2011 Shafer Relentless |
| Vintage | 2011 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Shafer (web) | ||
| Variety | Syrah Blend | ||
| Designation | Relentless | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | USA | ||
| Region | California | ||
| SubRegion | Napa Valley | ||
| Appellation | Napa Valley | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 013528700024 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2016 and 2023 (based on 39 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Shafer Syrah Relentless on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 93 pts. in 190 notes) | |
| Tasted by Bluethunder on 3/11/2024 & rated 93 points: Lots of dark fruit, medium bodied, nice balance and smooth finish. (262 views) | |
| Tasted by buckeye76 on 3/8/2024 & rated 92 points: Deep purple color. Blackberries in the nose with hints of licorice, earthiness and floral. Lots of black and blue fruits in the flavor, blackberries, plums, blueberries with notes of minerals. Very well balanced, nice acidity, medium to full bodied, nice complexity and a medium to long finish. (273 views) | |
| Tasted by Winowhyno on 9/7/2023 & rated 93 points: winner winner chicken dinner!!!!! deep purple.... bountiful nose ...deep fruity mouthful of flavor....6 more years in cellar really paid off......sad that it is my last 2011 (644 views) | |
| Tasted by -Tim- on 6/10/2023 & rated 93 points: From the vineyard at Vaca Mountains close to Stags Leap District. 30 months barrel maturation. 91% Syrah and 9% Petite Syrah. 4h decant. This is a big wine, by all means. Dark violet colour. Complex palate with blueberries, black plums, something fresh (eucalyptus, mint?), velvet tannins, light oak, black pepper, licorice, and roasted herbs. I would have rated even higher but the finish was somewhat acdity and alcohol (16% ABV!) driven. This bottle had 94p stickers from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator as well 94-96p Parker on it. (799 views) | |
| Tasted by jshufelt on 4/24/2023 & rated 93 points: Three years ago, I told myself to wait five years before opening another bottle. Ha! Still, I'm not unhappy with that decision. While there are still significant tannins, we continue to see more and more of the upside here - a balanced mix of blue fruit and stone fruit, a sprinkling of oak, and the emergence of minerality, with a softer palate than I recall for prior bottles. A more disciplined version of me would have waited until now to open the first bottle. (961 views) | |
| Tasted by fcf3 on 12/11/2022 & rated 90 points: Keep this in mind as it relates to my score, Sarah’s not generally a wine I gravitate towards. (991 views) | |
| Tasted by RichEB1 on 10/7/2022 & rated 91 points: Smokey dark fruits with a savory finish and ample acidity. Very well integrated and drinking nicely! Not a 'small' wine by any means, but nicely balanced and delicious when you're in the mood! (1319 views) | |
| Tasted by Dbabtd on 4/22/2022 & rated 95 points: Beautiful and drinking really well (1382 views) | |
| Tasted by jlgnml on 3/25/2022 & rated 93 points: Youthful rich berry color, a tad light on the palate, HOLD for 3+years. Pretty tasty with grilled Turkey burgers. (1313 views) | |
| Tasted by Bluethunder on 2/15/2022 & rated 94 points: Lots of dark fruit, spice, leather and soft tannins. Very enjoyable! (1517 views) | |
| Tasted by wine4lux on 11/26/2021 & rated 93 points: Juicy blackberry and black pepper, powerful and finessed. (1307 views) | |
| Tasted by Bluethunder on 10/5/2021 & rated 94 points: Outstanding, lots of dark fruit, silky smooth tannins. Thoroughly enjoyed! (1374 views) | |
| Tasted by dase13 on 9/28/2021 & rated 94 points: It’s been five years since my prior most recent bottle of this wine. Color of dark inky red purple, with a little lightness in the edges showing age. Scents of blackberry. Tastes consistent with scents, and very smooth mouthfeel. I like this significantly more now than the prior three bottles, which were five and six years ago. (1150 views) | |
