Supple. Full bodied with well rounded soft tannins. Cherries, raspberries, vanilla and oak. In its sweet spot - delightful now but will be enjoyable for several more years.
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Dark ruby, medium body, muted black fruits, anise, prune, rounded tannins, light acid, medium finish, balanced, aged joy! Drink soon. Fantastic value @$37.
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Popped and poured. Good wine, good value. Years of life ahead. Thick, dark, viscous red. Very pure Cab fruit, deep, cassis, purple fruit, blackberry, ALMOST a tad pruny. Weighty, a bit hot, full-bodied. Full fruit, rich. Good now, perhaps even better later. Certainly in no danger of immediate decline. This seems out of character for Hall; most offerings tend to be candidates for both early drinking and age, and have a bit more of a supple character. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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A bit disappointing. Shut down, gritty, not as much fruit as I would have expected for a Cali cab. It lacks the depth and luciousness that a wine of this price should deliver.
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Opened three hours ahead and decanted just before drinking. Still needed a good hour in the glass to truly open up (so I think it could have used several more years in bottle). A delightful, smooth and well married wine (after enough time open). If I had more in my cellar I would wait 2-5 years before opening
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Flavorful cab. Coravined a glass. Fruit rich but not over the top. Very nice finish. Improves over the course of the drink and likely needs a solid decant.
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Cedar and cocoa aromas. Medium ruby color. Firm integrated tannins after one hour decant. This will hold up another 10 years in cellar. Flavors of cassis, with a soft sweet herbaceous finish. Great Value. 83% Cab, 8% PV, 6% Merlot, and 3% Syrah.
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Lovely wine. Notes of ripe, dark cherries, black raspberries, and cassis are inflected with wonderful bottle age and earthy, savory undertones. It is generous in its structure, complexity, and concentrated richness, yet it remains elegant and poised. This is gently coming into its own and might be even better with another few years in the cellar.
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Formulaic CA Cab that has a good amount of tannin to shed but can be comfortably drunk, with a solid decant, toward the end of a wine evening. I can see this being at its peak in a couple more years. It won't gain any complexity; in fact, the wine has been quite one-dimensional over the evening. I recall buying this for $30-something. Would never pay over $50 for it.
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Not sure about this bottle. Slight vegetable notes and menthol flavors on the finish. It was probably me given the track record and previous bottles. 89-90.
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This 8 years old, well cellared bottle has a dark and vibrant red Bordeaux style and color. Aromas of black berries, dry figs, prunes and soave herbs. At taste round and smooth with a long dark chocolate finishing.
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Opened and poured. Got lots of oak. After a while it subsided. Blackberry, dark cherry, cassis. A bit of chocolate/cocoa. getting some chalkiness. This will get better.
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This is continuing to improve after 3.5 hours of decanting. I do not reccomend treating as a "pop and pour," as the flavors were muted even after a 2 hour initial decant. At 3.5 hours, my opinion of the wine has certainly changed for the better.
Very deep and dark in color; darker than the average cab. Some dark fruit and vanilla on the nose, but not a lot of aroma. On the palate there is a deep flavor of black cherry, vanilla, and tobacco, with somewhat restrained black pepper on the medium finish. Medium to full body. Medium intensity of tannin.
Overall: 92-93 points. Decant at least 3 hours for maximum enjoyment in 2021, or age 3 - 5 more years.
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Really nice well made wine and classic napa cab. Restrained black fruits and vanilla, smooth tannins and integrated alcohol. A bit of green that developed over a few hours. Drinking well right now and very good for the price point.
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Stellar. In a really nice place now. Decanted for 60 minutes. Drank over the next four hours. Held its own the whole time. Really nice with medium rare NY strip! Wish I had more. Still plenty of life here.
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Full bodied, easy drinking wine. Dark black fruits, integrated tannins, has some grit and will develop in the bottle. Favorable price point and quite enjoyable.
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Still plenty going on here. We paired with '14 Kathryn Hall and this held up nicely. Plenty of red fruit, silky palate and smooth tannins. Nice wine at a great price.
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For the money, one of the best you can get from Napa. Punches far above it's weight class. But no doubt you are drinking a Napa Cab when you have these. Excellent QPR
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Perfect example of what an entry Napa Cab should be. Balanced, full of fruits and spices, silky tannins, some complexity in a medium concentrated wine. I like it a lot. Great now but no hurry.
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Excellent Napa Valley Cab with all the attributes one would expect and no flaws or shortcomings. This was definitely one of the better vintages for what the Halls consider their mass-produced entry level wine, but this is definitely not entry level quality, good quality for less than $50, year in, year out. Does need several hours of breathing to open up, but we didn't decant. Didn't have to. And I was OK with Pete going to your wine cave btw.
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Smooth and full-bodied. Not overly complex and nothing jumps out to say this wine is special. Was hoping this bottle would sway me one way or the other on the '16 offerings, but I'm still undecided.
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It took till the third night for me to want to rate this. First night this was not enjoyable, massive, over the top dry, limited complexity. Second night this became smoother but was still too much.
Third night it's still tannic and dry, but smooth with complexity building. Good but feel like this vintage will be better in a few more years.
Dense violet color. Violets on the nose. Black fruits, oak, graphite. This is a delicious, balanced Napa cab. Medium/full body, concentrated with structure, firm tannins and a long finish. Two hour ox. Great QPR. Perfect with our steaks.
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Beautiful wine, drinking well right now. Has another ten years ahead. Not over-extracted fruit, medium tannins, medium finish. Well balanced....superb QPR @ $30!
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Very nice wine with a medium to heavy mouth feel. Blackberry and cedar on the nose. The oak is well balanced but not overpowering and it coats the mouth with juicy acidity.
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Wonderful. Very well balanced. 1hour decant. Initially had a peppery finish but softened to a wonderful finish after an additional hour in decanter. Strong dark fruit.
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- It's somewhat balanced with a full body. Round texture - Coming around nicely. Not super bold but solid cab. Requires at least 2 hours in the decanter.
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Slow-ox for an hour and consumed over the following three. Approaching 18 months since drinking the previous bottle and the strides made with cellaring were quite noticeable. Initially served at 62 degrees, the wine opened with aromas of rose petals, cedar, tart red cherry and plum. Full, rich mouthfeel with flavors of black and blue fruit, baking spice, tobacco, dark pepper, anise, sage and dark chocolate. Firm structure that was full-bodied but balanced and polished. Some interesting complexity developing with age. Many years of life ahead. Excellent QPR for this entry level Napa cab!
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Three hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Grippy, crushed velvet palate. Firm, full tannins on the medium long finish. This is drinking very tight, so I’ll revisit tomorrow...
Day 2: Deep dark magenta color. Blueberry muffin, fresh from the oven, dominates the nose. Silky, mouth filling palate, with fine acidity. Soft, round tannins on the medium long finish.
The cedar and other tight notes from the previous day disappeared, but the wine also became a bit more flat (one-dimensional). This simply needs more cellar time, which is strange for this price point.
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All of the elements have integrated together nicely for a great wine in a great vintage. I'd suggest a 30 minute decant to let some of the alcohol blow off.
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In Canada , this is the cheapest of the Hall skew. I have to tell you for 79$ this was so incredible. Paired with brisket slow smoked and fried chicken. Fruit is settle but present. So well balanced. Blueberry pie chocolate. Velvet. Very impressive. Will try to pick up more and lay down.
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First sips blew the doors off in terms of whoa, this is a Napa Cab: high alcohol, strong fruit, big tannins. One thought was that I should have let this sleep for a few more years, and I might recommend that to others who have this wine. The experience of my first glass of it made me think this would be better in five or more years.
However, it is a delicious wine. Once it had breathed for a while - I think this wine needs to sit out for an hour or two if you open a bottle now - more subtle tastes started to come forth. At times it tasted like an exquisite French Bordeaux, actually. But then, this IS a Napa Cab in the end. It tastes like it could come from nowhere else. In sum, it would have aged well (I only had the one bottle); 2013 has a blockbuster quality about it as a vintage, but they need time. If you open it now, give it time to breathe. And in the end, it is a very rewarding and satisfying wine.
