Sitting across from HALL president Mike Reynolds, he imparted his knowledge regarding the consistently great 2019 vintage. “2019 was not notable for anything in particular and there were no crises” he said. “It was a little bit of a warm harvest and we had a heat spike around Labor Day. It was a great harvest for us.” He continued “The wines are in the middle and it is not a light vintage and not a tannic vintage. We were able to make delicious wines from a range of places. This was a strong vintage across the board.” Similarly, the 2019 vintage for me has been incredible in terms of overall quality for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a vintage that is more approachable than 2018 but has offered consistently great bottlings.
For years I have been enamored by the wines of HALL, a winery that I visited before they created their state of the art facility in Saint Helena. One of the Napa Valley greats, HALL was founded in 1992 by Katheryn and Craig Hall. HALL’s Saint Helena estate is a must visit for anyone interested in wine. They offer world-class service and wine quality that will tempt the broadest of palates.
HALL also have two separate lines, WALT (focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and BACA (Focusing on Zinfandel) that are seriously good in their own rights. I have been blown away with the consistency of these wines, particularly in recent years. It is clear that the focus on quality is paramount as this winery has not only been blessed with an exceptional run of vintages but has been known to succeed even in the more challenging vintages like 2010 and 2011. HALL now makes a series of value wines that are really good.
I adored the new wines by HALL. Do not miss out on the stunning 2019 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 97) which is remarkably open and round, with generous dark and blue fruits. I was blown away with the 2019 HALL ‘Rainin VIneyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) which is nothing short of perfection in a bottle. This is a limited production wine that literally screams terroir and offers insanely good flavor density and unbridled aromatics that bring you back to the glass for more hedonistic enjoyment. Congratulations to the winemaking team at HALL for these momentous achievements. Learn more about these incredible wines at hallwines.com Here are the beautiful new wines by HALL.
2019 HALL ‘Ellie’s’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Ellie’s’ is stylistically the wine that expresses more of an old-world style. On the nose there is wet gravel aromas that combine with cassis, dried herbs and shades of red bell pepper. The palate is soft, seamless and elegant with coffee grounds, ripe black fruits and copious minerals. This is fantastic to enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2022-2032- 94
2019 HALL ‘Eighteen Seventy-Three’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The beautiful 2019 HALL ‘Eighteen Seventy-Three’ comes form the northeastern hillsides of the Napa Valley. The nose shows beautiful dark florals with pipe tobacco, dark currant jelly, blackberry pie and espresso grounds. The palate is beautifully balanced, with bright acidity and velvety tannins that combine with the ripe core of dark fruits. This is beautiful wine to consume now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2022-2037- 95
2019 HALL ‘Bergfeld’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Named after the historic property this is mostly sourced from their Saint Helena Estate which is set on an ancient creek bed with very well-drained soils. The nose shows some stony influence with black rose, tar and graphite notes, alongside boysenberry fruits. The palate is refined and elegant with firm tannins that hold a core of blackberry pie and black cherry cordial, showing very pure black fruits and wet gravel. Drink 2022-2037- 95
2019 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Mostly sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard, the stunning 2019 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers a seamless, pillowy texture mid-palate. Showing good weight, and underlying acidity. Dense and jam-packed full of blackberry and huckleberry flavors, this connects with espresso grounds and dark chocolate shaving accents. This is dense, hedonistic and silky, remarkably approachable Cabernet Sauvignon that is absolutely delicious to consume right now. Drink 2022-2038- 97
2019 HALL ‘Excellenz’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Entirely sourced from the Sacrashe Vineyard, which is a hillside site, the 2019 HALL ‘Excellenz’ Cabernet Sauvignon reveals tar and scorched earth with sweet pipe tobacco and creme de violette notes. The palate is massive, dense and tannic, with hedonistic dark and blue fruits, with Turkish coffee, Nutella and pencil lead accents. Sensational to consume now, this beauty is just coming into its own and will surely live on for another twenty years to come. Give this beauty another year in the bottle before consuming. Drink 2023-2042- 98
2019 HALL ‘Montagna Vineyards’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Montagna Vineyards’ has now been made for several years and comes from the southern side of Lake Hennessy. This mountaintop, rocky and scenic site has a 270 degree view of the Napa Valley. Ripe boysenberry and espresso grounds combine with shades of asphalt and rocky soils on the nose. The palate is lithe and very fresh, with great viscosity. Dense dark fruits combine with the stony and salty profiles with firm tannins on the palate. Finishing very long, this is glorious Cabernet Sauvignon to consume now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2039- 96
2019 HALL ‘Rainin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Rainin Vineyard is a warm, 8 acre site located in Diamond Mountain. HALL has this site under long-term lease, as the vines are set on volcanic soils. The 2019 HALL ‘Rainin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a simply magical effort that is already drinking beautifully. On the nose this chocolate covered espresso bean, black currants and creme de violette with stony undercurrents. The palate is impeccably balanced and seamless throughout the drinking experience. This is jam-packed with black and blue fruits but does not come off at all heavy. Finishing exceptionally long, with ripe black fruits and cocoa powder, sweet pipe tobacco, with copious minerals, this is a stunning rendition of Rainin Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon that is already nicely evolved and will continue to shine on for decades to come. Drink 2022-2042- 100
2019 HALL ‘Beller Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Beller Vineyard is a 21 acre site that has formerly been a core component of their Mt. Veeder wine for many years. The high-elevation site is set on an ancient seabed above the Napa Valley. The opulent 2019 HALL ‘Beller Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers red bell pepper and allspice notes on the nose with sweet pipe tobacco, creme de violette and suggestions of cassis cordial. The palate is dense, yet glides effortlessly throughout the drinking experience. Mocha, tar, Turkish coffee and blueberry compote flavors combine with firm tannins on the palate. Finishing insanely long, this is dense, chewy and downright delicious Cabernet Sauvignon that is simply a joy to drink. Drink 2022-2042- 100