In the glass this deep purple wine seems to emit an ultraviolet glow. Aromatically, this wine has a massive floral lift of fresh, crushed violets, raspberry reduction, and roasted black plum. On the palate, there is an explosive power, a sheer brawn of dense, firm tannins that derive from such limited, mountainous growing conditions. This muscularity carries a beautiful surge of layered blackberry and black plum, black spice, melted licorice, and tar — a dark, earthiness emblematic of our T Bar T Ranch. Look forward to this wine gracefully aging for the next 10-12 years.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Our Artisan Collection celebrates the expression of the vineyard and the ever-reaching vision of the winemaker. Each of these wines is made in small lots, commanding painstaking attention from vine to bottle.
Our T Bar T Ranch is situated on a rugged, rocky hillside in Alexander Valley and produces wines of exceptional character and intensity. Each of the twenty-six vineyard blocks reflects a vivid individuality that is characteristic of the volcanic foothills of the Mayacamus mountains. Its topography is extremely demanding for our vines as well as our vineyard team who must navigate the small craggy parcels.
Since first working in her family’s Mendocino vineyards, Kathryn Hall dreamed of a place to showcase fine wines alongside expressive art and masterful architecture. Now, Kathryn and Craig Hall are creating an unrivalled destination in the Napa Valley - where winemaking excellence and innovation meets contemporary design to celebrate life and inspire the senses.
The Halls acquired the historic St. Helena Bergfeld Winery in 2003 and re-opened as HALL St. Helena in July of that year. With a rich history spanning 150 years, HALL St. Helena’s location was once the home of the Napa Valley Co-Op, producing 40% of Napa Valley’s wines. In 2013, The Hall family completed the restoration of the 1885 Bergfeld Winery and merged history and innovation with the completion of California’s first LEED® Gold Certified winery, in addition to a stunning Visitor Center and state-of-the-art gravity flow winemaking facility.
In addition to the impressive St. Helena winery and tasting room, HALL Rutherford, which was purchased in 1995 with the Grand Opening in March, 2005, boasts a state-of-the-art winery amid the legendary Sacrashe Vineyard in the hills of Rutherford that is dedicated to making single vineyard and limited-production wines. Both locations provide a memorable wine country experience – tasting through award-winning wines, embracing incredible contemporary art and taking in the vistas.
HALL’s estate vineyards encompass more than 500 acres of classic Bordeaux varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. As winegrowers, the Halls have a strong respect for the environment and a commitment to cutting-edge vineyard technology to yield the highest quality grapes. Through meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards, HALL wines are able to express the unique and diverse character of Napa Valley’s soils and climate. Under the artisan-ship of winemaker Steve Leveque, HALL Wines continue to set new heights in Napa Valley winemaking. We invite you to discover HALL!
HALL Wines “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon
2 bottles for $64.99 $32.49/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $339.99 $28.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
@jkyne Sorry. We are not happy at all about this situation. Please advocate at www.freethegrapes.org. These people opened Mass, and got some states like AZ on board.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 HALL Wines “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon - $50 = 12.81%
@CorTot
These are totally different wines. We’ve made T Bar T Cabernet since the Hall’s purchased it in 2002, and it always had a serious tannin early in it’s life. The vineyard is very consistent year over year - I just opened a 2003 before the launch and it reminded me of the 2013 - a decade later it’s still true. 2014 will be much more generous in fruit, but the graphite minerality is showing off a lot. So this is pleasant to drink, but might need time to pair with food.
Some of us have had the opportunity of tasting wine made from the T-bar-T vines a decade and more ago, and it was special. Had the chance to visit Hall on a tour a few years ago, and have had a few of their bottles. Not an autobuy, but not bad stuff either. Any rats out there?