Needless to say, it was excellent with steak.
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Pretty good but didn't wow me as I hoped. Typical Napa nose and palate of fruit with some moderate acidity and tannins that suggest this will drink nicely for a long while.
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This is coming along nicely. This is the 4 th of a case over the last two years or so. The fruit is beginning to emerge and it is a bright berry, full bodied, and the back end is smoothing out nicely. I expect it to improve.
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Something of a yeasty nose. Subdued black fruit on entry. Slight sensation of bitterness, which actually seems to enhance the experience. Solid tannin and acid suggest that this wine can lay sideways a bit longer.
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Classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose, bursting with black current, cassis, plum and toasty oak. Full body, low acidity and filled with umami. Full of grippy fine tannins. Ending with a intense spice finish. Got the structure necessary to age for years to come.
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Arguably one of the best values in Napa Cab. This particular vintage reminds me of some of the very first I had from Hall . . . muscular, with a more fruit forward composition, but not without complexity, all on a backbone of firm but tame tannins.
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Gros vin massif et de style moderne mais bien fait. Beaucoup de cassis et de bois avec un peu de vanille. Tannins soyeux et finale assez longue avec un peu de chauffe. Avec le temps le bois et la vanille seront digérés.
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In the past year, this wine has really come places... earthy strawberry nose, structured tannins but not too heavy (rare for a Napa 13 of this age), grassy fruit with long oaky Back finish. Good bottle and great with age.
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Pnp over seafood stew and beef stirred fry over vegetables. Consistent with prior notes - comforting type of wine and something to count on if you seek a fruit driven, medium to big body napa cab. 91-92.
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Ok cab. Bright fruit flavors with lots of depth. Needs to breathe for at least 30minutes. Very drinkable, and would probably go well with the strong beef flavor dish.
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Good QPR, dark purple, berry, vanilla, oak, sweetness on nose. Soft nose, black fruit, touch of heat. Med mouthfeel, nice tannins, this might have some future upside as well. Great everyday wine.
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Comparison tasting with the 2006 vintage ... While both vintages exhibited the same dark garnet color, medium full body and firm intense blackberry core, the 2013 was more obtuse with an edge to it with notes of alcohol heat with notes of camphor and graphite, that may soften over time. In comparison, the 2006 was smooth, more polished and more approachable. The '13 was accented by a layer of black cherry fruit with hints of the black raspberry tones more predominant in the '06. Both exhibited tones of spicy cinnamon with hints of dark mocha, turning to firm lingering tannins on the finish.
Understated soft earthy nose. Some dark chocolate in there. Nice grippy ending. Lovely mouthfeel and quality effort. Paired nicely with a filet with whipped potatoes and mushrooms.
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- It's somewhat balanced with a medium body. Fleshy texture - Opened bottle for hour before (no decanter avail) drinking. Strong cherry, blackberry tart fruit flavor. The wine is not smooth, but the edge is ok and may age and smooth out over the years. The finish was medium. Overall, this is an OK cab.
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Nice wine but at a comparable price point i preferred the Oakville winery Napa cab i had last night over this Hall. In my search for a great sub $40 Napa cab the Oakville is my winner so far but the search continues
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Deep ruby red. Interesting nose with a herbal and cocoa attack, something minty, and a touch green. Some fruit too with raspberries, black cherries and a touch of black fruits. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and medium plus bodied. A bit harsh and muted, needs some time to develop further. Sweet spices on the palate, vanilla, cinnamon and dark red berries. Medium plus to long finish. Drink from 2018 till 2026. (91+)
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About a year since my last bottle. Deep reddish purple in color. Aromas of tart raspberry, dark cherry and chocolate. Flavors are similar with blackberry, dark cherry and lighter notes of chocolate. Medium to full bodied, good tannins and a dry finish. Nice silky texture. Pretty good QPR at about $40. Acidity and astringency have subsided since my last bottle resulting in a higher overall rating. 91-92.
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On vacation and the mark-up was reasonable at a restaurant for $60 so we decided to give it a shot. A pleasant surprise. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and a little dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth depth/concentration especially for the price point. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped and poured but they threw it in a decanter over the course of the meal around 2 hours. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well right away. I believe more or less in line with Parker's 92 rating. 83% cab, 8% petit verdot, 6% merlot, and 3% syrah.
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Yes, I gave in and aerated and decanted for over two hours, consuming over the next three. Big cabernet and the reason I follow California wines. Not yet completely together but all the elements are poised to bring this to fruition. Will be a real winner in a year or so. Enough said. I purchased some more bottles. Beautiful.
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Was not familiar with this winery. Found the bottle in the "special reserve" section at Bonefish Grill at a fair price ($69) after checking the CT ratings and reviews. Was impressed that this young wine was ready to drink--smooth mouthfull of black cherry with light herb notes. Tannins fully integrated. Wondering how often good wines get lost in the marketing world when they have bland names (and labels) like "Hall"?
Nice Cab, classic napa dark red fruit. Not overly complex, and does not have the finish of other Hall offerings, but still a very solid effort by Hall.
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Very Good. Classic Napa cab -- blackberries, cassis, vanilla, and tobacco. It was too tight on opening, better about an hour later, really good the second night.
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Really nice napa cab, especially for the price. Wine was best on 3rd day, so I would give it a good decant. Well balanced, smooth, nice fruit. I want to try some of Hall's higher priced cabs now.
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Was curious to know where I was at. Uncorked and let breath out 3.5 hours. Still needed more air. Should have opened in the morning or due a full decant. Going to get much better with some age. Good effort from Hall.
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PnP, inky purple with all the notes on the nose and palate for a Hall cabernet, which is excellent. Ironically the 3% Syrah makes an appearance on the palate (meaty/smokey notes), which at first makes the wine feel slightly disjointed but all came together on Day 2. 92 to 93 pts.
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Nice fruit throughout. Didn't need a long decant. Very approachable now. Not as complex as most other Hall offerings, but for the price, a very nice wine
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Excellent Cabernet typicity. Fragrant, vanilla-scented oak rests on a massive shoulder of dark cherry and sweet blueberry confiture. Medium acidity and superfine tannins. Good delineation and elongation of flavors. Bold and muscular, like a racehorse ready to break its reins. As the wine warms up, the oak and alcohol become conspicuous and distracting. Would've enjoyed more if it showed some restraint.
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Hall has incredible wines, this is their entry level cab. Easy to drink, not complex, slight cherry and oak. Not the huge cab you would expect from Hall, but pretty good.
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I am being told more of a Margaux style, and I don't see that at all. THis is big, there is lots of fruit in the mid, with some oak bringing up the back structure. It's big and broad shoulder, with a soft lush palate. SO maybe the Kathryn Hall is supposed to be the Margaux, not this wine, which is the basic Napa, which is the big and broad shouldered. This is a powerhouse.
Decanted about 1 hour. What a great wine. Nose of dark fruits, raspberries, and clove. Impressive legs. On the palate, lots of complexity and good acidity with a medium finish that keeps you coming back for more. Feels like the wine is almost dancing on your palate with brightness, acidity, and tannins. Tannins are quite strong right now, and I anticipate this would be much better in a 3-4 years, but also drinking so well right now! Great value Napa cab at around $40.
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Deep purple. Cassis and black cherry on the nose. Currant and dark fruits, rounded out with oak flavors. Firm but smooth tannins. Would probably become more harmonious after a year or two, but good now.
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Solid, reliable effort. Decent QPR. $40 isn't cheap, but you know it will be solid. I've poured some equally or even more expensive bottles down the drain, and this ain't one.
Still a little tight, full fruit and salty acidity. Will improve I believe
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Amador Wine Hand Off Party (Our House): This was one of three cabernets (2009 Neal Family, 2009 Ecluse Reserve, 2013 Hall Napa Valley) for the dinner. All were tasted blind. All were decanted for 3 hours.
This wine was the favorite of many of the 11 of us. It is young and bright; spicy vibrant red and blue fruit flavors with a fair amount of oak. I would bet that it will get significantly better in about 5 years, but it was very good right now. For me, it did not have the sophistication and vertical integration that the Neal did.
