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Red
1994 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
Cabernet Sauvignon
- USA
- California
- Napa Valley
- Stags Leap District
Label borrowed from 1995
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Label borrowed from 1998
Community Tasting Notes 110
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shafer1994 Likes this wine: 100 points
April 8, 2024 - Unbelievable wine! Still young after 30 years! My fourth bottle, and the best: deep, deep dark color, supercomplex nose. On the palate an explosion of dark fruit accompanied by chocolate, vanilla, coffee, tobacco and an overlay of wonderful sweetness. And additional layers of cedar, sandalwood, exotic spices…. Depth and freshness plus power (14% alc only…) Very long, elegant and silky finish. A legend! Will enjoy winelovers for another decade!
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Bimal Likes this wine: 95 points
August 13, 2023 - Phenomenal balance and structure. Holding like a first growth. Great nose, body, fruit, balance and finish. Lots of black fruit, very soft and mellow tannins, phenomenal balance and structure. Mental, still has that cedar wood but very subtle. Seems like it still has a decade in it, no sense of any cracking even on edges.
1 person found this helpful Comment -
dpolzien Likes this wine: 94 points
June 28, 2023 - A revenge selection to make up for a cancelled flight, this was quite fun to drink. Held up great over 2 days. A bit of a musty nose at first, but opened up to show some dried floral notes. Still a bit of dark fruit on the palate with a hint of iodine. While this still has plenty of tannins and structure for longer aging, can't see this getting much better from here. Drink now with a couple hour decant.
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shafer1994 Likes this wine: 99 points
April 8, 2022 - Via Coravin, no decant. Deep red color. Very complex nose. Not the same Superman show than 3 years ago: the wine developed more secondary notes and additional Bordeaux-like elegance, more deepness. On the palate a wonderful harmony of very present mostly dark fruit and very ripe and silky tannins creating an opulence and decent power that ends in an incredible long finish. Power, elegance and complexity in a marvelous balance. This is the stuff why wine drinkers like me love Californian Cabernet! World class!
1 person found this helpful Comment -
jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 points
October 5, 2021 - Very good.
1 - 5 of 110
More notes
Pro Reviews 7
Add a Pro ReviewVinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
Vertical Tasting of Shafer’s Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (Jul 2016), 7/1/2016 (link)(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Napa Valley) Subscribe to see review text.
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By Stephen Tanzer
Horizontal Tasting of Napa Valley’s 1994 Cabernets (Jul 2015), 3/1/2015 (link)(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap) Subscribe to see review text.
JancisRobinson.com
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By Jancis Robinson, MW
6/2/2003 (link)(Shafer, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Red) Subscribe to see review text.
Vinous
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By Stephen Tanzer
May/June 1998, IWC Issue #78 (link)(Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District) Subscribe to see review text.
RJonWine.com
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By Richard Jennings
9/9/2012 (link) 93 points(Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select) Opaque red violet color; ripe black fruit, black olive, black plum nose; tart black plum, black olive, mineral, light herb palate; medium-plus finish 93+ points
Rockss and Fruit
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By Lyle Fass
9/19/2005 (link)(Shafer Hillside Select) This was pretty thin and closed. Nothing special.
RJonWine.com
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By Richard Jennings
5/25/2003 (link) 92 points(Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select) 1994 Cali Cabs Blindtasted (Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bryant, Araujo, Abreu, Shafer HS) (Skirball Center, Los Angeles, California): Reticent, warm berry nose; nice entry, medium-bodied, cassis palate with resolved tannins; short-medium finish 92+ pts.
Wine Definition
- Vintage 1994
- Type Red
- Producer Shafer
- Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
- Designation Hillside Select
- Vineyard n/a
- Country USA
- Region California
- SubRegion Napa Valley
- Appellation Stags Leap District
- UPC Code 013528400023
Community Holdings
- Pending Delivery 16 (1%)
- In Cellars 758 (53%)
- Consumed 651 (46%)
Food Pairing
No food pairings available.
Who Likes This Wine
100% Like It 19 votes
More About This Wine
Articles
- ProducerShafer
- VarietyCabernet Sauvignon
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionNapa Valley
- AppellationStags Leap District
Add Articles
- Wine1994 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (add)
- FamilyShafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (add)
- ProducerShafer
- VarietalCabernet Sauvignon
- DesignationHillside Select (add)
- CountryUSA
- RegionCalifornia
- SubRegionNapa Valley
- AppellationStags Leap District