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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95.2 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 186 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by tonyhuang on 3/4/2024 & rated 94 points: Decanted for 3 hours and brought to a Korean BBQ. When it was first opened it was a wall of tanin on the palate and sweet oak on the nose. After the decant the sweet fruit really comes forward, but not the Thomas river brown style of fake candy sweet, real preserved raspberry and blackberry sweet, with a mint undertone and a acid backbone that prevents it from going overboard. That being said, it is still a little too adolescent for my taste. Give it another 10 years and see where it lands. (1162 views) | | | Tasted by Experienced palate on 1/20/2024 & rated 93 points: PNP as terrible as that is for this wine. Purchased on Spectrum Auction (6 btls) ullage minimal and cork was great. All said this isn't a PNP wine at this time and requires hours of decanting and or a couple of more years to soften. Full bodied chewy tannins however very astringent under the circumstances. (1521 views) | | | Tasted by Philip67 on 12/17/2023 & rated 96 points: This wine is a propoer Wow! Big and rich to be sure but is light on its large feet. The big structure of acidity and tannin giving this an almost racy character. Fruit cake, quince. Drinking beautifully now, will last for many years but right now it has a wonderful vibrancy of fruit that it would be a shame to miss. (1752 views) | | | Tasted by Esmags7 on 12/16/2023 & rated 94 points: After 3 hours of decanting, still wasn't close - integrated, just didn't taste good.
By hour 5, magnificent - tannins have mellowed, balanced acidity, fruit is shining through in an appropriately reserved way, long finish, etc. Everything you expect from an All-Star. (1617 views) | | | Tasted by RayOB on 12/12/2023 & rated 91 points: Drank at 67
A big wine (1858 views) | | | Tasted by jsmorris707 on 10/14/2023 & rated 97 points: Similar to prior notes afte double decanting for 3.5 hrs; outstanding, drink or hold (2038 views) | | | Tasted by Elkcims on 9/6/2023 & rated 97 points: Similar notes to June 2023. Magnum this time. Drank over 3 days; better on day 2 but best on day 3. Day 3 notes: Full bodied, ripe black fruit: blackberry liqueur, black cherry, cassis, dust, some floral notes, very fine sweet tannins; 30 sec finish. Recommend long Slo-ox or decant, checking often. (2049 views) | | | Tasted by stschutz on 8/26/2023 & rated 97 points: Excellent window right now for this wine. Resolved tannins, gorgeous fruit, impeccable balance, and a long lasting finish that makes this wine one of the most enjoyable experiences I've has in a while. Impressive structure and feels like it has years and years left on it to evolve. W-Katie and Tim w-cheese/ crackers. (1927 views) | | | Tasted by redknife on 7/1/2023 & rated 92 points: At home in Fl with Phil of the valley and BB
Decanted for two hours
Dark dense color
Big Cali cab nose
Young but tasty, full body, minimal signs of aging
Would revisit in 5-7 years (2220 views) | | | Tasted by jsmorris707 on 7/1/2023 & rated 97 points: Similar to prior notes after double decanting for 2.5 hrs; outstanding, very consistent, drink or hold. Had it with the 2010 Paul Hobbs Dr. Crane & although both were equally outstanding, they were different on both nose & palate (2186 views) | | | Tasted by Elkcims on 6/20/2023 & rated 97 points: Splash decant then 30 minutes in glasses. Sublime nose of black fruits, licorice and leather. Medium to full bodied and well balanced. Terrific fruit density, weight and polish. Black currants, cassis liqueur on the palate. Spine of sweet tannins envelopes the mouth with a lasting finish, leading one's desire to keep the remainder close by for another pour. Paired perfectly with a prime tenderloin filet. Absolute a fresh-tasting with 14 years on the vintage. (2017 views) | | | Tasted by cubswinws on 3/25/2023 & rated 95 points: From magnum. Just in a great spot with all the depth and complexity you’d expect from Shafer (2579 views) | | | Tasted by Red Sox Fan on 2/25/2023 & rated 96 points: Drank alongside a 2013 Bevan Harbison Cabernet. The Bevan was terrific, but the Shafer was the unanimous group choice (4 of 4). Both were de anted for about an hour. The Bevan was bigger, while the Shafer was more balanced, silky and nuanced. Of course the Shafer had four more years of bottle age and both bottles brought smiles to everyone’s face. (2322 views) | | | Tasted by jsmorris707 on 2/4/2023 & rated 97 points: Similar to prior notes after double decanting for 2 hrs; outstanding, drink or hold (2440 views) | | | Tasted by Trolson on 1/2/2023 & rated 95 points: Excellent. And, ensure you decent for at least four hours. (2582 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 12/18/2022 & rated 96 points: VT Group Tasting Vol. 3: Tasted double blind. No detailed notes taken. This showed extremely well, fully open and singing with intense Napa fruit, which typical for Shafer HS, is in the bright blue and black forest berry corner of the spectrum. Additional complexity with well-defined herbal and minerality notes as well as just hints of chocolate. The highlight is the very round, and elegant frame with a weightless quality to it (in the napa universe). This should age well for another two decades but is great to drink today.
