2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Sacrashe Vineyard Exzellenz
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Tasting notes
I absolutely loved the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenze, and it pairs awesome depth and richness with crazy levels of purity. Crème de cassis, toasty oak, graphite and white flower characteristics flow to a full-bodied, perfectly balanced, silky red that doesn't put a foot wrong. It shows the approachable style of the 2014 vintage, yet has 2-3 decades of longevity ahead of it. One of the eye-opening tastings while working on this report was the lineup from Kathryn Hall’s estate located in St. Helena. There’s a wealth of wines here, yet they all have deep, concentrated, pure profiles as well as singular characters. You could pretty much randomly select from this lineup and be guaranteed to have a brilliant wine. Hats off to winemaker Steve Leveque. All the 2016s, and the majority of the 2015s, were tasted as barrel samples.
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Robert Parker
Jeb Dunnuck
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Displaying a deep garnet-purple color, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz has a serious, savory nose, featuring smoked meat, chargrill, Indian spices and black pepper notes over a core of preserved plums and mulberries, plus suggestions of tree bark and dusty soil. Full-bodied and very firmly structured, the earthy/savory, muscular fruit is supported by firm, chewy tannins, and it has a long pepper and spice-laced finish.
Another big-time winner in this impressive lineup of 2014, is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Sacrashe Vineyard, showing loads of cedar wood, loamy soil notes, crème de cassis, black cherry liqueur and licorice. The wine is full-bodied with fabulous ripeness, silky tannins and a long, long finish. Another killer effort from Hall wines in 2014.