| Tasted by CheviotCellar on 5/7/2021 & rated 93 points: Man, just open the bottle and pour. So rich and decadent, velvety flow with chocolate, fig, umami mushroom, leather, and cherry. Super smooth with significant tannins. Ends dry, charcoal with some heat. I don’t recommend a decant. The wine started so plush and only got dryer as it opened. Not a bad thing, just different and more austere than when it started. (1440 views) | |
| Tasted by Vino Loco on 2/20/2021 & rated 90 points: A very rich and complex Syrah, but low QPR. All the dark fruits you’d ever want and a truly special wine, but had with a wine a third the price that while not quite as good made it clear that Relentless’ price point makes no sense whatsoever. (1456 views) | |
| Tasted by pgrzesik on 11/7/2020 & rated 90 points: Let me start off with saying that I normally am not a fan of California style syrahs. However, this it a totally different animal. I decanted this for 30 minutes prior to serving and feel that it really did it wonders. The nose was a little subdued but after some time started to come through with tobacco, dark raspberry jam, coffee cake, and a hint of vanilla. This is full bodied, rich, good mouthfeel and easy drinking. Long finish. This worked really well with home made burgers on the grill. Probably the last time we will have them this year. Cheers to a well made California syrah! (1559 views) | |
| Tasted by mreinhard74@gmail.com on 9/2/2020 & rated 90 points: Has been a bit since I’ve had a Relentless. This one seems to lack some of the depth of previous bottles and vintages. Still a very nice wine. The tannins have mellowed but there’s still a solid line of oak through the palate of plums and blackberries. (1582 views) | |
| Tasted by CarpeVinum on 6/18/2020 & rated 93 points: Really outstanding and delicious. Every sip, drove me back to a swirl a snif and another sip. Yum (1771 views) | |
| Tasted by jshufelt on 2/20/2020 & rated 93 points: You know, back in 2017 I specifically told my future self to give this a good long decant. Did I heed past self? Of course not. But while this still comes across quite young, and has the saturated color of a wine that looks like it was just bottled, and still has some serious tannins, it is starting to settle into its own future self. Still showing that nice combination of currants and dark blue fruit, with oak and plums emerging on a long finish. Let's see if I can hold out for another five years before opening the last bottle... (1990 views) | |
| Tasted by JohnnyShiraz on 12/1/2019 & rated 89 points: Leaner and less fruit-forward than other vintages. Smooth tannins. No need to age longer. 15.8% ABV; 91% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah (2121 views) | |
| Tasted by cdp1276 on 11/25/2019 & rated 93 points: Lovely but a little quieter than expected. (1731 views) | |
| Tasted by WineGuyFL on 11/17/2019 & rated 94 points: As one would expect for this wine. Key comment is that it is in a good drinking window. (1631 views) | |
| Tasted by danielbleier on 10/20/2019 & rated 93 points: Always a deep and rich wine (even for a weak Napa vintage) this gives blackberry, blueberry, cigar smoke and black olive. (1625 views) | |
| Tasted by jviz on 10/11/2019 & rated 94 points: Best vintage of Relentless between 08-13. The dill and coconut tones of the wood show through. Dark blackberry and black plum, black cherry with creamy lactic tones. More interest than I was expecting and more layers & character than expected for the vintage. I actually think 11 dials back an OTT wine into something very special. Wish I had more. No tertiary notes but it is integrating and just starting to enter the drinking window (1729 views) | |
