"Odedi"

9.4

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby/ Inky in color with a reddish/ brick rim.

Beautiful nose of blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, dried figs, cedar, licorice, chocolates, spices, light earth, black pepper, light vanilla, cola, light metals and black tea.

Full bodied and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, stewed cherries, dried figs, cedar, vanilla, licorice, spices, herbs, light earth, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

What a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Rich and nicely balanced. Fruit forward, smooth and complex.

This 16 year old is drinking beautifully now. Elegant and robust at the same time, with a great mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle, and so much better after 2 hours in the decanter.

Drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink beautifully in the next 5 years.

I had a few vintages of this wine, and it is very consistent. A good quality wine.

Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food like a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months. A tiny production of around 1,000 bottles.

14.8% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$110. — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.4

This is a gorgeous 15 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates, tobacco, coffee and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

Showing great complexity on the nose and palate.

Peaking now and will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle and good by itself. Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$200. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Ruby in color with a short reddish/purple rim.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, figs, dried fruits, raisins, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, licorice, light earth and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. Big, bold and elegant. Showing a soft mouthfeel with nice complexity.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.

This Single Vineyard is still very young and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.

A great sipping wine that will pair nicely with BBQ Meats. Very tasty. A gorgeous wine.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$100. — 2 years ago

Dennis Kellison

9.0

We like this cab, big flavor, cedar and a nice soft tannin finish. A 2016, opened in 9/19. — 6 years ago

with Karen

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I only own a few Hall wines. But I find the amount of wine(s) they produce while maintaining high quality, especially in their higher end wines…fascinating as I commented on @Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego post a number of weeks ago. I generally taste them younger vs cellared. So, when I saw this lower spectrum Hall Cabernet on the secondary market, I bought it because it’s a 2013 and only $35. I couldn’t pass it up as 2013 is a grand vintage and most of what I taste from Hall is upon release.

I corvined this last weekend and unsure how that fact affects opening it tonight. You could make a case for 92 here, but I won’t based on the fact it is a week coravined.

The nose shows a core of dark currants. Ripe, lush and a bit jammy; blackberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, plum, boysenberries, baked strawberries, raspberry hues with shades of blueberries. Melted dark chocolate, fudge, dark spice, anise to black licorice, mid to dark berry cola, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanillin, dry tobacco, old leather, hints of dry herbs, dry crushed rocks, limestone, dry top soil, hints of moist clay, cedar to sandalwood, touch of peppercorn, fresh & withering; dark, red flowers framed in lavender & violets.

The palate is smooth, round, lush & elegant. The M+ tannins nicely rounded & velvety. Somewhat softer but still big at this stage of evolution compared to most 13’s I’ve had to date. Coravining might have helped. Nearly identical twins the nose & the palate. There’s core of dark currants. Ripe, lush and just a touch jammy; blackberries, the darkest cherries, black plum, plum, baked strawberries, raspberry hues with shades of blueberries. The fruits perhaps picked a little late-slightly overripe…a deliberate decision or lack of timely harvesters. Melted dark chocolate, fudge/pudding, caramel, dark spice w/ medium heat, anise to black licorice, mid to dark berry cola, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanillin, dry tobacco, old leather, stronger dry herbs-bay leaf/sage than the nose, dry crushed rocks, limestone, dry riverbed stones, dry top soil, hints of moist clay, softer cedar notes that transition into sandalwood, graphite, touch of peppercorn, fresh & withering; dark, red flowers framed in lavender & violets, very pleasant, round acidity with a well balanced, nicely structured/tensioned, elegant, lush, smartly polished finish that lands on soften earth, spice, herbs and lasts 90 seconds.

Despite its minor flaws, delicious and as it opens, settles in, there is a strong case for a 92.

Photos of; Hall’s huge tasting patio in Rutherford, Rutherford estate vineyard, barrel room and cellar where they hold some fabulous events in a grand environment. They have two locations, Rutherford & St. Helena. — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Founded in 1985 by Staglin Family who produces world class wines. Deep Ruby with aromas of ripe black berry fruits, sweet spice and licorice. On the palate flavors of juicy raspberry, currants and blackberry with cinnamon, cacao, good acidity and mouthfeel, with big intense approachable dusty tannins. Long finish, good balance ending with cedar, fruit and sweet spice, good now but a few years will enhance. — 6 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Time for my #MerlotThursday. Here's a great one from Napa Valley.

A nice color of dark ruby with a wide brick rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, blackcurrants, plums, vanilla, cedar, licorice, spices, pencil lead, peppercorn, chocolates, dark coffee, earth and light vegetables.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with black plums, cherries, wood, cloves, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, vegetables, leather, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very enjoyable Merlot from Napa Valley. Well balanced and spicy. Fruit forward and big. Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle, and better as it opens up and shows some tannins (1 hour).

This 6 year old is drinking very nicely now. From a great vintage, and is peaking now. Will be good in the next 5 years.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

100% Merlot grapes were aged in 50% New French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$26. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Deep ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose with black fruits, chocolates, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco and peppercorn.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruit forward on the palate with black currants, cooked plums, cedar, peppercorn, earth, herbs, chocolates, tobacco leaf and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Elegant and rich. Complex and entertaining. Fruit forward and easy drinking.

This 13 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from the great 2012 vintage, is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.

A good quality wine, with nice complexity and mouthfeel. Well balanced and elegant.

I've enjoyed many different vintages of this wine over the years, from older to younger, and it never fails to deliver.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot. Aged in ( 75% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$300. — 9 months ago

"Odedi"

9.5

#AgedWineTuesday

Deep ruby in color with a short reddish/ brick rim. Not showing much age.

Beautiful nose of indian spices, cedar, vanilla, chocolates and herbs.

Full bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and very fruity with blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cedar, tobacco leaf, light earth, vanilla, licorice, eucalyptus, herbs, chocolates and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 20 year old Cabernet Sauvignon is just gorgeous now. Fruit forward and rich. Extracted and interesting. Loved the nose here.

I did not decant it, and left it to open up in the bottle. Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime.

Wine Enthusiasts 93 points.

Probably peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. Gorgeous stuff. I just love these Napa Bordeaux blends.

Good by itself as a sipping wine to share with good friends. Will pair nicely with a big piece of steak too.

A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 22 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

$135. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

It's time for a delicious Cabernet on this #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, figs, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cola, mocha, pencil lead, alcohol, peppercorn, leather and tobacco.

Full bodied, big, bold, rich and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with blackberries, figs, cooked cherries, black licorice, cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, coke, peppercorn, pencil lead and dark coffee.

Long finish with round tannins, tangy cherries and spices.

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from a great vintage in Napa. Rich, powerful and tasty.

Still young, but already very yummy, and will age nicely in the next 5 to 10 years. Will probably be a 96+ point wine in 5 years.

This 6 year old is good right out of the bottle, but better as it opens up. I let it open up for 90 minutes, but I'm sure another couple of hours would have been a better choice.

Thank you Kim and Barry for sharing this delicious wine with me.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$70.(current vintage) — 5 years ago