruit that drinks well on its own but would pair well with a steak. Hall keeps me wanting to return for another tasting. Well done.
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7/1/2020 - Slaz Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Too soft, overly ripe, and unfocused. Even with some decanting. The Napa style I don't like at all.
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6/14/2020 - shawn_colley wrote: 97 Points
Well balanced Cab. Decanted for 30 min and not one bit of bite from a big wine! Will be adding to my cellar.
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6/13/2020 - Rsokane Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very strong fruit forward. Maybe a little jammy, but after 30+ minutes breathing, very drinkable. I think you could find better value elsewhere, though. But smooth, drinkable wine. Plum and blackberry notes.
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6/2/2020 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 91 Points
One hour decant- solid, good valued, crowd pleaser. Big up front fruit with overall nice balance and finish. No heat and would benefit from a few more years of age. However, this can be drank now. Paired well with Elk, Bison and Buffalo NY strips. Only lacking in complexity, hence the price point.
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5/24/2020 - Joec999 wrote: 89 Points
Great!
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5/23/2020 - Badmonkey wrote: 91 Points
Get together to drink some of Hall’s 2016 entry level cabs to see how they compare - Coeur, Terra Secca, North End, and Hall Napa cab. Dark red and black fruit - currants/cassis, dark cherry, and blackberry. Smooth mid-palate but a little lighter profile than previous bottles - medium body. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, some spice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but appears to be at a nice drinking point despite its youth. Once again, 96% cab and 4% merlot.
The 2016 Hall Coeur was the consensus favorite followed by the Terra Secca, Hall Napa cab, and North end.
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5/9/2020 - TraciSCroft Likes this wine:
Gifted to me by Tyler at New York Butcher Shoppe in Mt Pleasant,SC. I really enjoyed it.
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4/9/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my previous bottles, this is damn good and drinking well with 1-2 hours of air. It’s a classic Napa Cabernet, great body and texture, worth the money and as far as Napa Cabs go, a QPR.
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3/30/2020 - Drinnan wrote:
Really nice !!
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3/28/2020 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice everyday drinker.
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3/27/2020 - jstrovel@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young but drinkable. Acidity of the 2016 vintage making it great with food though I drank the whole bottle with two bites of cheddar cheese. Great QPR. Give it a few years to reach its peak IMO.
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3/25/2020 - Cjrussell22 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Easy drinking. Red fruits, leather, vanilla
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3/23/2020 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Still young, but a steady eddy Napa Cab that is a consistent solid performer for the price. Creme de cassis, blackberry, touch of stewed plums, and spice. Not as sweet as Caymus like as I remember. More structure and complexity than jammy Caymus syrup.
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3/14/2020 - zanzabar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tried a bottle to see if it's worth buying more. This used to be a regular buy when I could get it for $36. Now that it's a little more pricey I wanted to check in on a bottle before buying more.
Great balance for a young wine, 16 has good acidity to balance the firm tannins. Rounded out by a good fruit body and a touch of heat. This should balance out nicely with just a couple years, buy more when you see it for $40-45.
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3/2/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine:
Similar to previous notes.
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2/29/2020 - HFLED Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really pleasant and well balanced cab, I’m definitely a buyer for $40.
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2/17/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 90 Points
Intense ripe blackberry and currant with vanilla and some spice (licorice?). Tannins were soft. A little more acidity might have given this more focus.
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2/11/2020 - tbrader wrote: flawed
cork scent is subtle but aromas and flavors much more muted than normal
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2/10/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 90 Points
Similar to prior--lovely fruit whose beauty would be enhanced by a touch more acidity.
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2/8/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 94 Points
Similar to my previous note, except an even fuller body developed and I liked this slightly better. Great value if you can find it for 40.
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1/31/2020 - tbrader wrote: flawed
Corked again
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1/23/2020 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
Black and dark red fruit - currants/cassis, blackberry, and dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth/concentration - medium plus body. Nice vibrant/rich flavors of dark berries, some spice/licorice, and a little cocoa. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Improved a little with time but drinking quite well right away despite its youth. A nice vintage of this wine and a solid QPR in the mid $50s. In my opinion, in line with the 92 rating from WA. 94% cab and 6% merlot.
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1/16/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lucius red and blue fruits, great intensity with sweet velvety tannins. This drinks well out of the gate is seems to be meant for early consumption over the next 5 years. If you don't like in your face Napa cabs, this probably isn't for you. Not to say it's cult like, but it's very New World in nature.
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1/13/2020 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ok is young, only 3 years plus, but this Cab. Is far from being ready. Bitter dark fruit and vegetable undertone that reminds me of under ripe fruit. The good news it has time to improve. I’ll review again in a year. As of now there are better $50 2016 Cabs. Around.
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1/2/2020 - tbrader wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasing nose. Gentle hints of licorice, graphite, and spice. Rich red and dark fruit on the palate. Still some rough tannins.
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1/2/2020 - tbrader wrote: flawed
Corked
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1/1/2020 - camroc830 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The 2014 Hall cab was almost my favorite Hall, but it's lost some pizzazz over the past couple of years. This 2016 is pretty bland right now, fruity, with very flaccid tannins and little complexity. Perhaps it gets better with age. I won't open any more of it for a while and see what happens.
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12/31/2019 - mats13 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Too young I suspect. A little simple, not a lot of depth. With 2 hours of air there was improvement though - and in the end it was enjoyable with Korean ribs.
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12/19/2019 - WineDr. Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine was decanted, aerated for an hour, and drunk over the next 2 hours. This is a very nice cabernet sauvignon with copious dark fruit and other flavors, moderate complexity, and a lingering finish. It has new world freshness and vibrancy without being jammy. While tasty now, it would have been even better with longer aeration. Its moderate, but smooth, tannins suggest it will improve further with additional bottle aging.
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11/13/2019 - Vino Loco Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very well balanced cali Cabernet - delicious!
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10/19/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 8 *shared* bottles] from 10/18/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Pyrazines atop RIPE berries & vanilla; Intensity lurking?
P: Med, poss LM, body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which PRETTY much resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the few, firming, unoffensive, dusty tannins. Approachable now, DESERVES through '20, then (safely) drinkable through '23? Nicely done in a flirting with R.S. style, & even arguably a "good value" (for *this* AVA), particularly when cf'd to similarly styled wines such as Caymus. 15.5% ABV; My EXC- (90,91/ 100 using that metric); [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.]
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10/6/2019 - JDGingerich Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth, dark fruit flavor with a hint of oak. Smooth finish and develops a bolder flavor profile as it breathes.
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10/4/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Black fruit and concentrated on the nose.
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9/17/2019 - Unojsl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice wine . Rich in color great legs
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9/11/2019 - Alpton wrote: 90 Points
Cedar, plum, cherry liquor, glycerine. Round and supple. Soft tannins. Made to please. Sweet dark fruit with hints of spice and oak. It lacks structure. Not exciting, but nothing bad to say about it.
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