| Tasted by In vino potestus est on 8/3/2019 & rated 97 points: General Notes from last night's dinner. Superb. Its primarily Syrah but reminded me of a Zin. Still very young. Outrageous depth of flavor balanced by strong tannins (It had been decanted for @ 3 hours). Gorgeous fruit. Goes on forever. Well worth the $70 price tag. (Part of a wine dinner with 2014 Pride, 2014 Dancing Hare, 2001 Monte Bello, 2012 Hidden Ridge Impassable Mountain, 2003 Dominos, 2014 Schrader RBS, 2014 Abreu Madrona Ranch, 1995 Yquem) (1626 views) | |
| Tasted by dac2849 on 6/22/2019 & rated 93 points: Appearance - Dark garnet color, clear @edge, reflective, good body/legs - 3/3 Aroma/Bouquet - Blackberry, black plum, spice, vanilla, slight hot/alc, oak & mineral - 5.5/6 Taste - Black fruit, plum, black cherry, light tannins, mineral/chalky, spice on back end - 5.5/6 Aftertaste - Black fruit continues, tannins fade quickly, smooth fruit and mineral - 2.5/3 Overall - Good complex wine with great fruit and soft tannins - 2/2 *Note - This evaluation is based on the 20-point American Wine Society system, then interpolated to a 100-point score. (1525 views) | |
| Tasted by asteff on 6/9/2019 & rated 89 points: Big and juicy. I get dark berries and violets. A touch of cocoa. Both velvety and silky tannins and finish. (1556 views) | |
| Tasted by brasstab on 6/7/2019 & rated 94 points: Like an espresso chocolate blackberry kiss. Fantastic structure and acidity. Classic Napa but simultaneously in a class all its own. Beauteous and bountiful. Shared with a 2010 Barolo and a 2010 Stolpman Sangiovese. It was an amazing night. (1480 views) | |
| Tasted by czotter613 on 5/31/2019 & rated 96 points: One of the greatest bottles of wine I have never had! (1587 views) | |
| Tasted by joshabramson on 5/29/2019 & rated 94 points: Big, juicy, delicious. Nicely structured, not at all overdone. Very good. (1523 views) | |
| Tasted by B&T on 3/29/2019 & rated 93 points: Took about 2 hours to really open up and show itself. And when it did, it was glorious - dark fruit, bramble, and earth notes. Quite nice considering the vintage. (1582 views) | |
| Tasted by spectrumphoto on 2/27/2019 & rated 95 points: Right in its sweet spot right now. Big, juicy, elegant syrah. (1599 views) | |
| Tasted by fredman on 12/29/2018 & rated 92 points: 2 hour decant. Really showing well. Should be fine for the next 3-4 years despite the weak vintage (1588 views) | |
| Tasted by JonnyG on 12/19/2018 & rated 89 points: Syrah Night with an Expanded Version of Our Tasting Group (Bear and Star, Los Olivos, CA): Something of an outlier against some competition made in a very different style, and generally with more age. Dense, dark and extracted, with backward black fruit and vanilla notes clashing a bit. More polished than a more fruit-forward wine ought to be. The vintage likely compressed the flavors here. Requires a robust meal and some patience. (1910 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 12/13/2018 & rated 95 points: Had some in my cellar and found it all structure and no fruit, but this bottle was just the opposite: purple and opaque, pronounced blackberry and plum aromas, with big, smooth viscous flavors and a very long aftertaste. Tasted next to 2010 Hillside Select, and I preferred Relentless. At its peak but should hold several more years. Give it plenty of air before serving, though. Ric (1872 views) | |
| Tasted by Artbreadman on 12/13/2018 & rated 90 points: Seems more like a wine that should cost half as much. Nothing noteworthy or remarkable to talk about. Perhaps a bit too much acidity. Didn’t improve much with a 3 hour decant. (1540 views) | |
| Tasted by Ridgerunner on 12/12/2018 & rated 93 points: Not sure how this got picked and opened so young. Another 5 years and it might start opening up. (1379 views) | |
| Tasted by rmalloy on 10/22/2018 & rated 87 points: Tasted blind. Guessed 8 year old Shiraz. I thought this wine tasted dumb and New World with sweet, overripe fruit and too much oak. But there was lots of spice, actually enough to burn my tongue. I think Californians do awful things with syrah. (1802 views) | |
