When you visit Napa Valley, a stop at HALL is a must. I have been visiting HALL for more than a decade it has become one of the go-to stops in Napa, as their Cabernet lineup rivals the world’s best. Kathryn and Craig Hall acquired the historic St. Helena Bergfeld Winery in 2003 and re-opened as HALL St. Helena in July of that year. This winery’s location was previously home of the Napa Valley Co-Op, producing 40% of Napa Valley’s wines. In 2013, The Hall family completed the restoration of the 1885 Bergfeld Winery and merged history and innovation with the completion of California’s first LEED® Gold Certified winery and a really cool gravity flow winemaking facility. HALL has more than 500 acres of estate vineyards, primarily growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.
HALL Winemaker Steve Leveque has a serious pedigree, spending more than 16 years of winemaking expertise started at Robert Mondavi Winery as well as serving as winemaker atChalk Hill Estate Winery in Sonoma. The new releases by Steve and his winemaking team were absolutely scintillating. The 2014 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 98) is an absolute stunner, showing incredible purity of fruit, a borderline ethereal texture and gobs of dark fruits. The wine is a remarkable achievement by HALL. Even better was the 2014 HALL ‘Rainin’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 99) which follows up our Washington Wine Blog #7 wine of 2016, the 2013 ‘Rainin’ Cabernet. This wine along with their other ‘Platinum Collection’ wines were remarkable achievements. Learn more about these special wines at http://www.hallwines.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by WALT and HALL.
2015 WALT ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This outstanding wine has been produced by HALL since 2010. The Shea Vineyard is one of the Willamette Valley’s most historic vineyards and is farmed by Dick Shea. This excellent Pinot Noir begins with highly perfumed aromatics of red cherry preserves, cigar box, rose petals and forest floor. The balance and purity of fruit is there. The Pinot Noir shows wonderful cherry pie, cigar box, forest floor and red raspberry preserve flavors. This is simply delicious and impossible to resist right now. Drink 2017-2027- 94
2015 WALT ‘Clos Pepe’ Pinot Noir- This outstanding bottling is sourced from a 26 acre vineyard first planted in the mid-1990s. Roughly two years ago this vineyard was leased to HALL. This wine shows off a deep core. It begins with intense aromatics of rose petals, red cherry, spice box and suggestions of forest floor. This has a wonderful salinity and tension as the wine reveals deep red fruit flavors and has a great freshness. The mid-palate weight is gorgeous. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2015 WALT ‘Bob's Ranch’ Pinot Noir- Bon’s ranch is an estate vineyard owned by HALL just outside of the Petaluma Wind Gap planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that has a host of different clones. This has a deep color and opens with a bright bouquet of black cherry, asian spices, bramble and cherry cola. This has a marvelous tension and acidity, as your mouth waters after every sip. Dark fruits and cola flavors are deep and concentrated. This is simply lovely wine by WALT. Drink 2017-2027- 94
2015 WALT ‘The Corners’ Pinot Noir- ‘The Corners’ Vineyard is located in the Anderson Valley AVA. Aromatically more reticent right now this shows red fruits and cigar box accents. The palate is lithe and plush as the wine currently is displaying red cherry, red raspberry, pomegranate and orange rind flavors that sit alongside some wonderful acidity and salinity. The mouthfeel is downright sexy. This is absolutely outstanding effort by WALT. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2015 WALT ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir- This esteemed vineyard is owned by Bill Price and is located on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain. I’ve had bottling from this historic vineyard back more than 15 years and I have always been fascinated by the fruit character as well as the salinity of the wines from this site. HALL’s contract with this vineyard began in 2010. The wine opens with a bouquet of cola, black cherry, wild blackberry and forest floor. The palate is plush, revealing flavors reminiscent of black tea, black cherry, cola, cigar box and a marvelous salinity. The wine has wonderful tension, length and weight. The long finish impresses. Drink 2017-2027- 94
2015 WALT ‘Sierra Mar’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Sierra Mar Vineyard’ was established over the last decade by Gary Franchioni. This high elevation vineyard is set on the western slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Showing off a deep core the wine reveals aromatics of rose petals, red cherry preserves, orange rind and pomegranate seed. There is a wonderful tension and mouthfeel to this great wine that delivers flavors of black cherry pie, wild blackberry, and black tea. This shows off a tremendous salinity, freshness and structure. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2014 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon- HALL has gained an outstanding reputation from their entry level Cabernet bottling and this is a gorgeous effort from the exciting 2014 vintage. The 2014 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from a host of vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. This excellent Cabernet bottling begins with aromatics of red bell pepper, anise, creme de cassis and mocha. The texture is lovely as the wine delivers red bell pepper, spicebox, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee flavors. The intensity is lovely. Enjoy this great wine over the next decade or so. Drink 2017-2028- 92
2014 HALL ‘The North End’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is the first vintage that this wine has been produced by the talented hands of winemaker Steve Leveque. This wine is sourced from the valley floor from the northern stretch of the St. Helena AVA. The wine begins with intense aromatics of rose petals, creme de cassis, mocha and cigar box. The mouthfeel is wonderfully plush and coats the mid-palate. This delivers dense black cherry preserves, mocha, creme de cassis and sweet pipe tobacco flavors. The minerality is gorgeous to this wine. This is an absolutely outstanding effort by HALL. Drink 2017-2030- 94
