2010 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon Excellenz Sacrashe Vineyard

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard appears to be the deepest colored wine of this group. It reveals a pungent, penetrating, haunting bouquet of black and blue fruits as well as spring flowers. Exceptionally rich with perfect balance, a multidimensional skyscraper-like texture, but no heaviness, this is a tour de force in great winemaking. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. This epic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon should evolve over the next 25 years. I tasted eight cuvees of 2010 Cabernet Sauvignons from Hall. I will write abbreviated notes on the eight 2012s I tasted, which is a great vintage in Napa. Based on my experience with the Hall wines, they show better from bottle than from barrel samples, always a sign of a high quality winery. All of these wines possess splendid opaque blue/purple colors. A remarkable thing about all of Hall’s 2012s is that they should be accessible when released given the sweetness of the tannins, yet they should have 20-30-year drinking windows. Congratulations to Kathryn Hall. I have been high on her wines since I first tasted them in the offices of David Ramey. It is rewarding to see that she is realizing the enormous potential that accompanied her debut wines. Tel. (707) 967-2626