| Tasted by Dan & Patti on 8/23/2018 & rated 93 points: Huge with restraint, if that makes sense (1522 views) | |
| Tasted by EvanRose on 7/1/2018 & rated 92 points: Big red fruit bomb,smooth as silk with a long finish. (1728 views) | |
| Tasted by ashikoh on 5/21/2018 & rated 92 points: Inky purple black. Blueberry, roasted coffee, black pepper, and hints of smoke all evident on the nose. Not as fleshy as a typical bottling of “Relentless”, this challenging vintage has produced a surprisingly well balanced wine despite the 15.8% alcohol. The well integrated tannins give a slight bite to the long finish. Made from a blend of 91% Syrah and 8% Petite Sirah aged 30 months in 100% new French oak, it paired nicely with a Lamb Sirloin with harissa, kohlrabi, and a spiced labneh. (1966 views) | |
| Tasted by EvanRose on 5/13/2018 & rated 95 points: Aromatic with licorice and eucalyptus. Soft tannins, full bodied, cassis and a long lovely finish. (1897 views) | |
| Tasted by pdemaio on 5/5/2018 & rated 93 points: PDQ93+ (1871 views) | |
| Tasted by rustyRudy on 4/14/2018 & rated 95 points: Had with grilled filet on the deck. This does need two to three hours to be at its best. Very dark dense purple in color. Black raspberry jam, fruitcake and spices on the nose. Nice balance of ripe cherry, blueberry, grilled meats, blackberries and still expresses vanilla and youthful tannins on the long delightful finish. Although very complex it is not overly extracted nor sweet. (1927 views) | |
| Tasted by Dan & Patti on 4/6/2018 & rated 93 points: Mellowed but still with dark fruit and a moderate finish drink now (1260 views) | |
| Tasted by EvanRose on 4/6/2018 & rated 92 points: Consistently solid, closed on the nose but bursting with layer upon layer of flavor on the palate. Dark, rich and round (1433 views) | |
| Tasted by PhoenixIWFS on 4/5/2018: About what you can expect from a terrific winery having one of the best wine makers in Napa Valley- a very nice effort produced in a challenging year, showcasing plenty of backbone and the blue and black fruit one would expect from the varietals. A short decant polishes the initial (slight) rough edge and further allows this '11 to stretch its back a bit. (1520 views) | |
| Tasted by Cali Fan on 3/29/2018 & rated 90 points: Decent for a bad vintage. Fragrant and more delicate than usual. Not the best example but respectable for a 2011 (1476 views) | |
| Tasted by moega on 2/24/2018 & rated 94 points: One of the best bottles of wine I've had in a long time, even as a PnP (with a little props to the Vinturi). Incredible taste. Extremely smooth. Enjoyable throughout. (1351 views) | |
| Tasted by Chasse_spleen on 1/26/2018 & rated 92 points: Chewy, concentrated and mushy nose, but very good. Excellent structure, the alcohol hidden behind massive fruit. Stringent tannins, still. Wonderful. (1629 views) | |
| Tasted by Hi.its.Don.4.Wine on 1/15/2018 & rated 93 points: After pouring the wine, I set it down a good arm's length from me, I could still smell the wonderful aroma, a good indication of what was to come. Even from a not-so-great vintage, the wine was lovely. Dark and slightly earthy with nice spice notes and a nice and med long finish. Drank over a 3 hour period and while it did improve, there wasn't a substantial change. (2017 views) | |
| Tasted by R.Jos.Valent on 12/26/2017 & rated 94 points: Entitled Relentless for a reason. This wine needs at least 2 hours of air before enjoying. Rich blue fruit & a touch of lavender. On the back end smoke & well integrated tannin's. Wonderful 30+ second finish. Just hitting it's stride. 2-4 more years in bottle ideally. (1632 views) | |
| Tasted by rharl on 12/24/2017 & rated 93 points: Delicious -- PnP, drank over span of Xmas eve; became richer with a little time (2-3 hrs). (1729 views) | |
