Hall, Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford

Absolutely elegant and a truly great wine. Drink now.

2008 vintage

Deserving of the top rating from Wine Spectator in 2008. Drank beautifully.

2008 vintage

would recommend drinking now. Paired well with a pan-seared NY steak with shallot and cocoa pan sauce (Valentine's Day, of course!)

2008 vintage

From a 375, this was absolute dynamite. Just as good if not better than previous bottles. Power, density, chocolate, mocha, and creme de cassis on a smooth and lingering finish. In perfect balance even coming from the smaller bottle. Loved it and it went quickly.

2008 vintage

Consistent with past notes

2008 vintage

Enjoyed many times over the years. Still in great shape with a long juicy finish.

2008 vintage

Fruit and tannins have softened and integrated presenting a well aged softened mouthfeel and subdued fruit flavors which now lean towards savory. Cassis, fig and a bit of sage on the palate. Softened tannins on the finish. Has life left but would recommend drinking now/soon.

2008 vintage

I'm not sure what makes the '08 my favorite Kathryn Hall of all time but it is. First time I tried this wine in 2011 the wine was an infant and the tannins were overwhelming. The fruit, however, has always been incredible and now many years later, it all seems to be in perfect harmony. It's a big Napa cab and I love it. If there's anything at all to criticize in this wine (and in some of the other …

2008 vintage

Opened up with floral notes on the base. Flavors were full of ripe black cherry throughout. This was a standout in terms of flavor. The ripe dark fruit, primarily black cherry had a nice layered tannins with the acid balance giving you a remarkable finish. One of my favorites of Kathryn Hall

2008 vintage

I've enjoyed this many times over the years. I recommend drinking following or with a meal. I did that today on day 2 and it drank far better than it did on day 1. It's just one of those wines that needs a meal.

2008 vintage

Kathryn Hall Cabernet Vertical 2008-2020 presented by Kathryn Hall (Joe’s Seafood - Chicago) : 92% Cabernet Sauvignon 8% Merlot 22m, 65% new French oak. #2WS Top 100 of 2011 Still distinctly garnet in color, none of these wines showed anything outside of ruby/garnet. No sediment here, like was found in 2009/10. Most clarity and generally the most balanced of all the wines today. Exemplary and complete.

2008 vintage

Another great bottle of Diamond Mountain Cab. Been drinking a lot of this wine of various vintages recently. Just one left of this wine. Hope to have my last before the year concludes.

2008 vintage

Vinetasters: Mt. Veeder (Park Ridge, IL) : Served double blind. A note of gummy candy on the nose -- not really what I want in my cabernet. Some raisinated sweetness going on here, with mostly desiccated fruit yielding a cloying quality. Quite a bit of oak to boot, which doesn't help either. My 6th, group's 10th.

2008 vintage

The wine looks purple colored. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), fig and flint. The body is medium. The wine has angular texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has medium acidity. At first it seemed as though the tannins and acid had gone, leaving just the alcohol heat. After being open for 90 minutes, it's coming back as not balanced, but having medium tannins and acid. Definitely still drink worthy. I wouldn't …

2008 vintage

Drinking very well now and won't get any better with more age. I would enjoy these wines at near their peak.

2008 vintage

Great wine and ready to drink

2008 vintage

Needs at least an hour decant. The nose jumps out of the bottle and decanter. Modest sediment in the bottle, beautiful dark color with no bricking. Medium body with a fairly persistent finish. Nice ripe, sweet blackberry, black current, coffee, mocha and subtle menthol flavors. The only drawback is a decidedly bitter edge that has developed that i expect will intensify over time thus reducing this from a 94/95 point wine to a 90/91.

2008 vintage

Decanted 90 min, with filets tonight. Is as last tasted 15 months ago (on my birthday, cuz CT cares) though less drying grip on the finish than previously noted indicates nearer-term drinking, say 1-2 yrs. Can't ask for much more from CA cabernet.

2008 vintage

The wine seems past its prime. Wine was still good but too much raisin. This was my last bottle, and it was a disappointment.

2008 vintage

Wow. Popped and poured. Dark ruby color, almost opaque. Earth abd mixhriom nose. Tons of concentrated black fruit on the fore-palate:plum, blackberry, and currant. Great depth of flavor on the mid-palate: Rich and concentrated. A long finish, with moderate tannins. This one has plenty of legs, and should last for at least another decade. A very impressive effort. I wish I bought more when it was available many years ago.

2008 vintage

Wine opened up in 30 minutes. Nose of Anise and dark cherry with some vanilla. A beautiful mid Palet of dark cherry and ripe plum with a nice soft tannic finish of dark fruits - black cherry and plum and a soft essence of vanilla. A beautiful wine - perfect in my opinion. A rib eye steak made it perfection.

2008 vintage

The wine has aged well and drinking with astonishing grace as the tannins have integrated nicely and the intensely jammy liquor quality is wonderful. I get notes of stewed black fruits, lavender, a citrus quality and old leather. A once rambunctious powerhouse has aged to a suave seductress.

2008 vintage

I thought this bottle was incredible. We decanted for an hour and the bottle was ready to drink. This was the smoothest Hall I have ever drank. It's definitely a fruit forward wine but it's not over the top and there wasn't much heat like some of the other bottles I have drank from them. I'm going to try and find more of these as I was so impressed with the Diamond Mountain Fruit.

2008 vintage

This has aged beautifully since my last bottle in 2013. Still a big boy with dark fruit, chocolate, coffee , earthy dust. Long lively finish. The tannins have mellowed and are much finer that in its youth. Sad to see my last bottle go!