LOL, just happened to check the site during my SIWBM. My eyes were a little blurry when the offer popped up and I initially saw 12 bottles for $39! WHAT?? I put on my readers then saw the other “3”!! My 2nd thought was “Is it Friday?” As I read “T Bar T Ranch”, “Rutherford”, Mayacamus mountains", my interest peaked so I watched the video! WHEN AM I GOING TO FIRST LOOK AT THE SHIPPING ELIGIBLE STATES!!! No OH!! I guess this Veteran of many things will keep his SIWBM intact!!!
A salute out to all my Veteran Brothers and Sisters! Thank you for your Service and Sacrifices!! When I got out of bed today, of all the things I could think about, my 1st thought was to make our bed the ARMY way and then bounce a coin off it!! I DIDN’T!! CRAZY LOL!!
@rjquillin@Winedavid49 General Manager for our Pinot noir brand (www.waltwines.com). I’ve been with the winery since 2006, so I’ve been around and drinking the cabernet wines for some time. T Bar T always has a special spot in my heart and the value of the wine made it a nice addition to the cellar. It’s also an incredible view facing southwest across the RR valley.
@sammypedram Sorry, this is an issue with the way VA regulates shippers. Casemates does the shipping for the winery on their offers, and VA has issues with 3rd party shipping company. Advocate at www.freethegrapes.org and send a letter to your rep.
@HALL_NapaValley Thanks for the info. Interesting that most of their other offers are able to ship to VA. I know it is very complicated. Thanks for the link as well!
The high alcohol and 50% new oak give me pause, along with the tasting notes that collectively seem to indicate syrupy, dried, roasted fruits and a more heavy sort of wine with lower acid. Wish I or some other rpm tour vetaran was popping in with a rat report.
@klezman I bought a little blind I admit. The abv above my usual threshold but I will dabble into that range. Have not purchased a lot of Hall wines but a few over the entire range whites to reds for more than a few years and have enjoyed them.
@klezman Decided to pop one of these Friday night. Don’t know if you purchased but this is not wearing it’s 15.3 well. Saved a glass for last night and nothing changed. And my humble opinion alcohol does not resolve itself. Once a hot wine, always a hot wine. Might want to check in on one if you bought.
Any feedback from the winery here? It seems that it would ‘help’ if they would be on here and take part in the conversation, no? Don’t most wineries take part? They really should, right? The wine sounds tasty - but I would want some additional background info if possible . . .
@tercerowines what’s going on! I will admit that I was preoccupied - my apologies - the 49ers made it a long evening. Here you go:
2014 Vintage - this is a solid vintage in the 2nd drought year. We had a lot of heat in July and August, and with an early start vines were going quickly. As opposed to 2013, the weather cooled in September and acids built back in, which was good for balance. Tannins are always abundant in wines from T Bar T, but the added weight these wines possess in 2014 made it more accessible on the palate immediately as opposed to the prior years.
The vineyard is located on a steep hillside, and the wines made here range from Cabernet, to Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and the very little known Viognier. All have a strong mineral component. Red varietals rise to a midslope, where the cabernet is premium and where this wine is sourced. The merlot is against a black diamond slope - all facing south to the Russian River in the distance. To find it look east from the River Rock Casino parking structure and you can see a reservoir. The vineyard blocks are set on islands within the hillside. It made for a very interesting fire pathway unfortunately this year.
Why I like drinking this wine: People talk about the fruit from this region trending towards stewed flavors, but I’ve always like the balance of the acid, mineral and dense dark fruit. The area is not for the shy wine drinker as the wines are big, but outside some of big brands, the wineries are fun to visit and are reasonably priced for their quality. Also, Hall is Napa Cabernet, so obviously we drink a lot of Napa Cabernet - it’s nice to have a wine in our cellar that has similar bones to Napa, but is very different in it’s character. I like T Bar T’s polish in years when we have acids like 2014.
I don’t think that’s a reason not to buy per se - look, if you like the write up of the wine and it appeals to you, you should take advantage of it. As others have noted, the price on casemates truly cannot be beaten - period. So please don’t let that sway you - I just feel it is more helpful when they are here. At the end of the day, wine is part storytelling - and who better to do that than the winery . . .