| Tasted by EvanRose on 10/11/2017 & rated 94 points: Delicious fruit bomb with soft sleek tannins. Enjoyed with Afghan kabobs (2307 views) | |
| Tasted by WineGuyFL on 10/6/2017 & rated 93 points: I originally had 6 bottles of this wine. I had the first bottle exactly 2 years ago and was extremely disappointed. The experience was not even in the same universe as the Pro Reviewer ratings and the price point. This bottle was much better.....a little below the Pro Ratings, but very good. I had the bottle at a restaurant with about a 45 minute decant. It might rate better if I had it at home where I could decant it for a longer window before dinner. I will pursue that strategy next time. (2065 views) | |
| Tasted by Winowhyno on 9/12/2017 & rated 91 points: Nice grape at $65.00....not sure I would pay much more. (2297 views) | |
| Tasted by flwinos on 9/12/2017 & rated 91 points: Big wine. Decanted for 3+ hours. This was smooth after the decant but I feel like the oak was still not quite integrated on the first night. We had about 1/3 of the bottle left on the first night, so I put it back in the bottle and pumped the oxygen out. On the second night, this was much better - silky smooth, though I did not get a lot of syrah characteristics out of it. Needs more time IMO. (2396 views) | |
| Tasted by Dmiller3 on 7/16/2017 & rated 92 points: Much improved from last tasting 7 months ago - really opening up nicely - decanted and drank as an after dinner treat with friends (2812 views) | |
| Tasted by ifishtoo on 7/5/2017 & rated 94 points: Wife, Mother-In-Law (whom I like) and I drank 2 bottles before, during and after our 4th of July meal consisting of sous vide ribs finished on the grill, wife's great baked beans and an excellent potato gratin. Excellent wine which stood up to the savory food. Divine nose, solid mouth feel without any hint of heat from the relatively high alcohol. Lingering finish. Liked it a lot. (2518 views) | |
| Tasted by Cuellar's Cellar on 6/12/2017 & rated 93 points: Really....how do they do this to this incredible Syrah! Great notes. Almost taste like a 10 year old cab (2699 views) | |
| Tasted by jshufelt on 3/31/2017 & rated 92 points: Pop and pour into a decanter - while it was approachable, 3 hours might have been preferable. In the glass, inky indigo-purple. On the nose, currants and blackberries, leaning towards currants - blind, this could have passed for a cab. On the palate, oak, blueberries, currants, and plums in equal measure, with a tannic grip on a long finish. There is upside here with another few years of cellar time. Great food wine. (2835 views) | |
| Tasted by WildeMeeuw on 3/31/2017 & rated 93 points: Kleur: Diep en opaak donkerrood met een duidelijk paarse gloed. Aroma / bouquet: Explosie van geur. Intens en complex bouquet. Donker fruit, uitzonderlijk verfijnd hout, een hint van grafiet, complexe kruidigheid. Smaak / Afdronk: Fris zure aanzet, boordevol prachtige tannines, prachtig gerijpt. Rond. Maar, tegelijkertijd, krachtig en stoer. Jong. Te jong. Maar toch een mooie balans tussen zuur, tannine en (best veel) van alcohol. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Deze wijn is in alles een Shafer. Maar tegelijkertijd ook 100% Syrah. Briljante wijn! Voor dit moment 93/100. Maar met een toekomst vol belofte! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 93/100 Google Translate: Color: Deep and opaque dark red to a clear purple glow Aroma / bouquet:. Explosion of smell. Intense and complex bouquet. Dark fruit, exceptionally refined wood, a hint of graphite, complex spiciness. Taste / Finish: Fresh sour start, filled with beautiful tannins, beautifully matured. Round. But, at the same time, strong and tough. Young. Too young. But still a nice balance between acidity, tannin and (quite a lot) of alcohol. Impressively long finish. General / potential: This wine is a Shafer in all. But also 100% Syrah. Brilliant wine! For now 93/100. But with a future full of promise! 50+ Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Taste / Finish: 17 + General / potential: 9 = 93/100 (2866 views) | |
