Hall Cabernet 2006 Napa- at $31.95, this is exciting! WS94

Now this is a Cabernet I can get excited about!  We BYO’d Saturday night to one of our favorite spots in Manhattan Beach- Tin Roof Bistro ($10 corkage).  With us, we brought the 2006 Hall Cabernet and I can tell you that Hall has created one serious Cabernet at a less than serious price.

Speaking of serious, this is a seriously ripe, sweet Cabernet made in the modern Napa style.  It reminds me a lot of the 2007 Caymus Cabernet and actually received a higher rating from Wine Spectator than the later (94 points!).  The nose is fantastically expressive with ripe fruit and rich chocolate with coffee and vanilla.  On the palate, it’s mouthcoating with sweet tannins and a nice focused finish.  Assuming you have time to decant (the wine had opened up nicely day two), I see no reason to age this wine although it certainly has the structure to drink great for at least 10 years.

Hall is really on a role, with their single vineyard wines scoring in the high 90′s and this, their most generic offering, drinking amazingly well for the price.  This Napa Valley example is made from a combination of the same grapes used in their various single vineyard offerings.  I can’t wait for their 2007 releases which, as an all-around better year, are likely to be absolutely off the charts.

2006 Hall Napa Valley Caberent- $31.95

Wine Spectator 94 points

“A rich, dense, concentrated style, this is full-bodied, focused and pure, with hints of mocha and black licorice rounding out the core currant, plum and black cherry flavors. Focused and persistent, with a long finish. Drink now through 2017. 18,500 cases made.”