2014 will be much more generous in fruit, but the graphite minerality is showing off a lot. So this is pleasant to drink, but might need time to pair with food.
Why would you suggest time is needed to pair with food?
Firm tannins and good acid would seem to suggest a food friendly bottle.
The sweet, stewed and fruit comments give me pause, and lacking Lab Rat comments, I’d like a bit more to help me consider.
Can you make any additional labs available for us?
TA, pH, RS and such…
@rjquillin great questions - l love this community. You guys and gals don’t let anything ‘slip through’ now, do you? Food and wine pairing comments are always challenging - I too will be waiting to hear what is said here. Cheers!
@rjquillin@tercerowines
I’d agree that food pairings are some of the most difficult to provide in this space. This wine needs food that will stand up to a big wine - meat, salty/creamy cheeses, root vegetables and mushroom are all solid choices. Stay away from bitter foods and highly spicy foods. For me, this is a wine I can enjoy by itself too.
Here’s some additional data:
Harvest date: Oct. 5 & 6.
Brix at Harvest 26.5 & 27.3
ph: 3.86 & 3.77
TA 2.78 & 3.09.
@rjquillin@tercerowines The final wine is delivered to bottle without fining or filtration. The wine is bone dry. Sometimes our wines give the perception of sweetness, which is derived from alcohol, but if you let it breathe for a moment that will come off.
@HALL_NapaValley@tercerowines
Thanks for the additional info, and thanks for hanging out with us.
It really does make a difference, just ask WD or the other winemakers that haunt the boards with us.
@karenhynes@klezman@winedavid49 Being somewhat anal in addition to contacting support I notified WD, Ariana and Jeff at Hall. Ariana replied and said contact support and if any troubles to let her know. Jeff replied as well and said he was happy to send more inventory to WD to take care of the situation.
Of course this morning I get an update from FedEx saying my package is being delivered to me today as originally scheduled. I’m traveling so will pick it up Saturday, hoping all is well. I let everyone above know of the change in status. Fingers crossed
So, great customer service!..casemates refunded my purchase. Two of four bottles were destroyed, FedEx repackaged the two remaining bottles and delivered them. One stained label of the two that were delivered. And FedEx was kind enough to include a piece of wine stained original packaging…
I was refunded, so took delivery, but yep, a mess. Hoping to get two more bottles, for the ones that were destroyed. On my dime, although I wonder what the two I received went through. And if I do get two more, with the change to UPS any discount is a wash, it’ll cost me as much in gas to pick them up
Tasting Notes
In the glass this deep purple wine seems to emit an ultraviolet glow. Aromatically, this wine has a massive floral lift of fresh, crushed violets, raspberry reduction, and roasted black plum. On the palate, there is an explosive power, a sheer brawn of dense, firm tannins that derive from such limited, mountainous growing conditions. This muscularity carries a beautiful surge of layered blackberry and black plum, black spice, melted licorice, and tar — a dark, earthiness emblematic of our T Bar T Ranch. Look forward to this wine gracefully aging for the next 10-12 years.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
Our Artisan Collection celebrates the expression of the vineyard and the ever-reaching vision of the winemaker. Each of these wines is made in small lots, commanding painstaking attention from vine to bottle.
Our T Bar T Ranch is situated on a rugged, rocky hillside in Alexander Valley and produces wines of exceptional character and intensity. Each of the twenty-six vineyard blocks reflects a vivid individuality that is characteristic of the volcanic foothills of the Mayacamus mountains. Its topography is extremely demanding for our vines as well as our vineyard team who must navigate the small craggy parcels.
Specifications
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $780/MSRP
About The Winery
Winery:Hall Wines
Since first working in her family’s Mendocino vineyards, Kathryn Hall dreamed of a place to showcase fine wines alongside expressive art and masterful architecture. Now, Kathryn and Craig Hall are creating an unrivalled destination in the Napa Valley - where winemaking excellence and innovation meets contemporary design to celebrate life and inspire the senses.
