Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2022 (75cl, 15.2%)

A full-bodied Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blend produced by Hall Wines at its Rutherford facility within the Sacrashe Vineyard. The 2022 blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Grapes undergo a 4-to-5-day cold soak before fermentation with indigenous and cultured yeasts, and the finished wine ages 25 months in French oak barrels, 75% of which are new. The nose offers crème de cassis, black plum, dark chocolate, espresso, candied violets, lavender, dusty earth, Indian spice and a faint tarry note. The palate is rich and plush with concentrated black currant and ripe plum, then dark chocolate, tobacco and incense over a velvety, full-bodied structure with tilled-earth minerality and a trace of sea salt. The finish is long, with espresso, warm spice and savory earthiness.