2009 HALL Cabernet Sauvignon Ellie's
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Tasting notes
Deep ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of plum, mocha and nutty oak. Fat, lush and sweet, with plum, mocha and truffle flavors accompanied by exotic chocolatey oak. The tannic finish shows a repeating nutty quality and could use more lift. A bit heavy for my taste. (A second bottle of this wine was similarly undifferentiated on the palate and showed a bitter edge to its oak-driven tannins.)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Ellie's is a deep, super-ripe wine loaded with black cherries, plums, chocolate and sweet spices. This is a decidedly opulent expression of Cabernet, with plenty of mid-palate richness and density. Warm notes of mocha and spices round out the generous finish.
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Ellie’s is a deep, super-ripe wine loaded with black cherries, plums, chocolate and sweet spices. This is a decidedly opulent expression of Cabernet, with plenty of mid-palate richness and density. Warm notes of mocha and spices round out the generous finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. This is a thrilling set of wines from Hall. The estate favors a rich, extroverted style, yet all of these wines have distinct personalities and tons of sheer character. Meticulous viticulture followed by native yeast fermentations, slow, natural malos and minimal rackings are at the heart of the approach at Hall. The wines are aged in French oak (mostly Taransaud, 40-90% new) and are bottled with no fining or filtration. Readers who appreciate the more opulent side of Napa Valley will find much to admire here. Simply put, I was blown away by what I tasted. As outstanding as the 2009s are, there is a very good chance the 2010s will turn out to be even better. Tel. (707) 967-2626