The Halls acquired the historic St. Helena Bergfeld Winery in 2003 and re-opened as HALL St. Helena in July of that year. With a rich history spanning 150 years, HALL St. Helena’s location was once the home of the Napa Valley Co-Op, producing 40% of Napa Valley’s wines. In 2013, The Hall family completed the restoration of the 1885 Bergfeld Winery and merged history and innovation with the completion of California’s first LEED® Gold Certified winery, in addition to a stunning Visitor Center and state-of-the-art gravity flow winemaking facility.
In addition to the impressive St. Helena winery and tasting room, HALL Rutherford, which was purchased in 1995 with the Grand Opening in March, 2005, boasts a state-of-the-art winery amid the legendary Sacrashe Vineyard in the hills of Rutherford that is dedicated to making single vineyard and limited-production wines. Both locations provide a memorable wine country experience – tasting through award-winning wines, embracing incredible contemporary art and taking in the vistas.
HALL’s estate vineyards encompass more than 500 acres of classic Bordeaux varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. As winegrowers, the Halls have a strong respect for the environment and a commitment to cutting-edge vineyard technology to yield the highest quality grapes. Through meticulous attention to detail in the vineyards, HALL wines are able to express the unique and diverse character of Napa Valley’s soils and climate. Under the artisan-ship of winemaker Steve Leveque, HALL Wines continue to set new heights in Napa Valley winemaking. We invite you to discover HALL!
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, December 5th - Monday, December 9th
HALL Wines “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon
2 bottles for $64.99 $32.49/bottle + $4/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $339.99 $28.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2014 HALL Wines “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon
Another Hall with no Ohio delivery…
@jkyne Sorry. We are not happy at all about this situation. Please advocate at www.freethegrapes.org. These people opened Mass, and got some states like AZ on board.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 HALL Wines “T Bar T Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon - $50 = 12.81%
How fruit bomby / oaky is this?
I was a bit taken aback by the earlier Syrah offer. It was a Solid drinking wine but not food friendly at all.
@CorTot
These are totally different wines. We’ve made T Bar T Cabernet since the Hall’s purchased it in 2002, and it always had a serious tannin early in it’s life. The vineyard is very consistent year over year - I just opened a 2003 before the launch and it reminded me of the 2013 - a decade later it’s still true. 2014 will be much more generous in fruit, but the graphite minerality is showing off a lot. So this is pleasant to drink, but might need time to pair with food.
Some of us have had the opportunity of tasting wine made from the T-bar-T vines a decade and more ago, and it was special. Had the chance to visit Hall on a tour a few years ago, and have had a few of their bottles. Not an autobuy, but not bad stuff either. Any rats out there?
Wonder if @RPM has any thoughts on this wine? He is my Cabernet barometer!
I was actually looking at this at retail, so fantastic that it’s here now! Hopefully some rats can push me to a two-pack.
LOL, just happened to check the site during my SIWBM. My eyes were a little blurry when the offer popped up and I initially saw 12 bottles for $39! WHAT?? I put on my readers then saw the other “3”!! My 2nd thought was “Is it Friday?” As I read “T Bar T Ranch”, “Rutherford”, Mayacamus mountains", my interest peaked so I watched the video! WHEN AM I GOING TO FIRST LOOK AT THE SHIPPING ELIGIBLE STATES!!! No OH!! I guess this Veteran of many things will keep his SIWBM intact!!!
A salute out to all my Veteran Brothers and Sisters! Thank you for your Service and Sacrifices!! When I got out of bed today, of all the things I could think about, my 1st thought was to make our bed the ARMY way and then bounce a coin off it!! I DIDN’T!! CRAZY LOL!!
Is this the same ranch from which the Iron Horse Cab Franc that Woot offered years ago is sourced? That was some really special wine.
@SmilingBoognish yes, it is. and yes it was. i was pretty pumped to secure this offer for that very reason. and this price is fantastic (if i may).