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Bit on the chalky side. For sure needs more time in the cellar to round out. Not as good right out of the bottle as the 2008 or the 2010. This reminds me more of the 2007 where there is solid fruit, but the structure lacks on tannins and the essence of the soil.
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Big sweet corn blackberry fruit aromas. Silky appeal to the palate. Medium tannin. Backbone for this bottling is the Hardester Estate, acquired in 2003, farmed organically since 2006. 64 partner vineyards contribute the remaining fruit. Light grill marks to the aromas. A firm, yet approachable palate.
Later that evening, roast coffee aromas, dark berry fruit, but the oak and coffee are in the way, a more brooding style, modern style.
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Had the Honig the night before and gave that a 90 - this is definitely a few notches better! Smooth and silky now with great aroma and finish, but probably will benefit with a few more years in the bottle. A great performer!! In the mid 40 price range.....Hall and Smith-Madrone are always winners in my book!
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I'm bumping this up a notch from last time around. Particularly on day2 it was showing great balance with full body good strong finish with savory fruit. A little tight/bitter on day 1. For their entry level this is really good , although not cheap in the $40 range.
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Drunk with Christmas Dinner alongside a 2002 York Creek Estate, and 2007 Conn Valley Estate. This was the fruity one for the girls. Quite enjoyable with the proper food pairings but pale in comparison to the Conn Valley. The York Creek was pleasant and still had plenty of life left, but not in the same league.
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W beef tenderloin on Xmas eve in LF. This is clearly too young. This is a good pure cab, medium weight but needs to soften. Maybe a little high in QPR.
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I think this is a pretty decent wine for the $36/bottle I paid. A great mid-week quaffer. Reminds me of the '08 vintage. Good flavors and balance. This is not an overly complex or nuanced wine, just a nice easy drinker.
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As previously mentioned, and quite ironically, this was poured at a private event with around 50 guests. For that, this wine was indeed a safe bet. All of the bottles were ultimately drained and the masses were happy. I had my couple of obligatory sips, got bored, and transitioned to a vodka-tonic.
I suppose it's not a bad QPR considering it's "not a bad wine" necessarily. I just don't find it all that engaging. I'll spend an extra $20 or so on other "standard" Cabernets that exhibit much more appeal to me personally. If I want a Hall, I'll go big with their higher end wines.
89-90 points at best from me on this wine.
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quite tasty! The fruit was juicy and expressive fruit on the front end. finishes nicely. The only thing this is missing is the layered deep dark fruit only Cali cab can deliver, but I think this is worth laying down. Good bones, can only get better.
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Hall tasting (Saint Helena): Same as 2 months ago. An "Is what it is" type of wine. Akin to the Sauvignon Blanc in terms of its seemingly humdrum delivery. It was "ok," "fine," "not bad," "pretty good"... with that little elevation in one's voice that basically signals, "Meh."
As previously mentioned, as a "whatever" kind of Cabernet, this is "fine." (Apologies for the overuse of quotation marks in these last few notes). Some decent fruit, some medium structure, a tad of depth I suppose; but nothing stands out too much to catch one's attention. A little mocha, dark plum, black cherry, and a little cedar. The finish was bitter, then collapsed a bit. Soft mouthfeel.
89-90 points. The kind of wine one might pour at a birthday party with 50 guests who care just enough about wine to know if it's really bad or not. For that, it's a safe bet.
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This is a really well balanced wine with wonderful notes of cherry and cola. it is very drinkable now, but I think it will really shine in two to five years.
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A real winner and a relative bargain in age-worthy wine. Very dark violet with thick purple legs that hug the bowl of the glass. Textbook Cabernet nose. Textbook flavors that run long, rich, and deep. Cocoa powder. This is great now and should age beautifully. Bravo! 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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Dark colour with HEAVY legs. Primary, currant fruit aromas with some cocoa and spice notes. Aggressive palate. An oddly high perception of acidity strikes the tongue at the same time as the ethanol attack; then the tannins finish off the assault. 16.2% alcohol, over-extracted and mean. Time might afford more balance, but I'm not sure that the structure will support it's ageing for too long. 2.5/5
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A ripe and oaky Napa cabernet that offers plush fruit with decent structure. Dark red in color, full in body, nose of milk chocolate and licorice. Tastes of red raspberry, leather, pepper, and cedar, with a tannic finish. Blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, and 3% Syrah. 14.9% alcohol. Not a bad wine, but not a very exciting one, either. Give it a year or two.
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3 Hour decant. This wine is packed with fruit, flavors are big and bold. Very young but is approachable now. Heavy blackberry nose. Long finish. This wine will certainly benefit from more time in the bottle and probably pick up 2 more points in my opinion in the next 2 - 5 years.
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Nice easy drinker but nothing memorable. Sharp tannins accompanied by bold sweet blue/red fruit, vanilla bean, and some oakiness. A little more flavor intensity on night 2. Needs a few years in the bottle.
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 3% Syrah. The backbone is Hardester Estate, acquired in 2003, farmed Organically since 2003. A fresh and tangy blackberry expression to the nose. Medium tannin. Rather grippy.
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Simple and straightforward notes of plum, black cherry, some black raspberry, and a bit of cedar. Fairly plump and round, almost carrying some Merlot-like nuances. Some purple berry and talc notes appeared on the back end.
Decent mid-palate, but nothing jaw dropping. Not hollow, but somewhat linear. A tinge of graphite on the finish framed out the fruit and added some interest.
Tasted like a good version of a $40 mass produced Cabernet (which is what it is), but was a little more elevated with its intensity and upfront, giving personality. The core fruit had a nice overall totality to it that kept this going throughout the evening. Not decanted. Drank from the bottle over the course of two+ hours.
89-90 points in the end. Not much upside for the future. Drink now and over the next year or so.
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This is a classic Napa Cabernet that balances forward Blackberry, Plum, and Dark Cherry fruit with sweet tannin, chocolate, smoke and leather/spice notes. Full throttle and dark, but has brighter notes that come through. It is dense on the palate, but shows the quality of 2013 really well.
Very drinkable today with a short decant. Delivers the goods that some much more expensive CA Cabs do not.
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This is a slumbering beast. Decanted for two hours and finished the next day. Cassis, camphor, blackberry, vanilla and burnt sage brush. Velvety tannins that cover some of the fruit initially, then fall to the back of the line. A medium-long, plush finish. Evident cellar potential. A true perennial favorite - this is truly a Caymus-meets-Shafer Cabernet. Drink 2018 - 2033.
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Deep reddish purple in color with medium legs. Aromas of tart raspberry, dark cherry and chocolate but also with a distinct astringent note. It tastes like blackberry, dark cherry with light notes of chocolate. The body is medium to full, good tannins and a dry finish. It has a nice silky texture. Would rate higher but it has too much acidity and astringency to it at this point. Likely better in another year or two and with longer decanting.
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The Fleming's 100 50/50 Tasting Event Walnut Creek, nose of blackberry fruit, pepper, baker's chocolate, and briar, same on the palate, big body, needs 4 years to peak, tasty, soft tannins, medium/long finish.
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Good color. Aromatics of red and black fruit, Rutherford dust. Profile leans dry and somewhat austere. Took awhile to open up - recommend a solid decant. Better than expected
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Nice wine from Hall, here. Not on the same level as their more celebrated offerings, but quite attractive nonetheless. Fairly saturated dark red, with glass-staining ability. Nicely perfumed with violets and cassis. Easy-drinking but with plenty of rich, cocoa flavors. Gritty tannins but very drinkable. Rich. Good finish. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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1/27/2024 - Robwild Likes this wine: 92 Points
Supple. Full bodied with well rounded soft tannins. Cherries, raspberries, vanilla and oak. In its sweet spot - delightful now but will be enjoyable for several more years.
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12/28/2023 - ilmvino wrote:
Corked?
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12/25/2023 - COJimmy60 wrote:
Nice balanced Cab, very low tanin
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12/24/2023 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 91 Points
solid napa cab. good fruit, nice finish, light tannins. easy drinking
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7/22/2023 - EdKz@comcast.net Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby, medium body, muted black fruits, anise, prune, rounded tannins, light acid, medium finish, balanced, aged joy! Drink soon. Fantastic value @$37.
