4/22/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Typical Hall style: extracted flavors of dark red and blue fruit, big oak, cocoa, deep baking spices. In a word, hedonistic. Delicious.

4/13/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is medium to deep purple in the glass with a nose of stewed blueberries and dark cherry with a basement note in the background.

On the palate the wine is big and lush, with more of those dark blue/black and cherry flavors predominant supported by mocha and cigar box, which find in most Alexander Valley merlots and cabernets. Plushy tannins and mild acidity. A very nice wine that I'd buy again.

4/13/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes but found this to be very pleasant. Really nice flavor profile. Lacking acidity.

4/11/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is deep garnet in the glass with some clarity.
The nose shows muted cranberry and mushrooms.

On the palate we found roasted cranberry, plum, and forest floor and mushroom creating a pleasant, balanced profile. Dark violet flowers reside in the background. Strong acidity and tannins suggest a long life ahead. Deep and rustic luxury here! Only three barrels made!

4/2/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is a clear garnet in the glass with a nose that shows medium notes of cranberry, flower petals, and oak.

On the palate the wine is unremarkable on entry but opens on the mid-palate with ripe and fresh flavors of muted cranberry and forest floor, with deep flower notes. Medium tannins and light-to-medium acidity. Shortish finish.

3/22/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is deep purple in the glass with crimson-to-orange edges. The nose shows medium dark stewed blueberry, charcuterie, and basement.

On the palate the wine is deep and brooding. There's dark blueberry, bing cherry, pepper, and oak. Soft tannins, low acidity, and medium finish.

3/11/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Notes from day 2, when the wine improved. Nose is still reticent with little to offer, but on the palate the wine offers rich flavors of deep lemon and lime, flowers, and oyster. A bit of oak in the background reminding you it's a California Chardonnay. Medium acidity with a medium finish.

3/5/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Second bottle.

This wine is dark crimson in the glass with clarity. The nose shows cranberry, violet, and some oak.

On the palate the wine is bright, fresh, and lively. On entry we get ripe cranberry evolving to show baking spices, forest floor, and wood. Medium acidity, complexity, and finish. Another winner from a favorite winery.

2/24/2024 - Ortiz Brown wrote:

Tasty wine for just $10. Nothing extraordinary but a good value when you don't want to open something expensive to accompany your pizza.

2/13/2024 - Ortiz Brown wrote:

This wine is deep purple in the glass with crimson edges. The nose is shy with dark cherry, blueberry, earth and some wood.

On the palate we find dark blue fruit, charcuterie, and rustic notes of earth and oak. There's a prominent minerality that remains through a medium finish.

1/27/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Very balanced pinot with darker red fruit flavors and a savory character from entry through the finish. Open after 2-3 hours, so a decant is highly recommended.

1/21/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Typical hedonistic Hall cabernet, though without the bright red fruit that we usually see in their offerings. This one shows darker blue and black fruit; I wonder if that's a reflection of its aging now for ten'ish years. Opened up considerably after a couple of hours.

1/13/2024 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Muted lemon flavor with a strong brioche profile, with minerality through the drinking experience. Crisp acidity and a long finish. Enjoyed with fried chicken and my epic macaroni and cheese.

12/25/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Delightful, mineral-driven wine that reminds us of a Listan Blanco from the Canary Islands. Our first experience with this wine, so we don’t have a point of reference. Recommended.

12/17/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is garnet in the glass with edges that are just beginning to show some brown color. The nose is restrained with muted cranberry and definitely does not portend what is to come.

On the palate the wine is bright yet luscious with robust flavors of stewed strawberry and cranberry. There's an engaging depth here with mushrooms in the background, and the flavors evolve over the palate bringing you to cola and pepper notes at the end, as well as a bit of acidity.

Delicious wine. I'm sure it has at least 5-10 years life to it should you have any in your basement...I mean, cellar.

11/11/2023 - Ortiz Brown wrote:

This wine is dark purple in the glass and pours with a brick color that suggests its age. The nose shows medium aromas of roasted blue berry and dark cherry, with molasses, oak, pine, and lead pencil in the background.

On the palate the wine shows deeeeep, brooding, black and dark blue fruit, dark chocolate, leather, oak, and baking spices. Even after opening over two hours, it remained dark, not showing much red fruit at all. Medium acidity and tannins suggest there's more life to the wine (but I'd drink sooner than later). Medium finish.

A hedonistic wine for the vampires among you, but overall, somewhat one-dimensional and disappointing for what we've come to expect from Hall. Or maybe we got a bum bottle.

11/1/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Shared with non-wine-geek friends so didn't take detailed notes. Bright, fresh, fruit-driven. Nothing special but everyone enjoyed it.

10/30/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Extremely pale straw in the glass with a nose of green apple, pineapple, and lime.

On the palate we found tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, lime, and a soft note of green apple that comes forward on the mid-palate through to the finish. Low-medium acidity and a long'ish finish.

