2010 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon Eighteen Seventy-Three

(15.5% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Initially restrained aromas of cassis, licorice and nutty oak picked up a chocolatey nuance with air. Densely packed and seamless, offering rich flavors of currant, mocha and chocolate that avoid heaviness. A step up in sophistication from the Ellie's. Has the chewy sweetness of material to support its serious tannic underpinning. Turned a bit dusty with aeration, displaying a note of menthol.