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7/14/2023 - manny651 Likes this wine: 92 Points
aging beautifully
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7/14/2023 - willfab60 wrote: 88 Points
Not up to the Hall standards . Maybe a flawed bottle. Tannic .
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7/8/2023 - Thomas B wrote: 90 Points
10yrs old & drinking wonderfully. plum, black raspberry, leather, & a hint of charcoal?
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5/24/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Good wine, good value. Years of life ahead. Thick, dark, viscous red. Very pure Cab fruit, deep, cassis, purple fruit, blackberry, ALMOST a tad pruny. Weighty, a bit hot, full-bodied. Full fruit, rich. Good now, perhaps even better later. Certainly in no danger of immediate decline. This seems out of character for Hall; most offerings tend to be candidates for both early drinking and age, and have a bit more of a supple character. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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5/14/2023 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Exactly like last time. It has a few years of life ahead but so good now that I would not wait too long.
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5/7/2023 - Henning Matz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking phenomenally right now.
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12/30/2022 - Vino Loco wrote: 89 Points
A bit disappointing. Shut down, gritty, not as much fruit as I would have expected for a Cali cab. It lacks the depth and luciousness that a wine of this price should deliver.
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12/28/2022 - TB2 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good right now.
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10/21/2022 - Trolson wrote: 92 Points
Really good. Ready to drink now.
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10/4/2022 - WineTraveler42 wrote:
Opened three hours ahead and decanted just before drinking. Still needed a good hour in the glass to truly open up (so I think it could have used several more years in bottle). A delightful, smooth and well married wine (after enough time open). If I had more in my cellar I would wait 2-5 years before opening
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9/3/2022 - JB12 wrote: 93 Points
Flavorful cab. Coravined a glass. Fruit rich but not over the top. Very nice finish. Improves over the course of the drink and likely needs a solid decant.
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8/14/2022 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
At its peak now. Raspberry, cherry and cassis flavors with some cedar on the finish. The tannins are well balanced with the fruit.
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7/27/2022 - Rich & Allyson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cedar and cocoa aromas. Medium ruby color. Firm integrated tannins after one hour decant. This will hold up another 10 years in cellar. Flavors of cassis, with a soft sweet herbaceous finish. Great Value.
83% Cab, 8% PV, 6% Merlot, and 3% Syrah.
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4/24/2022 - Baron Slick wrote: 93 Points
Lovely wine. Notes of ripe, dark cherries, black raspberries, and cassis are inflected with wonderful bottle age and earthy, savory undertones. It is generous in its structure, complexity, and concentrated richness, yet it remains elegant and poised. This is gently coming into its own and might be even better with another few years in the cellar.
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4/15/2022 - Simoncino wrote:
Formulaic CA Cab that has a good amount of tannin to shed but can be comfortably drunk, with a solid decant, toward the end of a wine evening. I can see this being at its peak in a couple more years. It won't gain any complexity; in fact, the wine has been quite one-dimensional over the evening. I recall buying this for $30-something. Would never pay over $50 for it.
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3/18/2022 - washbow wrote:
Lost
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2/12/2022 - libero wrote: 93 Points
No change from June 2021 notes.
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1/29/2022 - JB12 wrote: 93 Points
Opened decanted and drank. Rich but not overpowering fruit. Wine is smooth and quite nice. This is definitely coming of age.
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9/25/2021 - Domfrenette wrote: 91 Points
Une bombe tanniques.
À revisiter dans quelques années …
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7/29/2021 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not sure about this bottle. Slight vegetable notes and menthol flavors on the finish. It was probably me given the track record and previous bottles. 89-90.
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7/24/2021 - H. Eugene wrote: 96 Points
Excellent wine. Sad to say this is my last bottle.
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6/26/2021 - Alliecat1992 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Paired with rib eye
Opened after 6 years
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6/23/2021 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Ok value for $40, but never gets above a decent weeknight cab. Wondering more and more about cal cabs.
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6/7/2021 - libero wrote: 93 Points
This 8 years old, well cellared bottle has a dark and vibrant red Bordeaux style and color. Aromas of black berries, dry figs, prunes and soave herbs. At taste round and smooth with a long dark chocolate finishing.
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6/3/2021 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
easy drinking cab from the first sip. opened about 30 minute before drinking
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5/8/2021 - happytom Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened and poured. Got lots of oak. After a while it subsided. Blackberry, dark cherry, cassis. A bit of chocolate/cocoa. getting some chalkiness. This will get better.
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5/1/2021 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wife:93.
Perfect steak wine
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2/27/2021 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
solid napa cab. Good fruit, nice structure, light tannins
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2/19/2021 - CabinConnoisseur Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is continuing to improve after 3.5 hours of decanting. I do not reccomend treating as a "pop and pour," as the flavors were muted even after a 2 hour initial decant. At 3.5 hours, my opinion of the wine has certainly changed for the better.
Very deep and dark in color; darker than the average cab. Some dark fruit and vanilla on the nose, but not a lot of aroma. On the palate there is a deep flavor of black cherry, vanilla, and tobacco, with somewhat restrained black pepper on the medium finish. Medium to full body. Medium intensity of tannin.
Overall: 92-93 points. Decant at least 3 hours for maximum enjoyment in 2021, or age 3 - 5 more years.
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2/14/2021 - easttide wrote: 88 Points
Overbearing.
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2/9/2021 - libero wrote: 93 Points
This 7 years old bottle is a dark ruby color, round and balanced acidity and low tannin. Great wine.
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1/30/2021 - PimpDaddy2Kool Likes this wine: 92 Points
It’s reached its apex time to drink up.
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1/23/2021 - PimpDaddy2Kool wrote: 91 Points
Needs at least two hours decant to open up. Has a delicious factor. Drink now.
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12/24/2020 - Beatsmith8 wrote: 90 Points
Massive menthol bomb. Consistent with Hall style, but without the complexity of their more signature offerings. Will probably improve on day 2.
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11/19/2020 - JGinMO wrote: 91 Points
A bit hot still, much better on day 2. Hope it integrates better in time. Open early or wait.
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11/9/2020 - SMZ wrote: 94 Points
Glad I waited so long to drink this cab....drinking beautifully at this point...extremely luscious and smooth....deep flavors of berries.
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11/6/2020 - H. Eugene Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great Cab
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10/17/2020 - JB12 wrote: 92 Points
Solid cab with rich flavors. Drinking well now.
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9/7/2020 - ppandian wrote: 89 Points
Hints of chocolate, lead, pencil shavings and strawberry in on the nose. Spicy, black berries and soft, rounded tannins. Excellent value.
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7/15/2020 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice well made wine and classic napa cab. Restrained black fruits and vanilla, smooth tannins and integrated alcohol. A bit of green that developed over a few hours. Drinking well right now and very good for the price point.
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7/8/2020 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very ripe cassis and cherry. Vanilla toasty oak flavors. A lot of spices on the finish.
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6/23/2020 - Katscheker Likes this wine:
sweet, berry and floral
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6/19/2020 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Just a little earth to start. Nice pleasant fruit. Not overly sweet, just smooth and pleasant.
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6/13/2020 - gmmilani Likes this wine: 90 Points
I really like Hall wines. This one was solid, but not what I'm used to from this winery. Would probably let it sit a little longer to develop.
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6/6/2020 - Mdubnik Likes this wine: 93 Points
Stellar. In a really nice place now. Decanted for 60 minutes. Drank over the next four hours. Held its own the whole time. Really nice with medium rare NY strip! Wish I had more. Still plenty of life here.
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5/16/2020 - Tym4wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Full bodied, easy drinking wine. Dark black fruits, integrated tannins, has some grit and will develop in the bottle. Favorable price point and quite enjoyable.
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5/7/2020 - Ksprad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine
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4/23/2020 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still plenty going on here. We paired with '14 Kathryn Hall and this held up nicely. Plenty of red fruit, silky palate and smooth tannins. Nice wine at a great price.