10/7/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is deep ruby in the glass, and the nose is bright and alive with aromas of dark cherry, stewed blueberry, and charcuterie.

On the palate that cherry is prominent, showing tart dark cherry, baking spices, pepper, and some oak. Medium tannins and acidity. Delicious after it opened up over 2-3 hours. Great value at $25.

10/3/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is dark burgundy in the glass with dark red and blue fruit on the nose, as well as bramble, oak, and a barn note.

On the palate we found a rich experience of stewed cranberries, tart dark cherry, forest floor, herbs (basil maybe?), and oak. There's a mild acidity supporting the flavors with mild tannins on the finish.

Delicious overall but maybe lacking a bit in complexity.

9/26/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is gold in the glass with a nose of peach, apple, and caramel.

On the palate the wine offers an immediate, rich explosion of tropical fruit flavors -- peach, pineapple, lemon. The flavors expand through the mid-palate where a robust acidity shows itself. Long finish.

Delicious chardonnay that I think reflects a Burgundian character; I wish there were a bit more complexity but very good nonetheless.

9/11/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

The wine is dark purple in the glass, and on P&P the nose showed modest blue fruit aromas with leather, chocolate, and dank antique store notes. On the palate the flavors were reticent on entry, slowly showing mild, dark red fruit.

After an hour the wine opened a bit, but just on the palate. We found blackberry, a bit of dark cherry, spice, and wood. Mild tannins and mild acidity. FWIW, the wine failed to open much more, even after three hours.

Pretty and elegant. A contrast to the big cabernets we enjoyed on our visit to Napa last week!

8/26/2023 - Ortiz Brown wrote:

Didn't take detailed notes but found this wine to be pleasant enough for the sub-$20 price point. Unremarkable on P&P but opened up on day 2.

8/13/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Pale gold in the glass with a modest nose of green apple and stone fruit.

On the palate the wine has a mildly unctuous mouthfeel with flavors of apple, lemon, peach, flowers, and a hint of oak. Medium acidity and a short-to-medium finish.

If I'm going to drink a California chardonnay, let it be like this!

7/23/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is light gold in the glass with a modest nose showing aromas of pineapple, peach, cantelope, butterscotch and wet stone.

On the palate the wine continues that fruit experience with peach, pineapple, and orange in the background. Light to mild acidity, which may not quite support the pleasant creaminess on the palate. Subtle oak on the finish.

A flavorful wine with good concentration and a generous mouthfeel. Recommended.

6/19/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is deep purple in the glass with a modest nose of dark blue fruit, stewed cherries, and cocoa.

On the palate the wine is tart and astringent on entry and quickly opens to flavors of plum, stewed blueberries, and oak. Medium tannin and acidity with minerality on the finish.

Overall this is a rustic wine and seems a bit...disjointed at the moment. I'm thinking that with a year or two in the bottle the experience might be more seamless and delicious.

5/22/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Modest nose of citrus but the experience on the palate is much different. Big, robust flavors of lemon and grapefruit with medium acidity. Lacking in complexity at this point. I should've followed others' recommendations to hold a bit longer. Mea culpa. 88 points at this time but I suspect it will get better.

4/30/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes but found this to be a very pleasant white wine. Generous lime and citrus flavor, minerality, and a nice acidic backbone holding it all together. A great alternative to all the "mainstream" white varieties that we find ourselves drinking.

4/25/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes. Darker and more brooding than some of PH's other pinot offerings. The fruit here is restrained but very tasty nonetheless.

4/17/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This Merlot is deep purple in the glass with orange edges. The nose shows medium-deep notes of dark cherry, blueberry, forest floor, and tomato leaf.

On the palate the wine is plushy with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. There are also notes of leather, nutmeg, and cigar box. Mild tannins and mild acidity. Not a big, overly ripe Merlot; balanced and very pleasant.

4/8/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is dark crimson to brick in the glass with a nose of roasted cranberry, herbs, and forest floor.

On the palate the wine is ripe immediately on entry and generally bright and fresh despite the age, with flavors of deep cranberry, bing cherry, and oak. It evolves at the mid-palate to show deeper notes of forest floor.

Positioned by the winery as lighter style of pinot from a cool vintage, but there's enough flavor that might lead you to believe otherwise. This is a delicious wine, and we're eager to try more -- cool vintages, warm vintages, whatever.

4/11/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes, but we found this to be a little atypical for 2020. Rich with deep citrus flavors and mild acidity.

4/8/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is golden in the glass with a medium nose of green apples. On the palate the wine is creamy with flavors of green apple, tropical fruit, and white flowers, with a subtle oak note. Low-to-medium acidity. Very pleasant and easy-drinking chard!

3/26/2023 - Ortiz Brown Does not like this wine:

Oaky, buttery, the way Chardonnay used to be before our palates became more refined.