| Tasted by jkvedar on 2/16/2017 & rated 90 points: Fascinating taste experience. A bit of barnyard on the nose. Some blueberry (the petit Sirah coming through). Surprisingly lithe on the palate. Blackberries, predominantly. Acid dominates over fruit and tannins at this time. Very good food wine. 15.8% ABV is amazing as it is not the least bit hot. Even though it is only 9% petit sirah, the petit sirah flavors dominate. I would not hold it any longer. The fruit is starting to fade. (2616 views) | |
| Tasted by rustyRudy on 1/8/2017 & rated 96 points: Previously Coravined and okay showing no ill effects. The nose is huge with grilled herbs, minerals, and baking spices. There's multiple layers of dark fruit, cherry, and ripe plum. Full bodied, balanced and did well with cheese and cured meat. (2844 views) | |
| Tasted by Dmiller3 on 12/19/2016 & rated 89 points: This has loosened up a lot from my first try. Deep purple color but smooth on the delivery. I think it has a ways to go and will improve over the years ahead (2492 views) | |
| Tasted by rustyRudy on 12/16/2016 & rated 97 points: Dark purple. Black fruit, oak, subtle menthol and cigar box. Bacon fat, blackberry, dark cherry, chocolate and black raspberry. Huge finish. For an " off vintage " this really rocks! (2407 views) | |
| Tasted by kennyd on 11/4/2016 & rated 92 points: Nice. On a bit of the lighter side for syrahs. Opened up some over the evening, which perhaps suggests that even at five years out from vintage, it could use a little more cellaring. Not sure. Poor QPR (there are much better, more interesting syrahs out there at this price point). Again, nice, but I was hoping for so much more. (2741 views) | |
| Tasted by Brhouts on 9/21/2016 & rated 94 points: Great wine. Drank in infancy (1016 views) | |
| Tasted by tshepard on 2/25/2016 & rated 93 points: Big, bold, delicious (4362 views) | |
| Tasted by wineotim on 2/22/2016 & rated 92 points: Lots of oak treatment and alcohol. Inky, bold, full bodied, dark, juicy, black cherry like fruit. One dimensional, sweet, ripe, and firm tannins. I was in the mood for this style of wine. The Aussies have complexity at this price point. (4633 views) | |
| Tasted by dase13 on 2/11/2016 & rated 88 points: Color of dark inky red purple. Scents of blackberry. Tastes consistent with scents. Fairly simple wine with a big price tag. I think I like the big Aussie Shiraz better. (3774 views) | |
| Tasted by CA_collector on 12/25/2015 & rated 92 points: Solid wine - was hoping to get into the 2012, but this showed really well. Great mouthfeel. Meaty. Notes of fig and plum. (3883 views) | |
| Tasted by bjamesclark on 10/29/2015 & rated 92 points: 91% Syrah 9% Petite Sirah, 100% new French oak for 30 months. Obviously this wine is in need of a serious decant. Aromas show meaty notes of blueberry, huckleberry, blackberry and cassis with baking spices of cinnamon, clove and cardamom backed up with violets, vanilla and black licorice. The palate is dense and rich with blueberry compote, vanilla, blackberry and black licorice loaded with baking spices. Plush and opulent finish lingering on flavors of vanilla soaked blueberries and baking spice (4294 views) | |
| Tasted by arnold2015 on 10/20/2015 & rated 89 points: Agree, a little underwhelming for the expectation and price point, nice muted spice, fruit present but light, velvety tannins and smooth overall. (3190 views) | |
| Tasted by hoppercycles on 9/27/2015 & rated 94 points: Outstanding dark fruit in taste and color. Drinking nice now when decanted for 2 hours (3432 views) | |
| Tasted by Al Doughty on 9/27/2015 & rated 89 points: Really expected more from this wine. The aromas are really underwhelming, with floral and toasty notes being the most prominent elements. The palate is of dark fruit that shows some lift but seems really disjointed, with a processed coconut flavor that dominates throughout. There are some intriguing petroleum and pepper notes that add interest. (3138 views) | |