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3/21/2020 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 91 Points
For the money, one of the best you can get from Napa. Punches far above it's weight class. But no doubt you are drinking a Napa Cab when you have these. Excellent QPR
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3/20/2020 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 92 Points
Perfect example of what an entry Napa Cab should be. Balanced, full of fruits and spices, silky tannins, some complexity in a medium concentrated wine. I like it a lot. Great now but no hurry.
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3/17/2020 - vpoms wrote: 89 Points
Ok wine for a weekday. A little too sweet and over the top. Typical Napa Valley floor over extracted and too fruity
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3/11/2020 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice, solid, nothing fancy cab.
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3/8/2020 - Z1nnfull Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Napa Valley Cab with all the attributes one would expect and no flaws or shortcomings. This was definitely one of the better vintages for what the Halls consider their mass-produced entry level wine, but this is definitely not entry level quality, good quality for less than $50, year in, year out.
Does need several hours of breathing to open up, but we didn't decant.
Didn't have to.
And I was OK with Pete going to your wine cave btw.
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2/15/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Smooth and full-bodied. Not overly complex and nothing jumps out to say this wine is special. Was hoping this bottle would sway me one way or the other on the '16 offerings, but I'm still undecided.
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1/17/2020 - LeeGlasoe wrote:
Needs more time drank 12-26-19
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12/26/2019 - moz9 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine is solid. Not spectacular or anything but enjoyable. Not sure I would buy again at this price point.
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12/25/2019 - zanzabar Likes this wine: 91 Points
It took till the third night for me to want to rate this.
First night this was not enjoyable, massive, over the top dry, limited complexity. Second night this became smoother but was still too much.
Third night it's still tannic and dry, but smooth with complexity building. Good but feel like this vintage will be better in a few more years.
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12/12/2019 - mvande21 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dense violet color. Violets on the nose. Black fruits, oak, graphite. This is a delicious, balanced Napa cab. Medium/full body, concentrated with structure, firm tannins and a long finish. Two hour ox. Great QPR. Perfect with our steaks.
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12/7/2019 - Trolson wrote: 90 Points
Better second day. Too much vanilla taste first day.
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11/16/2019 - trippingturtles Likes this wine: 92 Points
3 hour decant. Deep purple with some sediment.
Fragrant nose and dark fruit.
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10/19/2019 - winejnky wrote: 91 Points
Medium all around, nicely balanced and clearly has plenty of time to go. Decanted two hours.
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10/2/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great wine and certainly delivers for its price range.
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8/24/2019 - NCWino1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine, drinking well right now. Has another ten years ahead. Not over-extracted fruit, medium tannins, medium finish. Well balanced....superb QPR @ $30!
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8/12/2019 - BrunelloBob wrote: 90 Points
Better with air, better last time. still very good and no rush to drink.
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7/16/2019 - BDM50 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This Hall Cab was awesome. Big and bold and smooth. It has aged beautifully! Hope the 2015 is as good.
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7/16/2019 - Rasmussenbrent Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow this one aged perfectly. I can't believe it is their basic hall. Tastes like their high end bottles.
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7/14/2019 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Coming along nicely and a hit last night with our wine tasting group! Needs just a bit of air to open up and drink away!
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7/6/2019 - azwino Likes this wine:
Good bottle - blackberries, currant, and cedar and vanilla. Very velvety and smooth - with a touch of sweetness. Young - years ahead.
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7/5/2019 - Dmiller3 wrote: 89 Points
Drinking well. Paired with barbecue on July 4th
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7/2/2019 - Gscwinecellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice wine with a medium to heavy mouth feel. Blackberry and cedar on the nose. The oak is well balanced but not overpowering and it coats the mouth with juicy acidity.
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6/9/2019 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. Better than the Rivers-Marie we had first.
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5/26/2019 - Jabaqus Likes this wine:
Wonderful. Very well balanced. 1hour decant. Initially had a peppery finish but softened to a wonderful finish after an additional hour in decanter. Strong dark fruit.
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5/21/2019 - ppandian wrote: 88 Points
Terrific value at 34 bucks! Dark purple, opaque, good tannins, graphite, licorice, long finish and balanced.
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5/16/2019 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 92 Points
very balanced, elegant, with slightly rough tannin. I think this would benefit from further time in the bottle or a longer decant. Not a fruit bomb.
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5/10/2019 - Claudey wrote:
Very agreeable, small in the mouth, almost watery but pleasant nevertheless...
Drink now!!
May 2019
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1/23/2019 - JB12 wrote: 92 Points
- It's somewhat balanced with a full body. Round texture - Coming around nicely. Not super bold but solid cab. Requires at least 2 hours in the decanter.
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1/16/2019 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 88 Points
Faded since the last bottle. Weak in all aspects but nothing bad. Just nothing great.
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1/14/2019 - Julio Iglesias wrote: 91 Points
Very good, much better than a year ago
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1/1/2019 - JGinMO wrote: 92 Points
Benefited from 90 min decant
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12/26/2018 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 91 Points
Slight edge over the 2010 Hall we drank beside it. But this could use a few more years.
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12/25/2018 - jwolf99 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paired very well with herb-crusted prime rib.
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11/25/2018 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slow-ox for an hour and consumed over the following three. Approaching 18 months since drinking the previous bottle and the strides made with cellaring were quite noticeable. Initially served at 62 degrees, the wine opened with aromas of rose petals, cedar, tart red cherry and plum. Full, rich mouthfeel with flavors of black and blue fruit, baking spice, tobacco, dark pepper, anise, sage and dark chocolate. Firm structure that was full-bodied but balanced and polished. Some interesting complexity developing with age. Many years of life ahead. Excellent QPR for this entry level Napa cab!
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11/14/2018 - depdoc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Much better after an hour decant
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11/11/2018 - GaoCellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Delightfully smooth and balanced after 1.5 hour decant. Paired well with slow braised short ribs.
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10/14/2018 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
For the money, hard to beat. And pretty consistent year after year
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10/1/2018 - AGELVIS wrote: 86 Points
Three hour decant. Deep dark magenta color. Grippy, crushed velvet palate. Firm, full tannins on the medium long finish. This is drinking very tight, so I’ll revisit tomorrow...
Day 2: Deep dark magenta color. Blueberry muffin, fresh from the oven, dominates the nose. Silky, mouth filling palate, with fine acidity. Soft, round tannins on the medium long finish.
The cedar and other tight notes from the previous day disappeared, but the wine also became a bit more flat (one-dimensional). This simply needs more cellar time, which is strange for this price point.
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9/22/2018 - hhyder Likes this wine: 94 Points
All of the elements have integrated together nicely for a great wine in a great vintage. I'd suggest a 30 minute decant to let some of the alcohol blow off.
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9/21/2018 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
Going strong still
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9/4/2018 - B&PBaker Likes this wine: 86 Points
OK but just average. Not enough nose, fruit, tannins or finish. Nothing bad.
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8/31/2018 - SingerofWine wrote: 93 Points
In Canada , this is the cheapest of the Hall skew. I have to tell you for 79$ this was so incredible. Paired with brisket slow smoked and fried chicken. Fruit is settle but present. So well balanced. Blueberry pie chocolate. Velvet. Very impressive. Will try to pick up more and lay down.
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8/24/2018 - Tranquility Base Likes this wine: 91 Points
First sips blew the doors off in terms of whoa, this is a Napa Cab: high alcohol, strong fruit, big tannins. One thought was that I should have let this sleep for a few more years, and I might recommend that to others who have this wine. The experience of my first glass of it made me think this would be better in five or more years.
However, it is a delicious wine. Once it had breathed for a while - I think this wine needs to sit out for an hour or two if you open a bottle now - more subtle tastes started to come forth. At times it tasted like an exquisite French Bordeaux, actually. But then, this IS a Napa Cab in the end. It tastes like it could come from nowhere else. In sum, it would have aged well (I only had the one bottle); 2013 has a blockbuster quality about it as a vintage, but they need time. If you open it now, give it time to breathe. And in the end, it is a very rewarding and satisfying wine.
Needless to say, it was excellent with steak.
