When I received an invitation to the Chicago launch party of Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, I was elated. The experience of tasting this highly anticipated addition from HALL, a well-known and respected winery located in Napa Valley, promised to be memorable. Thanks to my familiarity with selections from the portfolio, I knew that my palate was in for a magnificent treat. I was correct.
In December 2014, I met Craig and Kathryn Hall (former United States Ambassador to Austria, author of a New York Times Bestseller, and renowned philanthropist) for the first time at an event in Chicago. There, I swirled and sipped their exceptional wine, Song, produced exclusively for Chicago’s Lyric Opera Wine Auction 2015. Subsequently, in June 2016, I had the pleasure of visiting HALL at their location in St. Helena where I tasted wines from a varied portfolio and viewed stunning artwork and architecture found throughout the property. A few months later, I received an advance copy of the Hall’s book, A Perfect Score, and relished in their fascinating story to make HALL & WALT wines not only firmly established in the California wine industry, but in winemaking itself. (Click here for more.) HALL has produced two wines receiving the highly desired 100-point “perfect score”, an honor given only to the “best of the best”.
Thoughtfully formed and full of dimension and beauty, the centerpiece is the shining inspiration that draws us all together around the table. Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the first wine we blend every year and serves as the heart of our portfolio. Fruit from the Hall’s rugged Sacrashe Estate has always been the starting point and foundation for this wine. We introduce complementary selections from Napa Valley’s finest mountain appellations to bring balance, symmetry, and finesse to the composition. The resulting blend demonstrates the profound depth and opulence that consistently defines our flagship offering. Kathryn Hall
Photo credit: www.hallwines.com – HALL Sacrashe Vineyard
Mike Reynolds, the Winemaker and President of HALL, led the tasting exploration. I found the Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 fresh, pure and balanced with notes of mint and red fruit on the nose and beautiful acidity on the palate. Bright acidity, soft tannins, a round mouthfeel, and elevated notes of red fruit on the 2012 were clearly worthy of the accolades given. With finesse and elegance, tannic structure and red fruit flavors that were dense and concentrated, the profile of the 2013 was enough to make the group sit back and say “ahhhhh” (and we did!). The 2014 vintage was opulent, rich, and about as memorable as any Napa Cabernet I’ve experienced. Each wine was was beautiful, each has a place on the table, and each should be in every wine collector’s cellar.
And then… The alluring, lavish Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 ($185) was wonderfully decadent. Balanced from the first sip to the last, I found concentrated red fruit, dark plums, cocoa, earth, herbs, and subtle notes of spice on the nose and palate. Bold, elegant tannic structure and vibrant acidity provided its foundation. Reynolds explained that the 2015 vintage is “built to age for a long period of time” and that “its overall profile will evolve and tannins will soften”. Kathryn Hall shared, “I love the 2015. It’s the finest wine I’ve ever made”. By the number of accolades showered upon Kathryn Hall by our group (and subsequent high scores by the wine press), I daresay that she is absolutely right.
Kathryn Hall explained to the attendees that HALL wasn’t intended to be a large winery – just “one to craft wines as the best they could be”. She and Craig initially thought to “have a vineyard followed, eventually, by a winery that produced 5,000-7,000 cases of very high-quality wine…Cabernet is king.” Clearly, the original idea was supplanted by one that continues to be magnificent. Their successes have made HALL wineries in both Rutherford and St. Helena a winelover’s mecca and their wines, prestigious.
“Through the years, we’ve tried to get better at our craft”, stated Kathryn Hall during the launch party. If the newly released Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is an indication, their craft continues to excel.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