2014 HALL ‘Terra Secca’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is the first year that HALL has produced this exciting bottling, which is sourced from vineyards in the valley floor towards the eastern hillsides of Napa Valley. ‘Terra Seca’ translates to ‘dry earth’ or mirroring the terroir of the eastern hillsides of Napa. This wine opens with a bouquet of creme de cassis, exotic spices, coffee grounds and anise with sandalwood accents. The palate is plush and smooth as the silky mouthfeel glides through the mid-palate. Baking spice, Turkish coffee, cigar box and creme de cassis flavors persist alongside marvelous tension. Tannic and downright massive, his is another gorgeous wine made by the superstar winemaking team at HALL. Drink 2017-2030- 94
2014 HALLL ‘Ellie’s’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This wine has been made since 2010 and is named after Craig Hall’s mother who was an artist. The piece of art on the label was created by the owner’s mother. This wine begins with dense aromas of red bell pepper, creme de cassis and mocha with a graphite edge. The palate showcases deep flavors of red bell pepper, mocha, sweet pipe tobacco and creme de cassis. The sweetness at the finish accentuates this outstanding bottling. This has a great sense of place and purity of fruit. Drink 2017-2030- 94
2014 HALL ‘1873’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2014 HALL ‘1873’ Cabernet is an incredible effort by the winemaking team at HALL. This Cabernet is sourced from the northern edge of the Vacca Mountains towards Atlas Peak. This wine begins with aromatics of sweet tobacco, creme de cassis, mocha, crushed mint and suggestions of baking spices. The palate is plush and gorgeous, as the wine showcases creme de cassis, anise, coffee ground and blueberry pie flavors that are deep and penetrating. Tanninc and massive, be sure to give this beauty at least a two hour decant if enjoying young. Drink 2017-2030- 95
2014 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2014 HALL ‘Katheryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon is up there with the best Katheryn Hall bottling that I have sampled over the last decade. This great, deep hued wine is released in September 2017. The wine begins with aromatics of Asian spices, creme de cassis, mocha, sweet pipe tobacco and red cherry tomato with mint accents. The intoxicating aromatics of this wine continually bring you back to the glass for more. There is a wonderful purity of fruit here. The Cabernet has amazing balance on the mid-palate, alongside lovely weight. While this is obviously a heavy Cabernet, the elegance here is amazing. Mocha, tar, cigar box, creme de cassis and Turkish coffee flavors persist alongside some moderate tannins. There is a seamless quality to this wine that is hard to describe. This is a stunning effort by HALL. Drink 2017-2040- 98
2014 HALL ‘Jack’s Masterpiece’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is the tenth rendition of this wine. The Cabernet is sourced from a host of vineyards throughout the HALL. The wine is named after former winemaker and current HALL president, Mike Reynold’s, youngest son. The wine opens with intense aromatics of mocha, Turkish coffee, pipe tobacco and candied red cherry. This is another stunner by HALL as the wine revealed dense flavors of black forest cake, cigar ash, creme de cassis and espresso. Dense, layered and polished, this is impossible to resist right now but will have an exceedingly long age in the cellar. Drink 2017-2040- 96
2014 HALL ‘Mount Veeder’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Mt. Veeder AVA lies at the south of the Macayamus mountain range. This is a cooler site that tends to have marine sedimentary soils. This wine is sourced from five different vineyards in the Mount Veeder AVA. This wine begins with intense aromatics of creme de cassis, Asian spices, mocha, cigar ash and anise. The downright intoxicating aromatics bring you constantly back to the glass for more. The wine delivers intense mocha, Chinese black tea, creme de cassis, anise and sweet pipe tobacco flavors that sit alongside some silky tannins. Massive and intensive this is an outstanding effort that will cellar well for decades. Drink 2017-2035- 95
2014 HALL ‘Rainin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon - HALL has now gained a long term contract with this great vineyard. This vineyard is located on Diamond Mountain and has 8 acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. This intensely colored wine opens with a complex bouquet of creme de cassis, Turkish coffee, sweet tobacco, Hoisin sauce and suggestions of black cherry compote. Hugely aromatics at this time, the seductiveness of the nose brings you back to the glass for more. The texture is hedonistic and downright ethereal as the fruit weight is massive yet the wine glides through your palate. Flavors of creme de cassis, mocha, crushed mint, anise and black cherry with black olive tapenade are hugely impressive. This is a near perfect wine made by the superstar winemaking team of HALL. Drink 2017-2044- 99
2014 HALL ‘The Bishop’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This wine is named after the winemaker, Steve Levaque and the wines are primarily sourced from Howell Mountain and Diamond Mountain. Hedonsitic aromas coat the glass of cigar box, anise, creme de cassis, coffee grounds and wild blackberry pie. The plush texture immediately hits you. Deep and penetrating flavors of sweet pipe tobacco, mocha, creme de cassis, allspice and espresso delight the sesnses. Like the ‘Rainin’ bottling this wine has a seamless quality alongside the obvious viscosity here. This is another stunner by HALL that can age for decades. Drink 2017-2044- 98
2014 HALL ‘Sacrashe’ Cabernet Sauvignon- HALL bought this vineyard in 1995. This year's ‘Sacrashe’ is even more impressive than the gorgeous 2013 bottling. The aromatics delight showing off Turkish coffee, cigar box, anise and creme de cassis on the nose. Mocha, anise, creme de cassis, and sweet pipe tobacco flavors impress. This has moderate tannins at this juncture so if enjoying young be sure to give this at least a two hour decant. The seamless quality to this wine is apparent, as is the fruit weight and intensity. Decadent, masculine and rich, this is a stunning heavyhitter by superstar winemaker Steve Leveque. Drink 2017-2044- 99