2008 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

(14.8% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Currant, bitter chocolate and seductive oak on the nose, complicated by loamy soil tones. Sweet, pliant and fine-grained, with cassis, espresso and mocha flavors that come across as higher-pitched than those of the basic Napa Valley bottling. At once sweet and nicely delineated; this really fills the mouth. This very firmly built cabernet finishes with superb mouth-dusting tannins and excellent length.

Bright ruby-red. Currant, bitter chocolate and seductive oak on the nose, complicated by loamy soil tones. Sweet, pliant and fine-grained, with cassis, espresso and mocha flavors that come across as higher-pitched than those of the basic Napa Valley bottling. At once sweet and nicely delineated; this really fills the mouth. This very firmly built Cabernet finishes with superb mouth-dusting tannins and excellent length. (ST) 92+

As for those in bottle, my favorite is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. Most of this comes from the Sacrashe Vineyard as well. A dense, full-bodied wine with lots of creme de cassis, charcoal, licorice and forest floor, the wine is opulent and already delicious and powerful. It should continue to drink well for at least 12-15+ years. All of these wines are made by winemaking consultant David Ramey. I looked at some 2009 cuvees , the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Ellie’s, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Jack’s Masterpiece, and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld. All of these wines should score between 90 and 95 points as they all have deep colors, beautiful pure fruit, the vintage’s tell-tale front-end loaded sweetness, balance and elegance as well as good freshness and depth. My favorites include the Diamond Mountain, Ellie’s, and Jack’s Masterpiece, with the latter being the most tannic along with the Bergfeld. All of these should be top-notch Cabernet Sauvignons that will last 20-25 years. If you haven’t jumped on the Hall bandwagon, it has been loaded with goodies for the last 3-4 years. Tel. (707) 967-2626; Fax (707) 967-2639