@SmilingBoognish @Winedavid49 nothing to add except that is correct.
@HALL_NapaValley @Winedavid49
Thanks for joining in, after the game; and this offer.
Just for context, what is your position with Hall?
@rjquillin @Winedavid49 General Manager for our Pinot noir brand (www.waltwines.com). I’ve been with the winery since 2006, so I’ve been around and drinking the cabernet wines for some time. T Bar T always has a special spot in my heart and the value of the wine made it a nice addition to the cellar. It’s also an incredible view facing southwest across the RR valley.
No Virginia either . . . Alas.
@sammypedram Sorry, this is an issue with the way VA regulates shippers. Casemates does the shipping for the winery on their offers, and VA has issues with 3rd party shipping company. Advocate at www.freethegrapes.org and send a letter to your rep.
@HALL_NapaValley Thanks for the info. Interesting that most of their other offers are able to ship to VA. I know it is very complicated. Thanks for the link as well!
CNY Casemates?
I’d sure like to get more than two of these!
Doing a little travel…can we narrow down shipping window?
@kaolis will ship and deliver the week of 11/18. pretty safe to say.
@Winedavid49 Thanks, small hitter but I’ll grab a couple to IL. Cheers!
Grabbed four bottles, not much you can do with two, now is there?
miniature-clever-spy
The high alcohol and 50% new oak give me pause, along with the tasting notes that collectively seem to indicate syrupy, dried, roasted fruits and a more heavy sort of wine with lower acid. Wish I or some other rpm tour vetaran was popping in with a rat report.
@klezman I bought a little blind I admit. The abv above my usual threshold but I will dabble into that range. Have not purchased a lot of Hall wines but a few over the entire range whites to reds for more than a few years and have enjoyed them.
@klezman Yum, right in my wheelhouse.
@klezman Decided to pop one of these Friday night. Don’t know if you purchased but this is not wearing it’s 15.3 well. Saved a glass for last night and nothing changed. And my humble opinion alcohol does not resolve itself. Once a hot wine, always a hot wine. Might want to check in on one if you bought.
Yes yes yes… a case has been sitting in my cart all day. But i need someone “i know” to vouch. No rats? No buy…
Any Chicago interests in this offer? See Chicago Casemates thread.
Any feedback from the winery here? It seems that it would ‘help’ if they would be on here and take part in the conversation, no? Don’t most wineries take part? They really should, right? The wine sounds tasty - but I would want some additional background info if possible . . .
@tercerowines what’s going on! I will admit that I was preoccupied - my apologies - the 49ers made it a long evening. Here you go:
2014 Vintage - this is a solid vintage in the 2nd drought year. We had a lot of heat in July and August, and with an early start vines were going quickly. As opposed to 2013, the weather cooled in September and acids built back in, which was good for balance. Tannins are always abundant in wines from T Bar T, but the added weight these wines possess in 2014 made it more accessible on the palate immediately as opposed to the prior years.
The vineyard is located on a steep hillside, and the wines made here range from Cabernet, to Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and the very little known Viognier. All have a strong mineral component. Red varietals rise to a midslope, where the cabernet is premium and where this wine is sourced. The merlot is against a black diamond slope - all facing south to the Russian River in the distance. To find it look east from the River Rock Casino parking structure and you can see a reservoir. The vineyard blocks are set on islands within the hillside. It made for a very interesting fire pathway unfortunately this year.
Why I like drinking this wine: People talk about the fruit from this region trending towards stewed flavors, but I’ve always like the balance of the acid, mineral and dense dark fruit. The area is not for the shy wine drinker as the wines are big, but outside some of big brands, the wineries are fun to visit and are reasonably priced for their quality. Also, Hall is Napa Cabernet, so obviously we drink a lot of Napa Cabernet - it’s nice to have a wine in our cellar that has similar bones to Napa, but is very different in it’s character. I like T Bar T’s polish in years when we have acids like 2014.