Decanting: No extensive decanting needed. (3346 views) | | | Tasted by napasoutherner on 11/24/2022 & rated 95 points: In a good place right now. After about an hour and a half to cans the line still had some nice Napa fruit with some red clay floor notes on it. Medium finish and lots of dark fruit. Not overpowering this wine could be out for at least another 10 to 15 years. (2274 views) | | | Tasted by jsmorris707 on 9/10/2022 & rated 97 points: Similar to prior note after double decanting for 2 hrs; outstanding, drink or hold, no rush as it it has just entered peak drinking (2639 views) | | | Tasted by rgawlowski on 8/27/2022 & rated 92 points: They were right, Shafer is evolving into a modern California cab; different from the pre-2001 wines, tasted like Opus … for better or worse. (2416 views) | | | Tasted by napasoutherner on 7/1/2022 & rated 95 points: Spectacular bottle of Hillside select! Why this was a beautiful and robust Napacab with lots of deep notes, Garnet color, some tobacco and leather, and a long finish this was still a little too young to be drinking it needed another five years. Otherwise a wonderful wonderful wine (2734 views) | | | Tasted by budman on 6/19/2022 & rated 95 points: My woty so far!! (2588 views) | | | Tasted by JDB on 3/20/2022 & rated 96 points: On pop n pour this was delicious and then it got better!! This was one of the best bottles of wine I have had in a long time (3245 views) | | | Tasted by sfwinelover1 on 2/27/2022 & rated 98 points: Poured by my sis tonight from the half case we split many moons ago, after insufficiently respecting my first one 6 years ago by drinking it too young with too little air. On the nose and palate, an explosive bouquet and range of flavors, most prominently lavender field, cherries, cassis, dark berries, plums, wet earth, dark chocolate, coffee, cigar box, pencil shavings, leather, minerality and surprising amounts of forest floor and mixed spice. Dark purple, medium to full bodied, thick legs. Medium tannins and acidity, both fully integrated after 90 minutes of air, no heat despite the 15.5% abv. Great complexity, persistence and intensity. This was a pleasant surprise, when my sis asked me to pick a wine to match with my brother in law’s Bouef Bourgogne, not so much that it was outstanding, which has been a bulletproof experience across at least a half dozen vintages of this bottling, but that, after a relatively short decant, this was both so ready to go and that, after the somewhat overwhelming B, this was so immaculately balanced and food friendly. Powerful and oh so long with the texture of cashmere, this has more than a hint of a high end Pauillac to it while staying anchored in the 707. While I try to always to be respectful of the opinions and experiences of others, I firmly disagree that this is in any way overripe or particularly modern (again, consider that B); I’d view this as very much in the middle of the Napa spectrum, and, while fully ready to go with fairly short air, early in its drinking window (the cork seemed to have been put in the prior 24 hours). I think that this would be equally successful as a cocktail wine, but it’s so good with food that, for me, that would be a bit of a waste. Since we consumed it over about another 90 minutes, I can’t speak to how it might develop if open over several days, although nothing indicated it wouldn’t more than hold up. I think that these older school, larger production, and in this case, relatively pricey, Cabs don’t always get the respect they deserve on CT (although it’s hard to quibble with a 95+ score), but this is another great effort from this rock solid operation. (3055 views) | | | Tasted by mdvillaverde on 2/15/2022 & rated 95 points: 15.5% abv (3003 views) | | | Tasted by jsmorris707 on 2/11/2022 & rated 97 points: Double decanted for 2 hrs, deep ruby, black cherries with some vanilla on the nose, dark fruit on the palate, med. tannins, long finish; outstanding, drink or hold (2870 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, The 2009 Napa Valley Cabernets at Age 10 (Jul 2019) (7/1/2019)
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By William Kelley
Decanter, Shafer Hillside Select Vertical (6/30/2017)
(Shafer, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District, California, USA, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, Vertical Tasting of Shafer’s Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (Jul 2016) (7/1/2016)
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Michael Godel
WineAlign (3/22/2016)
(Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2014, IWC Issue #174
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Terroir Matters - Updated (Nov 2013)
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/3/2013)
(Shafer, Hillside Select Stags Leap District Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: An Epic Vintage (Dec 2012)
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags' Leap District) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, New Releases from Napa Valley (Dec 2011)
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2011, IWC Issue #156
(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (2/21/2014)
(Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select) Saturated, very dark ruby color; ripe black currant, black cherry syrup nose; tasty, rich, ripe black currant, black cherry syrup, violets palate; could use 2 years; long finish (15.4% alcohol; 32 months in 100% new 60-gallon French oak) 93+ points 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and Decanter and WineAlign and JancisRobinson.com and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Shafer Producer website
John Shafer and his family founded Shafer Vineyards, located in the Stags Leap District of the Napa Valley, in 1979. From the Shafers' first wine, a 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon,
their wines have won much acclaim. Today, the Shafers farm 200 acres of vineyard in the Stags Leap District, Carneros and Oak Knoll regions. Their flagship wine, Hillside Select,
is produced from selected blocks of the family's hillside vineyards and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. They also produce Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, Merlot, One Point Five
(Cabernet Sauvignon) and Relentless (a Syrah/Petite Sirah blend), which was named #1 wine of the year by Wine Spectator's "Top 100" of 2012.Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Stags Leap District Stags Leap District |
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