Solid marriage of structure and fruit. Core of blackberry and currant, alongside oak, clove, pine needles, and perhaps a light dusting of cocoa. Impressive structure at 8 years out, despite okay-but-not-optimal cellaring. Plenty of grip and astringency on the finish, increasing with time, so offers more fruit in the first 1-2 hours after popping the cork.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep, dark purple (almost black!) color. Pronounced aromas of dark fruit (blueberries, blackberries, plum), garrigue, leather, oak. High alcohol, smooth tannins, full bodied. Flavors consistent with aromas. Long finish. A massive wine.
While not the style of wine I prefer these days, this wine doesn’t need to apologize for what it is.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delicious. Deep dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, rich, concentrated, round, rich, complex but elegant and seductive smooth blackberry and black currant fruits accented by savory clove/cinnamon spices, tones of crème de cassis, mocha chocolate, tobacco leaf and black tea, with a tongue coating dusty gripping but silky smooth tannin laced lingering finish. https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/12/exzellenz-and-aged-robert-craig-mt.html
Served at my parents and my first experience with the Hall Excellenz cab. Interesting mixed reviews for this wine - I’m definitely on the positive side. Dark ruby fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Really smooth mid-palate with a nice purity and decent depth/concentration - medium/medium plus body. I wasn’t wowed by the depth/concentration especially for the price point but the purity is quite impressive. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, cassis, and some spice/licorice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but drinking quite well right away. The 99 rating from LPB of WA is a little high in my opinion but still one of the better wines that I’ve had lately. WA anticipated maturity 2021 to 2045. 100% cab.
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
5/2/2024 - Cyroof wrote:
Fantastic
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2023 - tbrader wrote: 92 Points
Solid marriage of structure and fruit. Core of blackberry and currant, alongside oak, clove, pine needles, and perhaps a light dusting of cocoa. Impressive structure at 8 years out, despite okay-but-not-optimal cellaring. Plenty of grip and astringency on the finish, increasing with time, so offers more fruit in the first 1-2 hours after popping the cork.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2023 - denniswdern@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep, dark purple (almost black!) color. Pronounced aromas of dark fruit (blueberries, blackberries, plum), garrigue, leather, oak. High alcohol, smooth tannins, full bodied. Flavors consistent with aromas. Long finish. A massive wine.
While not the style of wine I prefer these days, this wine doesn’t need to apologize for what it is.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2022 - rmcnees Likes this wine: 97 Points
Delicious. Deep dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, rich, concentrated, round, rich, complex but elegant and seductive smooth blackberry and black currant fruits accented by savory clove/cinnamon spices, tones of crème de cassis, mocha chocolate, tobacco leaf and black tea, with a tongue coating dusty gripping but silky smooth tannin laced lingering finish.
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/12/exzellenz-and-aged-robert-craig-mt.html
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
5/22/2022 - Badmonkey wrote: 96 Points
Served at my parents and my first experience with the Hall Excellenz cab. Interesting mixed reviews for this wine - I’m definitely on the positive side. Dark ruby fruit - dark cherry, currants, and blackberry. Really smooth mid-palate with a nice purity and decent depth/concentration - medium/medium plus body. I wasn’t wowed by the depth/concentration especially for the price point but the purity is quite impressive. Nice rich flavors of dark berries, cassis, and some spice/licorice. Fairly long finish. Popped/poured but drank out of a decanter for a couple hours. Not much improvement with time but drinking quite well right away. The 99 rating from LPB of WA is a little high in my opinion but still one of the better wines that I’ve had lately. WA anticipated maturity 2021 to 2045. 100% cab.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (4)