@38 @HALL_NapaValley and how’d you like the outcome of the game
(sorry - old school Rams fan here) . . .
I don’t think that’s a reason not to buy per se - look, if you like the write up of the wine and it appeals to you, you should take advantage of it. As others have noted, the price on casemates truly cannot be beaten - period. So please don’t let that sway you - I just feel it is more helpful when they are here. At the end of the day, wine is part storytelling - and who better to do that than the winery . . .
@tercerowines Apologies again see above. Hope that helps but I’ll be checking in this week if you have more questions.
@Hall_NapaValley
Earlier you mentioned
Why would you suggest time is needed to pair with food?
Firm tannins and good acid would seem to suggest a food friendly bottle.
The sweet, stewed and fruit comments give me pause, and lacking Lab Rat comments, I’d like a bit more to help me consider.
Can you make any additional labs available for us?
TA, pH, RS and such…
Thanks for joining in.
@rjquillin great questions - l love this community. You guys and gals don’t let anything ‘slip through’ now, do you? Food and wine pairing comments are always challenging - I too will be waiting to hear what is said here. Cheers!
@rjquillin @tercerowines
I’d agree that food pairings are some of the most difficult to provide in this space. This wine needs food that will stand up to a big wine - meat, salty/creamy cheeses, root vegetables and mushroom are all solid choices. Stay away from bitter foods and highly spicy foods. For me, this is a wine I can enjoy by itself too.
Here’s some additional data:
Harvest date: Oct. 5 & 6.
Brix at Harvest 26.5 & 27.3
ph: 3.86 & 3.77
TA 2.78 & 3.09.
@HALL_NapaValley @tercerowines
Still curious about the RS…
And how did the final blend work out, after adjustments?
Fermented dry, and the ‘sweet’ perception is from fruit, not RS?
Becoming tempted for a split if there is any other SoCal interest.
@rjquillin @tercerowines The final wine is delivered to bottle without fining or filtration. The wine is bone dry. Sometimes our wines give the perception of sweetness, which is derived from alcohol, but if you let it breathe for a moment that will come off.
@HALL_NapaValley @tercerowines
Thanks for the additional info, and thanks for hanging out with us.
It really does make a difference, just ask WD or the other winemakers that haunt the boards with us.
@HALL_NapaValley @WineDavid49 Uh oh, here is my current tracking:
"Wednesday , 11/20/20199:15 pm CHICAGO, IL
Delivery exception
Damaged, handling per shipper instructions
111513662970
Damaged - handling per shipper instructions
Recommended action: No action required."
@kaolis
That doesn’t sound good.
@karenhynes That’s what I thought!
@kaolis @karenhynes It’ll be interesting to see what you get at the other end.
In my experience, have no fear, because WD will make good on it.
@karenhynes @klezman @winedavid49 Being somewhat anal
in addition to contacting support I notified WD, Ariana and Jeff at Hall. Ariana replied and said contact support and if any troubles to let her know. Jeff replied as well and said he was happy to send more inventory to WD to take care of the situation.
Of course this morning I get an update from FedEx saying my package is being delivered to me today as originally scheduled. I’m traveling so will pick it up Saturday, hoping all is well. I let everyone above know of the change in status. Fingers crossed
So, great customer service!..casemates refunded my purchase. Two of four bottles were destroyed, FedEx repackaged the two remaining bottles and delivered them. One stained label of the two that were delivered. And FedEx was kind enough to include a piece of wine stained original packaging…
@kaolis however do they manage to hammer a shipment so badly, one wonders?
@kaolis why would they not return that! So stupid! Also what happens if you refuse delivery of said destroyed package?
@CorTot @winedavid49 @HALL_NapaValley @rjquillin
I was refunded, so took delivery, but yep, a mess. Hoping to get two more bottles, for the ones that were destroyed. On my dime, although I wonder what the two I received went through. And if I do get two more, with the change to UPS any discount is a wash, it’ll cost me as much in gas to pick them up