2008 Hall, Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x3L

Robert Parker 93

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain is quite closed compared to the other wines and needs 3-4 years of bottle age. It should keep for two decades, as most of the others will. Full-bodied, showing notes of minerality and more dusty, loamy scents intermixed with crushed rock, black currants and herbs, it is a deep, full-bodied wine. 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 [Robert M. Parker, Jr., 23/12/2010]