The only problematic offering is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld, whose challenging tannins will likely cause it to dry out over time. It possesses a dense purple color as well as attractive, earthy, black currant fruit intermixed with notions of tobacco leaf and spice. However, the astringency of the tannins gives the wine a narrowly constructed and dubious future. Hall Winery appears to have turned things around in a very dramatic and positive fashion. The 2006 turn around vintage, the strength of the 2007s, and the impressive 2008 barrel samples have convinced me that this is definitely another serious player in Napa Valley. David Ramey is the winemaking consultant at Hall. There are four separate bottlings of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignons. To reiterate, I tasted the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Segassia, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Jack’s Masterpiece, and a new offering, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall, all meriting potential ratings between 90 and 94 points. Readers should be giving Hall Winery serious attention. Tel. (707) 967-2626; Fax (707) 967-2639

From vineyards in the St. Helena appellation comes this soft rich wine. It brims with spicy flavors of cherries, currants, chocolate and cedar, wrapped into softly melted tannins. Decadently good, and probably at its best soon.——S.H.(6/1/2009)—— 93