3/19/2023 - Ortiz Brown Does not like this wine:

Unctuous, sweet, and ripe on the palate with tropical fruit flavors under a creamy mouthfeel. If I had tasted this blind, I never would've guessed it was Chardonnay, but it would probably be a crowd pleaser for the non-wine geeks in your circle.

2/20/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

The wine is dark garnet in the glass with clarity. The nose is shy with cranberry and strawberry notes.

On the palate the wine has a woody note on entry and then opens to show fresh cranberry and strawberry that becomes riper and more distinct with air. The wine is light, lithe, and fresh on the palate. Medium acidity and low tannins. Really shines after 30-60 minutes.

2/16/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes but found this to be a big, tasty wine, if a bit lacking in complexity.

2/14/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is dark crimson in the glass with orange to pink edges. The nose shows modest dark red fruit.

On P&P the wine is a bit reticent with tart, dark cherry flavors. After 1-2 hours it opened a bit more to show a little more complexity with blackberry and baking spices, with subtle earth notes in the background. Medium tannins and acidity. Good wine but everything felt...muddled. Maybe it needs time to age a bit before showing its colors?

2/6/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Medium magenta in the glass with a nose of bright red fruit, cranberry with a dark note underneath it.

On P&P the wine offered very little flavor on entry; it wasn't until the mid-palate when a primary note of cranberry presented itself. After 30-60 minutes the wine opened to show ripe cranberry, violet, orange, and forest floor. After two to three hours it was really singing with a rich, delicious experience, more reminiscent of a Sonoma pinot than Burgundy.

The story behind the wine. The owners of Amanti Vino in New Jersey befriended the Mallard family during a recent trip to Burgundy. Upon learning the domain had access to additional grapes, Amanti commissioned this bottling. Mazy is one of two dogs in the Amanti family, hence the name and art on the label (designed by an Amanti Vino employee).

2/6/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is medium to dark purple in the glass with pink edges. The nose shows dark cherry, roasted blueberry, and oak. On the palate the wine offer robust, tart flavors of dark blueberry with a sweetish note of dark cherry behind it. Mild acidity and a lively acidity that lingers through a medium finish.

We're giving it 89 points, mostly for the value. It's not great, but it's a really nice wine at a $20 price point.

2/1/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is pale gold in the glass with robust aromas of lemon, lime, melon, and banana.

On the palate the wine is full-bodied with intense flavors of green apple, passion fruit, lime, an exotic element that's hard to pin down, and minerality. Medium-high acidity with a tart, funky note preceding a long finish.

A unique, distinctive sauvignon blanc that drinks like a chardonnay. Fascinating!

1/30/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is purple in the glass with deep crimson edges. The nose shows typical cabernet notes of dark fruit, baking spices, and oak.

On P&P the flavors were restrained though the wine felt light on the palate with prominent acidity and tannins, though nicely balanced. After 2-3 hours the wine opened significantly to show fresh blue and dark red fruit, baking spices, leather, cedar, and oak.

A delightful, classic cabernet. If I had another bottle, I'd hold it for 5-10 years as others have suggested with the hope of finding more complexity.

1/21/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Second bottle. Consistent notes. Great value.

1/15/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This zin is medium purple in the glass with crimson edges. The nose shows roasted blue fruit (blueberry) with oak and charcuterie notes.

On the palate the wine is bright with flavors of baked cherry pie and blue berry. There's a prominent oak flavor as well as forest floor and lead pencil. Medium tannins and acidity provide a structure for a sleek, elegant, refined, and balanced wine. Absolutely delicious!

1/15/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Didn't take detailed notes but found familiar aromas and flavors of a GSM blend. I don't know what the other reviewer here didn't like, but we found this to be a very pleasant wine with everything in balance. After two hours it really opened up revealing ripe, dark red fruit flavors. Delicious!

1/9/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

This wine is medium magenta in the glass with a nose of cranberry, cherry cola, and oak.

On the palate the wine is darker and more brooding than the nose would suggest, showing stewed cherry and cranberry, and baking spices. Medium acidity and tannins. Not terribly complex but delicious nonetheless. Phillips Hill's pinots are consistently very good.

1/7/2023 - Ortiz Brown wrote:

Didn't take notes but found this to be a pleasant Chablis. lacking in acidity, which seems atypical of the other 2020s we've had. But hey, it's just $22.

1/2/2023 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Lemon, green apple, yeast, and toast. Very dry with a striking acidity. Medium finish.

12/30/2022 - Ortiz Brown Likes this wine:

Ripe and bright flavor of stewed cranberry with a streak of minerality and acidity through to the finish, as well as a funky note in the background. Reminded us of the 2022 Beaujolais Nouveau. An interesting alternative to the typical wines we drink but probably not a crowd pleaser. Save this one for your wine geek friends.

12/29/2022 - Ortiz Brown Does not like this wine:

Our second bottle of this wine, though purchased from a retailer not the winery itself.

I'm afraid the wine was past its prime. Flavors were jumbled, and the acidity that we enjoyed four years ago was gone. I'll be curious to see if others have the same experience going forward.