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8/12/2018 - Mauricerosenbaum wrote: 94 Points
Very drinkable now and smooth!
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6/25/2018 - Didman wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose. Good level of Cabernet flavors. Nice balance of fruit and tannin. Should last.
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5/6/2018 - mbo1 wrote: 90 Points
3 hour decant. This improved with a few more hours. Red fruit with notes of oak. This should improve over the next few years
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4/27/2018 - kandrfairview wrote:
Really good, could lay down longer
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4/22/2018 - ddingley Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pretty good but didn't wow me as I hoped. Typical Napa nose and palate of fruit with some moderate acidity and tannins that suggest this will drink nicely for a long while.
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4/12/2018 - Ktstefanopoulos Likes this wine: 90 Points
Typical Cabernet, deep notes, cassis and slight fruit, well balanced
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4/8/2018 - BamaWiner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well right now. Decanted for one hour at one of our favorite restaurants. Duck and roast chicken.
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4/1/2018 - JB12 wrote: 92 Points
This is coming along nicely. This is the 4 th of a case over the last two years or so. The fruit is beginning to emerge and it is a bright berry, full bodied, and the back end is smoothing out nicely. I expect it to improve.
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3/22/2018 - EMark Likes this wine:
Something of a yeasty nose. Subdued black fruit on entry. Slight sensation of bitterness, which actually seems to enhance the experience. Solid tannin and acid suggest that this wine can lay sideways a bit longer.
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3/5/2018 - JCCL wrote: 90 Points
Classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose, bursting with black current, cassis, plum and toasty oak. Full body, low acidity and filled with umami. Full of grippy fine tannins. Ending with a intense spice finish. Got the structure necessary to age for years to come.
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3/5/2018 - libero wrote: 92 Points
Round, smooth, dry figs and prunes. Just pop and pour and it leaves a dry taste.
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2/25/2018 - zinfomaniac Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was Napa Valley at it's bombastic beautiful best without going over the edge.
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2/23/2018 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 91 Points
My vote for best of the $35-45 Cali cab crowd. Crowd pleaser and easy to pop and pour. Will look to pick up a few 2014s.
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1/7/2018 - Mark V wrote: 89 Points
A good high production cab but expected more for a 2013 valley floor vintage
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1/4/2018 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Terrific pop and pour Cali Cab Sauv. Great value! Hall's second label.
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12/14/2017 - R&R Likes this wine: 91 Points
Arguably one of the best values in Napa Cab. This particular vintage reminds me of some of the very first I had from Hall . . . muscular, with a more fruit forward composition, but not without complexity, all on a backbone of firm but tame tannins.
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12/11/2017 - big.cactus34 wrote: 92 Points
Highly consistent - same as previous notes. Served with a nice mid-rare bone in rib-eye, a perfect compliment.
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12/7/2017 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Gros vin massif et de style moderne mais bien fait.
Beaucoup de cassis et de bois avec un peu de vanille.
Tannins soyeux et finale assez longue avec un peu de chauffe.
Avec le temps le bois et la vanille seront digérés.
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11/23/2017 - Vailman Likes this wine: 91 Points
One hour decant. Cassis, leather, vanilla and lavender. Good structure, medium body. Big improvement over the 2012 vintage.
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11/18/2017 - JonD2016 wrote: 93 Points
In the past year, this wine has really come places... earthy strawberry nose, structured tannins but not too heavy (rare for a Napa 13 of this age), grassy fruit with long oaky Back finish. Good bottle and great with age.
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10/14/2017 - big.cactus34 wrote: 92 Points
Pnp over seafood stew and beef stirred fry over vegetables. Consistent with prior notes - comforting type of wine and something to count on if you seek a fruit driven, medium to big body napa cab. 91-92.
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10/14/2017 - JB12 wrote: 89 Points
Ok cab. Bright fruit flavors with lots of depth. Needs to breathe for at least 30minutes. Very drinkable, and would probably go well with the strong beef flavor dish.
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10/10/2017 - dclaggett wrote: 91 Points
Good QPR, dark purple, berry, vanilla, oak, sweetness on nose. Soft nose, black fruit, touch of heat. Med mouthfeel, nice tannins, this might have some future upside as well. Great everyday wine.
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10/5/2017 - libero wrote: 92 Points
This 4 years old bottle keeps improving.
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10/1/2017 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
First bottle in six months. Three hour decant. This wine needs a few more years in the bottle
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9/30/2017 - Simonyser Likes this wine: 91 Points
3 heures de carafe. Encore trop jeune. Très bon cab de Napa mais ne dévoile pas encore tout son potentiel.
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9/19/2017 - rmcnees wrote: 91 Points
Comparison tasting with the 2006 vintage ...
While both vintages exhibited the same dark garnet color, medium full body and firm intense blackberry core, the 2013 was more obtuse with an edge to it with notes of alcohol heat with notes of camphor and graphite, that may soften over time. In comparison, the 2006 was smooth, more polished and more approachable. The '13 was accented by a layer of black cherry fruit with hints of the black raspberry tones more predominant in the '06. Both exhibited tones of spicy cinnamon with hints of dark mocha, turning to firm lingering tannins on the finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2017/09/hall-estate-napa-cabernet-for-family.html
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9/17/2017 - odyssey11 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice spice. Some chocolate notes in there as well.
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9/16/2017 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 90 Points
Understated soft earthy nose. Some dark chocolate in there. Nice grippy ending. Lovely mouthfeel and quality effort. Paired nicely with a filet with whipped potatoes and mushrooms.
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9/9/2017 - Jeff U Likes this wine:
Excellent
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8/31/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Black fruit, soft on the palate with some good acidity. Just opened, could open up a bit more.
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8/22/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Black fruit with a soft fininesse and a solid core. More tannin as well.
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8/12/2017 - JB12 wrote: 90 Points
- It's somewhat balanced with a medium body. Fleshy texture - Opened bottle for hour before (no decanter avail) drinking. Strong cherry, blackberry tart fruit flavor. The wine is not smooth, but the edge is ok and may age and smooth out over the years. The finish was medium. Overall, this is an OK cab.
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8/6/2017 - wineguy1968 wrote: 88 Points
Nice wine but at a comparable price point i preferred the Oakville winery Napa cab i had last night over this Hall. In my search for a great sub $40 Napa cab the Oakville is my winner so far but the search continues
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7/28/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 91 Points
Deep ruby red. Interesting nose with a herbal and cocoa attack, something minty, and a touch green. Some fruit too with raspberries, black cherries and a touch of black fruits. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and medium plus bodied. A bit harsh and muted, needs some time to develop further. Sweet spices on the palate, vanilla, cinnamon and dark red berries. Medium plus to long finish. Drink from 2018 till 2026. (91+)
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7/17/2017 - MemorialWineFan wrote: 89 Points
Pulled cork out and started drinking six hours later. This wine needs air and is really good for the money.
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7/17/2017 - rockthomii@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
About a year since my last bottle. Deep reddish purple in color. Aromas of tart raspberry, dark cherry and chocolate. Flavors are similar with blackberry, dark cherry and lighter notes of chocolate. Medium to full bodied, good tannins and a dry finish. Nice silky texture. Pretty good QPR at about $40. Acidity and astringency have subsided since my last bottle resulting in a higher overall rating. 91-92.
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7/15/2017 - Megafeen wrote:
Full bodied red, fruity, amazing
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7/15/2017 - iahviahv wrote: 91 Points
Good QPR, tannins showing slightly, give it a couple of years. Good to drink now though. 90+.
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7/10/2017 - motteatoj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Quite nice and a favorite of the area cabs in this price range. Prefer a bit to the 13 1873
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7/9/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark cherries, cocoa, cedar. A little heat on entry, but then it settles down. Nice mid-and finish. A really good wine from Hall, at a decent price.
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7/8/2017 - Badmonkey wrote: 92 Points
On vacation and the mark-up was reasonable at a restaurant for $60 so we decided to give it a shot. A pleasant surprise. Dark purple fruit - blackberry, dark currants, and a little dark cherry. Smooth mid-palate with solid depth depth/concentration especially for the price point. Nice flavors of dark berries and a little spice. Decent finish but not overly long nor deep. Popped and poured but they threw it in a decanter over the course of the meal around 2 hours. Improved a little with time but drinking pretty well right away. I believe more or less in line with Parker's 92 rating. 83% cab, 8% petit verdot, 6% merlot, and 3% syrah.