2008 vintage

2008 Kathryn Hall Cab has gone from fatiguing and seemingly over-ripe and over-extracted to IMMENSELY pleasing, sitting at an absolute pinnacle right now. Deep color, penetrating anise and blackberry nose with a touch of imagined sage. Full-on black cherry and licorice fruit and melded oaky vanilla sitting on wonderfully resolved tannins, though still a nicely drying grip. GOBBLE IT DOWN now without too much thought or guilt, it is that straightforward and that good. Will hold here for another 3-4 …

2008 vintage

The first time I have given any wine 100 points. It is perfectly aged and drinking at a peak right now. Dark ripe fruit (blackberries, cooked plums, dark cherries) and so silky and smooth. Pure elegance.

2008 vintage

Excellent wine for Easter dinner!

2008 vintage

Getting better with age. Consistent with past notes but maybe getting a bit better. A sweet nose on opening with sour cherry notes, chewy tannins and a long juicy finish.

2008 vintage

Tightly wound when opening but what emerged after a few hours and a short decant was a complex wine with a smooth and eloquent palate. Notes of mocha, chocolate, creme de cassis and spice box. It was a beautiful wine tonight. I was delighted to have this and lucky to have a few more to share.

2008 vintage

Deep garnet color, no signs of ageing - the '08 Kathryn Hall is drinking beautifully right now but has many years left. I first tasted this wine in December 2011 and it was an absolute tannin monster. It's all come together now but the mouth coating tannins are still there. It'll be so much fun to see where this wine is in ten or twenty years. If you have this in your cellar rest assured that it's only getting better.

2008 vintage

Fantastic wine, big flavors of dark cherry, chocolate, licorice and sweet spice. Very expansive with flavors that go on and on. Drinking realy well after an hour decant.

2008 vintage

Fantastic. mid-peak. Will go for a good while longer. Still fruit prominent.

2008 vintage

100% cab--a blend of barrels from Hall's various vineyards. 14.8% ABV. I let this breathe for 2 hours then drank over next 3. Big and rich, with an aromatic nose. What a long juicy finish. Mildly chewy tannins. Sweet, sweet, spice, cherry notes. As per prior notes, still has solid acidity.

2008 vintage

Similar notes to prior tastings. If you're not a fan of ultraripe, relatively hot, concentrated Napa cab, not for you.

2008 vintage

I let it breathe for 1.5 hours then drank over next 2 hours. As thick, chewy and ripe as in prior tastings. This one is a bit hot, with slightly higher acidity. Mineral, cedar and sage notes. Significant improvement at hour out of the bottle.

2008 vintage

My only bottle of the 2008 Hall Jack's Masterpiece and this wine was terrific. Not sure the percentages but I think this is usually predominately Cab and Merlot but according to my notes there was some Petite Verdot in the final blend of this. Not sure if that is always the case. A strikingly smooth wine and not the brooding and muscular Jack's I am used to but I am sure time has helped tame the tannins in this beast. …

2008 vintage

Drank by my family while I was traveling. Nothing but raves about it.

2008 vintage

Aged 22 months in 75% new French Oak. 15% ABV. I let it breathe for 45 minutes then drank over next 2.5 hours. Thick, powerful, concentrated, chewy and ripe. Probably too ripe for most who prefer a more restrained, higher acidity wine. I've been drinking a few Cali cabs from the late 1980s and 1990s recently, and the difference in how the wines are made is profound.

2008 vintage

SOOOOO DELICIOUS! Another cookie cutter cab from Hall, one bottle almost indistinguishable from the next. Each cabernet vintage/vyd/appelation is excellent in its own right, but collectively numbing to the senses. I feel dirty loving them.

2008 vintage

I expected more complexity from this Cab. A good wine but not great which it should be based on its pedigree.

2008 vintage

I had a very nice, lengthy tasting note typed up here, but the page froze after I hit "save and done". So 30 minutes of typing for nothing! Argh! Awesome wine. One of my favorites.

2008 vintage

Beautiful wine with black fruit still being dominant. A hint more Oak and the Abv of 14.9 left a little bit of heat on the back. Drank for an anniversary dinner. It was an excellent bottle but could not go above 93 because the finish did not warrant a higher score. Still highly recommended!

2008 vintage

Still pretty young. Another 2 years will help.

2008 vintage

Drank at PBWG Dinner at Tim's. Excellent fruit, very smooth and well structured.

2008 vintage

Drink now thru 2021

2008 vintage

Aerated and decanted for 40 minutes. Should probably have given it another 30-40 minutes as it developed a lot during that time span. Outstanding cabernet with lots of black cherry, cassis, toasted oak. Moderate tannins with a long finish.

2008 vintage

Deep dark purple. Full body. Dark red fruit with blueberry and cedar prominent.

2008 vintage

One of the best wines I've had in a long time. At its peak with a combination of finesse, power and complexity. Beautiful dark fruit in a velvety package. Finishes looong with nicely balanced acidity and fine round tannins. Tobacco, graphite and fruit on the nose. Layers of tobacco, mineral, dark chocolate and integrated oak. Tasty and cerebral all at the same time. Two hour decant recommended.

2008 vintage

A real big boy. Decanted for 3 hours and it opened up incredibly. Fantastic!

2008 vintage

OMG....Long 2 hour decent allowed this lush deep excellent cab to fully open and be enjoyed with grilled thick NY strips. Full bodied very nice finish. Sorry to have only the one

2008 vintage

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Hall, Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford

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