| Tasted by cdp1276 on 9/26/2015 & rated 94 points: Just so velvety and smooth. (3081 views) | |
| Tasted by WineGuyFL on 9/25/2015 & rated 89 points: A real disappointment......not up to other bottles from other vintages, all of which have been spectacular. Will have to see what happens with the next bottle. (2608 views) | |
| Tasted by tshepard on 8/8/2015 & rated 95 points: Big, impressive syrah blend. Forward, coats the palate, long finish. Don't drink unless you want something big. Can't complain a bit. (3232 views) | |
| Tasted by dase13 on 6/24/2015 & rated 92 points: Better now than four months ago. Color of dark inky red purple. Scents are blackberryl. Tastes consistent with scents. (3254 views) | |
| Tasted by Kukeymon on 6/8/2015 & rated 87 points: None issue here for all the hype around Relentless. Pretty powerful tannin that takes a long time to soften. There is fruit but proportionally weak to other elements. Single dimensional. At this price, let's move on. (3377 views) | |
| Tasted by Mh33 on 5/13/2015 & rated 91 points: Deep deep Chloe. Full body. Not so much special flavor as just solid all around. (3641 views) | |
| Tasted by Cuellar's Cellar on 5/12/2015 & rated 90 points: Read my previous notes.....very similar (3397 views) | |
| Tasted by EvanRose on 5/10/2015 & rated 89 points: a lityle young but with potential (3017 views) | |
| Tasted by dase13 on 3/15/2015 & rated 90 points: Color of dark inky red purple. Scents is blackberry and something herbal. Tastes consistent with scents. I think I like the big Aussie Shiraz better. (3277 views) | |
| Tasted by Lilja on 3/2/2015 & rated 89 points: Big and vocal nose completely dominated by oak. Vanilla, fudge, butterscotch, dill, more oak and lots of ripe black fruit. Medium(-) acidity, full bodied, a little tannins but fairly round. High+ intensity and a long, long finish. Karl Ek puts it very well, 'Extra everything'. Found the nose boring and the oak is killing all the complexity. The palate is outstanding though, extremely extracted, but with a perfect balance and no jam or residual sugar. Have a bottle of the 2008 that I will keep my hands off for at least 7-10 more years. Scored it 89 blind, but has potential for another couple of points with cellaring. (3827 views) | |
| Tasted by karl.1480 on 3/1/2015 & rated 90 points: Deep purple color. Youthful, a bit tight, nose with a medium+ aroma intensity. Lots of toasted oak, butterscotch and butter. Also an enormous amount of deep black fruit, almost inky. Dry on the palate with a medium acidity, medium+ tannin and full body. The flavor intensity is pronounced. Flavors of toasted oak, butterscotch, inky plum juice, cassis, tobacco, fresh herbs and grass. The finish is medium+. Well, this is with out a doubt an XXL-wine. Extra everything. What I like about it is that it manages to keep the balance and the fruit is ridiculously ripe but not jammy at all. Very, very well-made but frankly it is boring. This should benefit a lot from being cellared for about 10 years. (3197 views) | |
| Tasted by pjiacobelli on 2/14/2015 & rated 92 points: Great as it was in yountville (3254 views) | |
| Tasted by BodegaMateo on 2/11/2015 & rated 94 points: Never rated a wine this high! Drinks like an elegant Cab. The only boldness is with the lingering finish. This may be the most elegant wine Zi have drank. Folks this no 1. So far! In my wine Journey. (3292 views) | |
| Tasted by Matt Scott on 2/6/2015 & rated 93 points: Decanted for three hours. Raw meat, roasted Kona coffee, brown sugar and blueberry. Long on the finish and more lithe than previous vintages. A lot of fine beauty, with a gliding acidity. I have never tried a Relentless that did not impress. This, along with Kongsgaard, is my favorite Syrah from Napa - year after year. Quite ready for immediate consumption. Drink now - 2022. (3303 views) | |
