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. — 13 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

The 3rd matching wine in the degustation at Restaurant Dan Arnold. I’ve been a long time fan of Yarra Yering back to the 1980’s, pretty much exclusively with their reds. This Dry White is a blend of Semillon and Chardonnay. ( not as per the title) Lemon and lime notes on nose and palate with M plus acid I recall. Certainly drinking this in its infancy. — a year ago

with Byron

Jay Kline

9.4

A lovely, luxurious and archetypal version of Syrah that showed very well alongside the other late-90’s examples from Hermitage on the table. I felt this showed a little bit better than the “La Chapelle” but it was really close. It’s showing some charming secondary characteristics but has plenty of gas left in the tank. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2017 M-S-D Blanc pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with fascinating notes of champagne cake, Comice pear, lemon zest, almond, and limestone earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long; laden with limestone minerals and grippy. Almost as if it is tannic! This is such a distinctive wine. I’m in love. Drink now through 2032. — 3 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Mid gold in colour. Aromatics of yellow peach and honeyed notes. No traces of petro chemical. Medium plus intensity of stone fruit and mineral on the palate. Great depth. One of the top Rieslings in Alsace and showing it in spades. A beautiful Riesling and probably at its peak. Will stay on this plateau through the 2020’s. Interestingly about 25% went through malolactic so this is a different style from the usual Cuvée Frederic Emile. Very fresh for a 14 year old Riesling but remaining fleshy and M plus bodied. — a year ago

Mark Chandler

8.9

Always love a Sancerre! This one from the M&S collection hits the right citrus and green fruit (lime and apple) notes with a subtle yet distinct note of fennel right at the end. Crisp with a high acidity and medium alcohol. Dry to medium body. Can be enjoyed on its own. — a year ago

GV

9.2

Another very good bottle by M&S in their own "Classics" label offerings. Nice deep colour, plenty of cherry and plum, and a pleasure to drink with food or on its own. — 2 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Classic looking bottle. Lovely deep purple color. Smells like berry ice cream and smoke. Flavors of the Rhone if a bit on the big/heavy handed side of the style. Coffee and berry pie with a scoop of ice cream. That’s what I’m tasting here. Sorta short on the backside, but I’d be quite pleased with a glass of this at my favorite wine bar or bistro. It’s even mostly Grenache! Good job blending the S(yrah) & the M (ourvèdre) in there Romain D. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Notes on a half-hour decant. $59.99 at Costco; which shows again there is a wine glut out there in the marketplace. All the Napa wineries have stepped up their frequency of emails, added texts and backed up w/ personal calls. They have all raised their pricing over the years and now an abundance of fruit being sold for less, but less buyers these days due to a troubled economy & new generation(s) not buying wine like previous ones. They might have to rely on very good AI to figure out those issues.

The nose is; dark, lush, ruby; dark currants, blackberries, elderberries, black plum, boysenberries, some blueberries, dark cherries, plum & raspberries. The core is black currants, sweet tarriness with anise that runs into black licorice. Dark chocolate, dark cocoa, soft baking spices; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove, cedar with shaved oak, shaved coconut notes, fresh tobacco, new leather, dark, sweet, turned earth w/ dry leaves & twigs, under toned dark spices, dash of fresh & dry herbs, dry stone, crushed limestone, liquid, ruby, candied, dark fresh & withering flowers framed in lavender & violets.

The M+ tannins are big, bold, round & coated with dust. Bigger & bolder than most other 21’s I’ve had. It is still beastly and definitely needs another 5+ years in bottle before opening and will last two decades w/ change. The sense of the 14.9% palate ABV seems more 15.7 at this point, but believe it will tame with more bottle age. Lush, ruby, dark currants, blackberries, elderberries, black plum, boysenberries, some blueberries, dark cherries, plum, raspberries w/ strawberries notes. The core is also black currants, sweet, deep tarriness with anise that runs into black licorice. Dark chocolate, dark cocoa powder, a little more pronounced baking spices; vanillin, cinnamon, nutmeg & clove, big, dry cedar with shaved oak, shaved coconut notes, dry tobacco, new leather, dark, sweet, turned earth w/ dry leaves & twig, grey volcanic ash & clay, charcoal w/ ash, bolder, dark spices; which penetrate the tongue with heat, a dash of fresh & dry herbs, dry river stone, crushed limestone with volcanic rock, liquid, ruby, candied, dark fresh & withering flowers, red roses, framed in lavender & violets. Good, round acidity with a huge finish that shows big structure & tension, not quite in balance yet as it needs to resolve further, the promise of more elegance and a lasting long finish landing squarely on earth & spices.

This shows all the elements that promise another two, maybe three points with better aging.

86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot & 3% Malbec. Aged 20 months is 80% New French Oak Barrels.

Photos of; their estate vines, tasting room & patio, swing on the small lake that sits on/near the estate. . — 3 months ago

GV

8.9

Solid and punchy red with a deep, dark hue. Lots of fruit and hint of violets on the nose. Cherry, berries and red fruit. Went very well with a pork loin in a tuscan bean tomato sauce. — 2 years ago