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7/1/2017 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Yes, I gave in and aerated and decanted for over two hours, consuming over the next three. Big cabernet and the reason I follow California wines. Not yet completely together but all the elements are poised to bring this to fruition. Will be a real winner in a year or so. Enough said. I purchased some more bottles. Beautiful.
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6/29/2017 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was not familiar with this winery. Found the bottle in the "special reserve" section at Bonefish Grill at a fair price ($69) after checking the CT ratings and reviews. Was impressed that this young wine was ready to drink--smooth mouthfull of black cherry with light herb notes. Tannins fully integrated. Wondering how often good wines get lost in the marketing world when they have bland names (and labels) like "Hall"?
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6/23/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice Cab, classic napa dark red fruit. Not overly complex, and does not have the finish of other Hall offerings, but still a very solid effort by Hall.
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6/14/2017 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Young, evident tannins and forward fruits. Red and dark berries. Concentrated flavors, full bodied. Will improve with a few more years.
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6/12/2017 - RobbieC wrote:
Pretty good. Solid QPR.
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6/9/2017 - Dar3 wrote: 91 Points
91-92. Very nice cab. Still young.
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6/9/2017 - clio_wine Likes this wine:
Very Good. Classic Napa cab -- blackberries, cassis, vanilla, and tobacco. It was too tight on opening, better about an hour later, really good the second night.
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6/6/2017 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really nice napa cab, especially for the price. Wine was best on 3rd day, so I would give it a good decant. Well balanced, smooth, nice fruit. I want to try some of Hall's higher priced cabs now.
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6/5/2017 - MemorialWineFan wrote: 89 Points
Was curious to know where I was at. Uncorked and let breath out 3.5 hours. Still needed more air. Should have opened in the morning or due a full decant. Going to get much better with some age. Good effort from Hall.
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6/4/2017 - big.cactus34 wrote: 92 Points
PnP, inky purple with all the notes on the nose and palate for a Hall cabernet, which is excellent. Ironically the 3% Syrah makes an appearance on the palate (meaty/smokey notes), which at first makes the wine feel slightly disjointed but all came together on Day 2. 92 to 93 pts.
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6/4/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice fruit throughout. Didn't need a long decant. Very approachable now. Not as complex as most other Hall offerings, but for the price, a very nice wine
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5/25/2017 - JCaress Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid wine, as always from Hall. There is probably no better cab at this price point.
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5/18/2017 - DavidWong168 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent Cabernet typicity. Fragrant, vanilla-scented oak rests on a massive shoulder of dark cherry and sweet blueberry confiture. Medium acidity and superfine tannins. Good delineation and elongation of flavors. Bold and muscular, like a racehorse ready to break its reins. As the wine warms up, the oak and alcohol become conspicuous and distracting. Would've enjoyed more if it showed some restraint.
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5/14/2017 - YankeeRobio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Hall has incredible wines, this is their entry level cab. Easy to drink, not complex, slight cherry and oak. Not the huge cab you would expect from Hall, but pretty good.
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5/11/2017 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
I am being told more of a Margaux style, and I don't see that at all. THis is big, there is lots of fruit in the mid, with some oak bringing up the back structure. It's big and broad shoulder, with a soft lush palate. SO maybe the Kathryn Hall is supposed to be the Margaux, not this wine, which is the basic Napa, which is the big and broad shouldered. This is a powerhouse.
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5/5/2017 - nzinkgraf wrote:
More spice than any of the previous 3 appellation wines. Big and wide fruit to the palate. Significant concentration on the palate.
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4/23/2017 - BordeauxBoy wrote: 92 Points
Good PNP Cab that is a crowd pleaser for sure.
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4/22/2017 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted about 1 hour. What a great wine. Nose of dark fruits, raspberries, and clove. Impressive legs. On the palate, lots of complexity and good acidity with a medium finish that keeps you coming back for more. Feels like the wine is almost dancing on your palate with brightness, acidity, and tannins. Tannins are quite strong right now, and I anticipate this would be much better in a 3-4 years, but also drinking so well right now! Great value Napa cab at around $40.
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4/22/2017 - Rckapers Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very smooth
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4/15/2017 - jsteckbeck Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple. Cassis and black cherry on the nose. Currant and dark fruits, rounded out with oak flavors. Firm but smooth tannins. Would probably become more harmonious after a year or two, but good now.
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4/7/2017 - Wine G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid, reliable effort. Decent QPR. $40 isn't cheap, but you know it will be solid. I've poured some equally or even more expensive bottles down the drain, and this ain't one.
Still a little tight, full fruit and salty acidity. Will improve I believe
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4/6/2017 - Hchearn Likes this wine:
Good
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4/1/2017 - asplatt19 wrote: 91 Points
Let it breath / decant for at least 30 minutes. Great fruit forward wine. Ready to enjoy now but could probably improve with another 2 years.
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3/31/2017 - JERB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Amador Wine Hand Off Party (Our House): This was one of three cabernets (2009 Neal Family, 2009 Ecluse Reserve, 2013 Hall Napa Valley) for the dinner. All were tasted blind. All were decanted for 3 hours.
This wine was the favorite of many of the 11 of us. It is young and bright; spicy vibrant red and blue fruit flavors with a fair amount of oak. I would bet that it will get significantly better in about 5 years, but it was very good right now. For me, it did not have the sophistication and vertical integration that the Neal did.
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3/24/2017 - Squilber Likes this wine: 92 Points
What's there not to like? A very good Cali Cab for $40.00. That's very hard to find these days. It's ready now but can age several more years.
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3/23/2017 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full throttle, CA cab
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3/12/2017 - MemorialWineFan wrote: 87 Points
Bit on the chalky side. For sure needs more time in the cellar to round out. Not as good right out of the bottle as the 2008 or the 2010. This reminds me more of the 2007 where there is solid fruit, but the structure lacks on tannins and the essence of the soil.
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3/10/2017 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Lucious fruit, soft tannins, velvet mouthfeel
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3/10/2017 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Big sweet corn blackberry fruit aromas. Silky appeal to the palate. Medium tannin. Backbone for this bottling is the Hardester Estate, acquired in 2003, farmed organically since 2006. 64 partner vineyards contribute the remaining fruit. Light grill marks to the aromas. A firm, yet approachable palate.
Later that evening, roast coffee aromas, dark berry fruit, but the oak and coffee are in the way, a more brooding style, modern style.
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2/25/2017 - Lar F wrote: 92 Points
WA 92+
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2/19/2017 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had the Honig the night before and gave that a 90 - this is definitely a few notches better! Smooth and silky now with great aroma and finish, but probably will benefit with a few more years in the bottle. A great performer!! In the mid 40 price range.....Hall and Smith-Madrone are always winners in my book!
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1/16/2017 - Wine G Likes this wine: 92 Points
I'm bumping this up a notch from last time around. Particularly on day2 it was showing great balance with full body good strong finish with savory fruit. A little tight/bitter on day 1. For their entry level this is really good , although not cheap in the $40 range.
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12/26/2016 - easttide Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drunk with Christmas Dinner alongside a 2002 York Creek Estate, and 2007 Conn Valley Estate. This was the fruity one for the girls. Quite enjoyable with the proper food pairings but pale in comparison to the Conn Valley. The York Creek was pleasant and still had plenty of life left, but not in the same league.
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12/25/2016 - MichielV wrote: 90 Points
W beef tenderloin on Xmas eve in LF. This is clearly too young. This is a good pure cab, medium weight but needs to soften. Maybe a little high in QPR.
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12/19/2016 - easttide wrote: 90 Points
Very rich. Kind of a Rollercoaster over two nights. Might wait a bit if curiosity doesn't get the best of me.
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12/12/2016 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 90 Points
I think this is a pretty decent wine for the $36/bottle I paid. A great mid-week quaffer. Reminds me of the '08 vintage. Good flavors and balance. This is not an overly complex or nuanced wine, just a nice easy drinker.