| Tasted by jkvedar on 1/17/2015 & rated 92 points: Took about three hours in a decanter to show its best. Dark fruit and pepper on the nose. BlackBerry on the palate. Long pleasant peppery finish. (2943 views) | |
| Tasted by SCWineDrinker on 12/25/2014 & rated 94 points: Spicy and peppery with currant and blackberry. Lots of black fruit. Sweetness is balanced very well but is still enough to really compliment a roasted ham; goes well with the saltiness of a Charles Henry Gray Ham. (3006 views) | |
| Tasted by djlevin on 12/1/2014 & rated 92 points: Shafer Vineyards Wine Tasting and Visit (Napa Valley, CA): This Syrah fared much better than their Cab releases in the cooler 2011 vintage... as you would expect from a varietal that stands up to cooler temperatures well. Fortifying this blend with Petit Sirah adds plushness to the mouthfeel and deep color. Minty on the nose with lots of plum in front on the palate. The mid-palate moves to pleasant dark chocolate with a medium length finish. What I like most about this wine was the character of the tannins. No grittiness, or bite... the mouth-drying tannins were very soft and smooth. The wine's structure had high tannins and high acidity. This Syrah blend will age well. (2963 views) | |
| Tasted by lslayton@me.com on 11/28/2014 & rated 93 points: Served with a Thanksgiving dinner, soft enough on the palate to go well with the turkey but had enough berry and spice notes to pair well with all the flavors on the plate. Decanted for 2 hours, opened up well with a smooth lingering finish, just delightful! Will likely get even better.... (3071 views) | |
| Tasted by pauljr1121 on 11/21/2014 & rated 93 points: Tasted at Shafer Vineyards with Jon Shafer. Beautiful blackberry and floral notes and a bit of spice on the finish. Doesn't seem to suffer from the vegetal note issue that seems to be plaguing many of 2011s I've tasted. Not as blockbuster as other vintages but excellent nonetheless. (2817 views) | |
| Tasted by Gestalted on 10/27/2014 & rated 96 points: Absolutely incredible. The best Relentless I've ever tasted. From the nose to the finish, it just rolls on and on with blueberry pie, a slight black licorice and spices. The length of the finish was most impressive. -- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp! (3646 views) | |
| Tasted by mdmcgonigal on 10/27/2014 & rated 91 points: Winery tasting. Black and blueberry aromas. More dark berries with some leather. Very smooth finish. (3250 views) | |
| Tasted by Cuellar's Cellar on 10/6/2014 & rated 92 points: Shafer's Relentless is still a classic wine. please let this sit out 2 hours prior to drinking. (3209 views) | |
| Tasted by fritza on 10/3/2014 & rated 94 points: Wow, Relentless is back. After drinking a few mediocre years (2009 particularly) by Shafer standards, this Relentless (and obviously 2008) really are home runs. Dark purple in color, the nose is big with dark fruit giving way to smokiness. On the palate the fruit yields again to cured meat and spice. Lots of flavors, and as the name says, it lingers on the palate. Tannins strong but not harsh, so this will age well. (2862 views) | |
| Tasted by Graddini on 11/7/2013 & rated 93 points: Dense powerful and opaque. Cedar and spice with a charcoal fire note. Plum and pepper, a bit of licorice and blueberry cocoa. Packed in pretty dense and dark. No longer done as a field blend style. Nicely done but you gotta wonder: why mess with success? Time will tell. (4861 views) |
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ShaferProducer websiteJohn 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. Syrah BlendThe 2018 is 40% Merlot and 60% Syrah.USAAmerican 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-PetersonNapa ValleyNapa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |