Fall Quarterly Shipment Newsletter

Tasting Notes

2018 Hallberg Elite

Showcasing a prized vine selection from Burgundy and cultivated on one of the most exceptional blocks of Hallberg Ranch, the 2018 Hallberg Ranch Elite is a beautifully succulent and dynamic wine that delights with its fascinating aromas of tart cherry, papaya, pastry dough, and sour plum. On the palate, an almost nectar-like quality mingles with lovely umami and spice notes, with supple, fine-grained tannins and hints of yeasty lees, salted fruit, pluots and sweet cinnamon lingering on the finish.  

2018 Pinot Hill West

Displaying a lovely, refined opulence, our 2018 Pinot Hill West is a dazzling wine that combines drama and depth with a rich and evocative sense of place. On the nose, nectar-like aromas mingle with savory smoked charcuterie notes, as well as hints of blueberry syrup, Asian spices and exotic flowers. On the luxurious palate, soft velvety tannins and a beam of bright acidity add poise and polish to flavors of almond-cherry liqueur, grilled nectarine, peaty earth, bay leaf and vanilla, while drawing the wine to a beautifully rich and flowing finish. 

2019 Hallberg Blanc

This wine comes from our two estate vineyards in Sebastopol. Pinot Hill is a cooler, steeper site producing high-acid, complex and delicate wines. Hallberg Ranch brings more textural roundness and alluring red fruit flavors to the wine. When blended together, the result is a wine bursting with fresh and youthful aromas of ripe red cherry, cherry blossom, walnuts, dried orange zest, and a little whiff of honey. The mouth has great fruit concentration, freshness, and energy. It fills the mouth without heaviness and lingers well in the back palate, making it a superb food and sipping wine. 

2018 Hallberg Ranch

With perfect weather during budbreak and bloom, the 2018 vintage at Hallberg Ranch yielded a robust crop and deliciously fruitful wines. The wine brimming with fresh aromas: fresh picked wildflowers, fresh plum, fresh strawberry and fresh cherry notes dance above the glass. This wine is equally exciting on the palate, with sweet tannins, and an underlying acid-driven energy framing the lush red berry, blood orange nectar and marzipan flavors. Though there is an idyllic youthful bloom to this captivating wine that makes it hard to resist now, it has the structure and stuffing to promise a long, fascinating evolution. 

2018 Pinot Hill

Due to the steep hillsides and thick fog layer that blankets the vineyard, Pinot Hill has small berries and clusters. As a result, there is a depth and darkness to this wine that is mesmerizing. On the nose, brooding layers of old growth forest floor, brambly thickets, graphite minerality and sea spray mingle with voluptuous aromas of boysenberry, huckleberry and elder berry. While the deep resonant flavors are echoed on the palate, they carry themselves with a dynamic grace, framed by sweet, juicy tannins and hints of burnt orange marmalade, mahogany and roasted chestnuts. To bring these flavors into perfect focus, we recommend decanting this wine. 

2017 Wesley’s Reserve

From its effusive aromas of blackberry, loganberry and black coffee to its luxurious tannic profile and lush intensity, the 2017 Wesley’s Reserve possesses all of the power Hallberg Ranch can muster. On the palate, a fleshy richness and robust tannins underscore the concentrated dark berry flavors. At the same time, there is a fascinating and mature aspect to this wine that reveals itself in layers of earthy coastal forest floor, fresh-cracked black pepper, frankincense, cedar and savory spice. Though powerful and weighty, it still displays the elegance of Hallberg Ranch, and the proud stature of the man for whom it is named.

2017 La Combette

Crafted from the historic Mt. Eden Clone grown on a gentle south-facing slope, this wine is spectacularly deep and dark, with a near-opaque red-black color, and aromas of fresh-baked huckleberry tart, pastry dough, cassis pastilles, sweet tar and black licorice. On the palate, the tannins are supple and mouth coating, while an acid-driven freshness enlivens the rich, berry compote and anise flavors. Complex, layered and just plain delicious, this is perhaps the finest vintage of La Combette to date. 

2017 Don’s Block

This is our most refined and classically styled Pinot Noir. Featuring a single clone, grown in one prized section of our vineyard. Smelling this wine is like walking through a cherry orchard as the blossoms swirl in the breeze. Aromas of cherry pie, hard cherry candy, peach pit and sweet, fresh-cut hay dance above the glass, along with hints of orange rind and an underlying nuttiness. On the palate, there is a graceful concentration to the focused red berry flavors. At the same time, fine crystalline tannins and a beam of vibrant cool-climate acidity provide a mouthwatering structural element, while underscoring the wine’s effortless purity. As it evolves, the cherry, orange zest and floral notes become ever-more pronounced, drawing the wine to long, shimmering finish. 

Harvest 2021

Wine & Music Pairing

We’ve put together a Fall 2021 Playlist of music to go with your club shipment. Enjoy it while savoring a glass of wine, fall weather, and great company!

For more music suggestions, we’ll be sharing a compilation of one of our favorite Harvest traditions: going through the alphabet a day at a time and only playing songs by groups and artists that start with that day’s letter. Keep an ear out, and follow our Instagram account for sneak peaks in our Stories!