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12/10/2016 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
As previously mentioned, and quite ironically, this was poured at a private event with around 50 guests. For that, this wine was indeed a safe bet. All of the bottles were ultimately drained and the masses were happy. I had my couple of obligatory sips, got bored, and transitioned to a vodka-tonic.
I suppose it's not a bad QPR considering it's "not a bad wine" necessarily. I just don't find it all that engaging. I'll spend an extra $20 or so on other "standard" Cabernets that exhibit much more appeal to me personally. If I want a Hall, I'll go big with their higher end wines.
89-90 points at best from me on this wine.
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12/9/2016 - beezer6 wrote: 88 Points
At Dorn's
Dark ripe spicy fruit. Some heat on back end. Slightly one note but has generous mouth feel
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11/27/2016 - Wine G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid. Good fruit, decent length, good balance, fair finish. Had 2nd half of bottle 5 days after opening , and it was still good.
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11/27/2016 - laxman Likes this wine: 89 Points
quite tasty! The fruit was juicy and expressive fruit on the front end. finishes nicely. The only thing this is missing is the layered deep dark fruit only Cali cab can deliver, but I think this is worth laying down. Good bones, can only get better.
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11/26/2016 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
Hall tasting (Saint Helena): Same as 2 months ago. An "Is what it is" type of wine. Akin to the Sauvignon Blanc in terms of its seemingly humdrum delivery. It was "ok," "fine," "not bad," "pretty good"... with that little elevation in one's voice that basically signals, "Meh."
As previously mentioned, as a "whatever" kind of Cabernet, this is "fine." (Apologies for the overuse of quotation marks in these last few notes). Some decent fruit, some medium structure, a tad of depth I suppose; but nothing stands out too much to catch one's attention. A little mocha, dark plum, black cherry, and a little cedar. The finish was bitter, then collapsed a bit. Soft mouthfeel.
89-90 points. The kind of wine one might pour at a birthday party with 50 guests who care just enough about wine to know if it's really bad or not. For that, it's a safe bet.
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11/19/2016 - dpohlman wrote: 93 Points
This is a really well balanced wine with wonderful notes of cherry and cola. it is very drinkable now, but I think it will really shine in two to five years.
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11/11/2016 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
A real winner and a relative bargain in age-worthy wine. Very dark violet with thick purple legs that hug the bowl of the glass. Textbook Cabernet nose. Textbook flavors that run long, rich, and deep. Cocoa powder. This is great now and should age beautifully. Bravo! 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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11/4/2016 - Double-A Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Dark colour with HEAVY legs. Primary, currant fruit aromas with some cocoa and spice notes. Aggressive palate. An oddly high perception of acidity strikes the tongue at the same time as the ethanol attack; then the tannins finish off the assault.
16.2% alcohol, over-extracted and mean. Time might afford more balance, but I'm not sure that the structure will support it's ageing for too long.
2.5/5
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10/30/2016 - rockguit wrote: 88 Points
Kinda pruney, kinda oaky, kinda decent. Yeah, it was OK. Nice entry-level Napa cab; if it was $10 cheaper, I'd say by all means.
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10/28/2016 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Paired with Monte Cristo#2. Very nice. Loaded with fruit
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10/26/2016 - Winowhyno Likes this wine: 89 Points
Average Cab...nothing remarkable.
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10/19/2016 - msuwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
A ripe and oaky Napa cabernet that offers plush fruit with decent structure. Dark red in color, full in body, nose of milk chocolate and licorice. Tastes of red raspberry, leather, pepper, and cedar, with a tannic finish. Blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, and 3% Syrah. 14.9% alcohol. Not a bad wine, but not a very exciting one, either. Give it a year or two.
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10/15/2016 - Benj Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich Cali Cab done very well at its price point. Lots of pure cassis, some spice, savory almond finish. Excellent. 14.9%, $57.
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10/8/2016 - Stevenwsims Likes this wine: 94 Points
3 Hour decant. This wine is packed with fruit, flavors are big and bold. Very young but is approachable now. Heavy blackberry nose. Long finish. This wine will certainly benefit from more time in the bottle and probably pick up 2 more points in my opinion in the next 2 - 5 years.
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10/7/2016 - jeramirez Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice napa cab. Good Value
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10/6/2016 - tomoem wrote: 91 Points
A respectable fruit forward Cabernet.
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9/28/2016 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 91 Points
Nice easy drinker but nothing memorable. Sharp tannins accompanied by bold sweet blue/red fruit, vanilla bean, and some oakiness. A little more flavor intensity on night 2. Needs a few years in the bottle.
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9/24/2016 - corman82 wrote: 91 Points
Very young with moderate tannins but nice fruit on the nose and medium acidity and finish
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9/23/2016 - nzinkgraf wrote:
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot, 3% Syrah. The backbone is Hardester Estate, acquired in 2003, farmed Organically since 2003. A fresh and tangy blackberry expression to the nose. Medium tannin. Rather grippy.
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9/22/2016 - csimm wrote: 90 Points
Simple and straightforward notes of plum, black cherry, some black raspberry, and a bit of cedar. Fairly plump and round, almost carrying some Merlot-like nuances. Some purple berry and talc notes appeared on the back end.
Decent mid-palate, but nothing jaw dropping. Not hollow, but somewhat linear. A tinge of graphite on the finish framed out the fruit and added some interest.
Tasted like a good version of a $40 mass produced Cabernet (which is what it is), but was a little more elevated with its intensity and upfront, giving personality. The core fruit had a nice overall totality to it that kept this going throughout the evening. Not decanted. Drank from the bottle over the course of two+ hours.
89-90 points in the end. Not much upside for the future. Drink now and over the next year or so.
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9/5/2016 - RockinCabs wrote: 91 Points
This is a classic Napa Cabernet that balances forward Blackberry, Plum, and Dark Cherry fruit with sweet tannin, chocolate, smoke and leather/spice notes. Full throttle and dark, but has brighter notes that come through. It is dense on the palate, but shows the quality of 2013 really well.
Very drinkable today with a short decant. Delivers the goods that some much more expensive CA Cabs do not.
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9/3/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a slumbering beast. Decanted for two hours and finished the next day. Cassis, camphor, blackberry, vanilla and burnt sage brush. Velvety tannins that cover some of the fruit initially, then fall to the back of the line. A medium-long, plush finish. Evident cellar potential. A true perennial favorite - this is truly a Caymus-meets-Shafer Cabernet. Drink 2018 - 2033.
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9/2/2016 - ppcwino wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2.5 hours, could have used more. Good things will come to those who wait. This may be better than the 2008 in 5 years.
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9/2/2016 - rockthomii@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep reddish purple in color with medium legs. Aromas of tart raspberry, dark cherry and chocolate but also with a distinct astringent note. It tastes like blackberry, dark cherry with light notes of chocolate. The body is medium to full, good tannins and a dry finish. It has a nice silky texture. Would rate higher but it has too much acidity and astringency to it at this point. Likely better in another year or two and with longer decanting.
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8/20/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
The Fleming's 100 50/50 Tasting Event Walnut Creek, nose of blackberry fruit, pepper, baker's chocolate, and briar, same on the palate, big body, needs 4 years to peak, tasty, soft tannins, medium/long finish.
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8/20/2016 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good color. Aromatics of red and black fruit, Rutherford dust. Profile leans dry and somewhat austere. Took awhile to open up - recommend a solid decant. Better than expected
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8/13/2016 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine from Hall, here. Not on the same level as their more celebrated offerings, but quite attractive nonetheless. Fairly saturated dark red, with glass-staining ability. Nicely perfumed with violets and cassis. Easy-drinking but with plenty of rich, cocoa flavors. Gritty tannins but very drinkable. Rich. Good finish. 5-13-16-8: 92/100.
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6/13/2016 - libero wrote: 92 Points
Well balanced wine.
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3/14/2016 - libero wrote: 93 Points
TOO YOUNG, BUT DELICIOUS. LET US SEE OVER THE YEARS .
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