When I pulled the cork bright blue fruit raced out of the bottle. After three hours slow ox blu fruit remains on the nose along with graphite, tight wood, some heat and clay.
Nicely balanced but fruit is more prominent with the structure a bit light, offering 10-15 sec finish. Blueberries continue to dominate along with watery blackberry and well-integrated tannins. 15 1/2% listed alcohol seems close but maybe a bit light.
I have two more bottles which I'll drink in the next three years. Disappointing QPR, would rather have two bottles of Quilceda Creek for each of these.
Decanted for 3 hours. Had a soapy smelling glass to start but got a different one. Aromas of blackberry, currant, sweet cherry and bit of earth. Not a bad nose but certainly not jumping out of the glass. Flavors of blackberry, currant, dusty berry, iron, melted chocolate and hint of earth. Ends with a long finish of 45+ seconds with mocha and black currant notes. Not hot at all even though 15.5 %. Only thing missing was the somewhat shy nose.
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I continue to be underwhelmed by the Hillside Select. Tried two bottles of the '12 with friends and we were all "okay it's good but meh". It never helps a bottle when expectations are set high and maybe this was part of the problem. The good side is that the '12 is in early drinking window and have plenty of time left. I can see this improve over time and easily last 20 years.
Well my good friend Michael and his wife came over for dinner and since he is the one that got me into collecting wine and it was also the night before my younger daughters birthday I decided to open some nice Cabernets to go with the individual beef wellingtons we were having for dinner. This bottle was opened and but not decanted 5 hours prior to dinner and poured using a vintorio. The nose was dark berries with a hint of menthol. The palate was dark berries, plums, figs, charred meat and tree bark. The finish was long. I believe it might have scored higher but it was followed by a 2014 Realm Beckstoffrer Dr. Crane and that stole the show. To all the verterans out there in Trackerville, my family and I thank you for your service.
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Intense, almost overpowering core of blueberry compote, with notes of smoky cedar, pine needles and spearmint. Too young for me; wait at least 3-5 years for next one.
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Part of a super premium night with my wine group. The 2012 Shafer Hillside Select and the 2013 Hundred Acre Few and Far Between. They were both opened and decanted for about 90 minutes before pouring. Sometimes I'm hesitant to bring such wines to a restaurant because I'm usually pop 'n pouring, but I was able to get there very early, and the restaurant supplied me with the 2 decanters, and that made a big difference. For me, it is also easy to be disappointed in such expensive and highly rated wines. I'm happy to report that both wines lived up to their reputations, and ratings. For me, the Shafer was a hair or two better than the Hundred Acre. It had a touch more structure. As well as an incredibly long finish and beautiful fruit both on the nose and palate. I think the Shafer has many years of life ahead of it. FWIW, we were 6 people and 5 of us had the Hillside as their favorite.
Premiere Napa Valley; 2/22/2023-3/25/2023 (Napa, California): Dark broody fruit, graphite, crushed stones, pencil lead, fresh earth and dark chocolate. The palate was full bodied and powerful with plenty of energy rushing through the palate. So much focus and precision throughout, I feel this might show even better in 5-10 years time. A pleasure to taste.
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3 hours to open up, saved half for day 2. Sluggish right out of the bottle , this soon showed it’s a Classic. Rich and dark, plum, blackberry, black olive, earth and gravel. Grainy tannins, fantastic tension. 97+ on second day.
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From magnum. Celebrated my parents 60th wedding anniversary. Yes that’s 60 years! That’s not a typo. Lovely nose. A little tight at first. Tannins are still very present. Dark fruits are also very vibrant. This could have benefitted from more time but still not unhappy I brought it. Everyone loved it. My mom even had 3 glasses and she never has more than one. Ultimate compliment. What a joy! Why I collect wine. To properly celebrate moments like this. 96+
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I am writing this about 3 days later...what I remember best is the amazing aroma after opening the bottle. The dark fruit and slight oak provided a air of expectation, which the wine delivered. I so enjoy this wine due to the unique flavors slightly different from a lot of the California cabs. I see some longer life in the bottle, about 8-10 years.
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One hour aeration. Concentrated, very dark and firm on the nose. Dark black fruits, black olive, bay leaf. Medium structure and acidity, the tannins are noble and punchy at the same time. Split and drank half the next day. Seemed the best glass was on the first day. The tannins cut through the fat of a well marbled rib eye steak which made the tannins more subtle and the meat superb. The relationship between fatty proteins and the tannins elevated the experience significantly. This is a wine to share and with a sizzling steak. Must try another in 6-8 months and drink up the first night. 97+/ 2022-2032
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Decanted briefly. This is really the best example of the fruit-bomb cult Cabernet I've ever tasted. Thick blackberry puree saturates the tongue, yielding to a perfectly balanced liqueur with very long finish. It's very much in the style of Caymus but oh so elegant. Fabulous on its own and with bone-in rib chop.
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This was opaque purple-black; huge body, overstuffed ripe fruit, big blackberry fruit aspect, fun, interesting, very well made but not my style. Still, enjoyed this one but many thought it was SQN. Blind Dirty Dozen TOC dinner at La Paella
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2022 Judgement of Chevy Chase (R & N's residence): Explosive nose displaying incredibly concentrated ripe black fruit, blackberry liqueur, crème de cassis, ink, dark milk chocolate, rose, lead pencil, dark spices and crushed rock. Unbelievable concentration, layers upon layers of hedonistic concentrated black fruit, opulent, rich and unctuous yet also showing beautiful balance, bright acidity, strong mineral, silky sweet tannins, and the finish that last over a minute. As expected, this is a big scale Napa cab, a textbook Shafer HHS.
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Feels a little light on the palette, probably the vintage, as I find a lot of 2012s a little lighter. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good. Just not great
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Hillside Select is always a treat because of its very wide fruit profile. I love the black and blue and even red fruit that you can typically get out of these and it definitely seems to vary a bit with the vintage. This wine seem to be dark black cherry with a hint of blackberry cassis. This particular bottle had a very delicate finish. Now it is likely the finish could have been more abrupt because the wine is just so young and hidden behind a lot of stiff oak which I did note. This one is best laying on its side in your cellar for the next couple of years.
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Decanted, wonderful nose. In the mouth it’s like drinking silk. Awesome texture and balance. Wonderful finish. Flavor profile is classic HSS. Glad I have more. Drinking well now but still very youthful. No rush here but worth a taste now.
Amazing on opening. Was struck particularly by the depth of black fruit and the wine's longevity at the finish. The tannins were fine and smooth, but I think the wine probably benefitted from a brief decant. Was not significantly poured until late in the evening, and unfortunately was a little lost in the evening's festivities. Score based on early tasting. Ready to drink now, but certainly no rush.
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Well my good friend Michael and his wife came over for dinner and since he is the one that got me into collecting wine and it was also my daughters birthday I decided to open some nice Cabernets to go with the rotisserie ducks that we were having for dinner. So i opened a 2012 Backus, a half bottle of the 2015 Quintessa and a bottle of the 2012 Hillside Select. This bottle was opened and decanted 5 hours prior to dinner. The nose was dark berries with a hint of menthol. The palate was dark berries, plums, figs, charred meat,and tree bark. The finish was long and brought out the scent of eucalyptus.
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Notes are 2.5 hours after decanting. Wine poured into the decanter a rich black purple and was fairly tight at that time.
2 1/2 hours later the nose is still closed down with faint vanilla and alcohol. Wine is fairly well integrated across the pallet, showing some deep chocolate, coffee, crushed stone and black fruit. Four hours after decanting wine is opened up and showsleather and cigar. Wish that I hadn’t finished some nice ribeyes 34 mins ago, as this is presently set to pair very well with beef. Very good, but not as complex or well layered as I found in many vintages of this wine.
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Slow ox for one day. Concentrated black fruits, good use of new oak, developing tobacco and expresso notes. Massive yet perfectly balanced in terms of acidity and high 15.5% abv. Polished tannins and lingering finish (of course it is long). Give it 5-10 more years.
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Definitely a young version of this wine but I enjoy watching these full-bodied monster cabs evolve over time. Popped and poured and let it evolve in the glass. The nose and palate were blackberry and blueberry. The silky tannins and acidity (medium +) balance this wine with a refined mouthfeel that make it extremely enjoyable. It is a very precise Napa cab that will surely change over the next decade but has tremendous charm and appeal in 2020...the 15.5% ABV are perfect for the pandemic.
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Had this with a 2012 Dana Hershey which overshadowed it. This is the first time that I had a Shafer H.S. and felt that they needed to better select the lots for this wine. Maybe they are pushing the production to increase revenue? I have been buying this wine since it's 1994 vintage. But now that they have pushed the release price to $325 I have lost my enthusiasm. I had the 2011 several times and really liked it. I expected a 100 point wine and it under delivered. Not a bad wine but not terribly interesting.
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I had my daughter and her boyfriend over for a wine & pizza night. Opened a 2016 Carter OG, 2013 Dunn Howell Mountain and a 2012 Shafer Hillside Select. It was very interesting as my daughter ranked them Carter/Shafer/Dunn, her BF had it Dunn/Shafer/Carter and I had them Shafer/Dunn/Carter. It primarily came down to a preference for sweetness, with Carter being substantially sweeter than Dunn. We slow ox’d all 3 bottles for 3 hours and drank over 3 more hours. The Carter lost a little sweetness at the very end and the HSS got very, very good at the 5 hour mark. I think the Shafer was phenomenal, but would have benefited from a few more years in the cellar.
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Was in the mood for a big Cab last night, so I broke out a 2012 Shafer Hillside Select. It’s a great vintage and with a 2 hour decant was in a perfect place. I was actually expecting a bigger in your face Napa fruit profile, but this HSS was surprisingly mellow. With silky smooth tannins, great balance and integration, the dark fruits were prominent on the nose and palate. There were notes of tobacco, spice and graphite and the finish was nice and long. A truly great wine.
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Dinner with good friend at Vauclaus in NYC - they allowed us to bring two bottles so I brought the HS and we drank it side by side with a 2012 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Las Piedras. The wine was opened 6 hours in advance and then decanted. Dark Fruit on the nose, the palate was dark berries, plums, red meat and tobacco. The finish was long. Extremely well made bottle of wine.
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California BYOB #13: young packed fruit and berries, violet, chocolate, loads of new oak. Round and smooth mouthfeel, high fruit concentration, nice acidity, hints of coffee. 8 BV.
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94 pts today... but higher score tomorrow. This is just too young to fully appreciate. Black fruits and creme de cassis, and black licorice coat every taste bud. To be honest the 2011 vintage of HSS smokes this wine at this current point. My experience with HSS is that the lesser vintages drink better young and the best vintages need more time in the cellar. This tasting experience was no exception to this rule. We even decanted it for 3 hours and that’s a long decant for me.
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Very smooth velvety body with big fruit on finish balanced with delicate tannins. Decanted a full hour but showing improvements as open time progresses. Leather mahogany and deep spice on nose. Happy Birthday Craig ����
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Birthday Dinner at The Ranch Steakhouse (Anaheim, CA): Similar to my tasting note on 7/21/17, but it has softened up a bit and shows better integration. It hits all the right notes with the interplay of earthy, mineral driven flavors and black fruit. Super dense and powerful, especially for a 2012. Classic style with good structure and great complexity. Will age about as well as 2012 possibly can.
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Slow ox for 90 minutes, then decanted over a long dinner. Drank alongside a 2015 Carter La Verdad. The Hillside had an amazing bouquet, deep dark fruits, touch of dark chocolate with very strong tannins and a lingering finish. What was really noticeable and profound was how much better the wine got over time. Initially the Carter wine was the near consensus favorite, but by the end of dinner 3 of the 4 people switched their WOTN to the Shafer. This to me indicates that the Hillside Select is a beast of a wine just scratching the surface of its potential. This was also my second 2012 over the last 9 months and I noticed a big improvement.
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Tasting: My second HS, previously the 2005, but this vintage was a lot better. Maybe this is still slightly closed, and therefore not too much yet? Make no mistake, this is a big wine, however, it is not over the edge, even if it is close. I guessed US syrah. Wonderful fruit. What to pair with this? I have no clue.
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Opaque, glass-staining, purple. Decanted for two hours. A forward and generous nose offers very ripe black fruits, smoke, char and oak spice accented with faint bits of violets and baked soil. Full bodied on the palate with diminished acidity, and a round texture that is clipped by serious alcoholic heat. The intensity here is unquestionable, but there's not much else on offer.
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Taste from table at MJs. Outstanding. Classic HS styling. Creamy and lush. Gorgeous black and blue fruit, savory elements as well as sweet spice and purple flowers. Palate is long and rich. Very young but with a two hour decant it was more than drinkable.
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Salon, Hillside Select Vertical, ZH, Bernabeleva (Our home): I liked this far more than the group I guess who had it in 6th (actually tied for 5th). The nosse has Cassis, chocolate and char on the nose. Also some spice. On the palate, it is a big wine with lots of up front cassis and tannins. It seems deep and hard to see the bottom. Delicious. Long finish. It does have a softness about it that makes it seem accessible and lacking the structure of the other wines. Many 2012's have an open quality to them but I think they will age just fine. Time will tell but I think this has a decade or more until maturity and then a couple more after that.
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On vacation with my father and brother so why not? On pnp, because we have no patience obviously, the nose was giving up nothing. In the mouth this was an amazing thrill ride. I just wanted to keep it in my mouth to let all the creamy fruitcake, licorice and sweet cassis flavors coat my entire palate. This was liquid velvet with soft and sweet tannins. The nose never really opened up and that is why I didnt rate it higher. You can sense this has the stuffing under the hood but it is so well disguised. Beautiful now but when this opens up to its full potential there is no doubt it will be a 100 pointer.
Tasted at the Estate. From the vineyards right adjacent the winery in Stags Leap district on a nice rolling hills. Bouquet of dark fruits with some mint coming through, fairly closed at this age. Palate is muscular and full body with oodles of chunkier tasty tannins, correct acidity, light notes of bell pepper however very well meshed and elegantly powerful. Oak comes through the long finish. Not exceptional but perhaps with age this wine can be something more. 95+
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This is a great wine that needs another few years (minimum) in bottle to show it's true colors. Drank alongside a 2013 Realm Dr Crane, which is better at the moment.
I gave this wine a 5 hour decant and that still wasn't enough. It is big, muscular and brawny, with a tremendous nose of minerals, forest floor, creme de cassis and blue and blackberries. It hits the pallet with a wallop, showing serious tannic grip and endless depth and concentration. In comparison to the Realm Crane, this wine was more earth driven, more broad shouldered and was still resolving more oak and integration. Interesting, since this is a 2012 and the Crane is a 2013.
Overall, this is a terrific wine. As I know from experience, this will only get better, which is the great thing about buying Shafer wines. Let these lay down for a while and you will be rewarded.
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The nose showed bright cherry, dusty spices, and airy floral perfumes. On the palate, I found soft textures with red berry that saturated the senses and became darker and spicier over time. The finish was long with tart dark red fruits, minerals and lingering sweet tannin.
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Still a bit young. I opened it for a long time friend who asked about it as they had never enjoyed HSS. Decanted for an hour before pairing it with grilled ribeye steaks. Although top notch, I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed some past vintages. As with most other 2012 Cabs from Napa, there is a ton of upfront black juicy fruits with some vanilla and a very soft structure. This will develop complexity and nuance as it ages. Very primary right now. Good finish and it paired well with the steaks.
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Tasting at the winery. This has the most amazing nose. I could have smelled it all day long. This was a big, full bodied wine. While it was drinkable now this will be much better in the future.
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Almost like a barrel sample. Big sweet red fruit aromas with real decadence. Nice sweet upfront dark red flavors and licorice. Velvety texture almost pluse. Sexy. Middle a bit compacted, but this was popped & poured, decanting clearly needed. Long mouth staining finish. Huge potential, yet a bit closed today.
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Shafer Hillside (12 & 91), Guigal La Turque, Bedrock, Fonseca ++ (Our Home): Wow. The bottle was opened at 8:00 am and served twelve years later. It could have used more time, but really needs cellaring. Luckily 2012 is a very accessible vintage. This was awesome. Cassis, pencil lead, spice, slight charcoal, slight blueberries on the nose. On the palate, amazing seamless texture. Usually wines need time to develop that seamless quality but its here now. Deep and complex and not as tight as one might expect. It has decades and more left though. Manageable if firm tannins. Long finish. Each sip makes you want more. When we got to the last few announces I announced that I would save it to try the next day. No such luck. Its empty anyway. No worries. This is expensive for sure, but it is the Lafite of Napa IMO.
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Inky in color, the wine pops with licorice, black cherry liqueur, black and blue fruit, smoke and vanilla aromatics. Fat, rich and fleshy, the wine is packed to the gills with incredibly ripe, dark berries, vanilla and chocolate. Shafer Hillside Select is one of the few, higher alcohol wines to improve with age. Give it at least 7 years and your experience should rock.
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Hillside Slect 2012 presents itself with a dark purple color. The nose is fruit forward with mild sandelwoold and cedar. It portrays fruit with black pepper, sandalwood and blackberry. The body is medium/full. The wine has a leather like texture. This year has more spice/hotness/heat than has been evident in previous vintages.
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3/30/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
When I pulled the cork bright blue fruit raced out of the bottle. After three hours slow ox blu fruit remains on the nose along with graphite, tight wood, some heat and clay.
Nicely balanced but fruit is more prominent with the structure a bit light, offering 10-15 sec finish. Blueberries continue to dominate along with watery blackberry and well-integrated tannins. 15 1/2% listed alcohol seems close but maybe a bit light.
I have two more bottles which I'll drink in the next three years. Disappointing QPR, would rather have two bottles of Quilceda Creek for each of these.
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2/17/2024 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Had a soapy smelling glass to start but got a different one. Aromas of blackberry, currant, sweet cherry and bit of earth. Not a bad nose but certainly not jumping out of the glass. Flavors of blackberry, currant, dusty berry, iron, melted chocolate and hint of earth. Ends with a long finish of 45+ seconds with mocha and black currant notes. Not hot at all even though 15.5 %. Only thing missing was the somewhat shy nose.
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1/8/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 93 Points
I continue to be underwhelmed by the Hillside Select. Tried two bottles of the '12 with friends and we were all "okay it's good but meh". It never helps a bottle when expectations are set high and maybe this was part of the problem. The good side is that the '12 is in early drinking window and have plenty of time left. I can see this improve over time and easily last 20 years.
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11/11/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
Well my good friend Michael and his wife came over for dinner and since he is the one that got me into collecting wine and it was also the night before my younger daughters birthday I decided to open some nice Cabernets to go with the individual beef wellingtons we were having for dinner.
This bottle was opened and but not decanted 5 hours prior to dinner and poured using a vintorio. The nose was dark berries with a hint of menthol. The palate was dark berries, plums, figs, charred meat and tree bark. The finish was long. I believe it might have scored higher but it was followed by a 2014 Realm Beckstoffrer Dr. Crane and that stole the show. To all the verterans out there in Trackerville, my family and I thank you for your service.
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10/23/2023 - Winedad53 wrote: 93 Points
Intense, almost overpowering core of blueberry compote, with notes of smoky cedar, pine needles and spearmint. Too young for me; wait at least 3-5 years for next one.
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10/15/2023 - Clever Wine wrote: flawed
Same as before. Pretty much a cocktail rather than a wine.
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10/14/2023 - SMHalps Likes this wine: 97 Points
Part of a super premium night with my wine group. The 2012 Shafer Hillside Select and the 2013 Hundred Acre Few and Far Between. They were both opened and decanted for about 90 minutes before pouring. Sometimes I'm hesitant to bring such wines to a restaurant because I'm usually pop 'n pouring, but I was able to get there very early, and the restaurant supplied me with the 2 decanters, and that made a big difference. For me, it is also easy to be disappointed in such expensive and highly rated wines. I'm happy to report that both wines lived up to their reputations, and ratings. For me, the Shafer was a hair or two better than the Hundred Acre. It had a touch more structure. As well as an incredibly long finish and beautiful fruit both on the nose and palate. I think the Shafer has many years of life ahead of it. FWIW, we were 6 people and 5 of us had the Hillside as their favorite.
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5/22/2023 - Isaac L wrote: 93 Points
Napa Walkabout Tasting @ Park 90 – dark berries, baritone, wood/oak present.
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3/25/2023 - wineholder Likes this wine: 93 Points
Had this one before a few years back and it was epic but I must say it is not holding up as well as I hoped drink these babies soon
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2/22/2023 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 95 Points
Premiere Napa Valley; 2/22/2023-3/25/2023 (Napa, California): Dark broody fruit, graphite, crushed stones, pencil lead, fresh earth and dark chocolate. The palate was full bodied and powerful with plenty of energy rushing through the palate. So much focus and precision throughout, I feel this might show even better in 5-10 years time. A pleasure to taste.
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2/7/2023 - Elkcims wrote: 97 Points
3 hours to open up, saved half for day 2. Sluggish right out of the bottle , this soon showed it’s a Classic. Rich and dark, plum, blackberry, black olive, earth and gravel. Grainy tannins, fantastic tension. 97+ on second day.
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12/21/2022 - tcarter Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great. Classic Napa cab profile.
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12/18/2022 - bambam Likes this wine: 96 Points
From magnum. Celebrated my parents 60th wedding anniversary. Yes that’s 60 years! That’s not a typo. Lovely nose. A little tight at first. Tannins are still very present. Dark fruits are also very vibrant. This could have benefitted from more time but still not unhappy I brought it. Everyone loved it. My mom even had 3 glasses and she never has more than one. Ultimate compliment. What a joy! Why I collect wine. To properly celebrate moments like this. 96+
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10/30/2022 - Mortgage92 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I am writing this about 3 days later...what I remember best is the amazing aroma after opening the bottle. The dark fruit and slight oak provided a air of expectation, which the wine delivered. I so enjoy this wine due to the unique flavors slightly different from a lot of the California cabs. I see some longer life in the bottle, about 8-10 years.
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10/28/2022 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 97 Points
One hour aeration. Concentrated, very dark and firm on the nose. Dark black fruits, black olive, bay leaf. Medium structure and acidity, the tannins are noble and punchy at the same time. Split and drank half the next day. Seemed the best glass was on the first day. The tannins cut through the fat of a well marbled rib eye steak which made the tannins more subtle and the meat superb. The relationship between fatty proteins and the tannins elevated the experience significantly. This is a wine to share and with a sizzling steak. Must try another in 6-8 months and drink up the first night. 97+/ 2022-2032
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10/20/2022 - SimonDong wrote: 95 Points
NYC, some sweetness
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10/6/2022 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 99 Points
Decanted briefly. This is really the best example of the fruit-bomb cult Cabernet I've ever tasted. Thick blackberry puree saturates the tongue, yielding to a perfectly balanced liqueur with very long finish. It's very much in the style of Caymus but oh so elegant. Fabulous on its own and with bone-in rib chop.
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5/5/2022 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was opaque purple-black; huge body, overstuffed ripe fruit, big blackberry fruit aspect, fun, interesting, very well made but not my style. Still, enjoyed this one but many thought it was SQN. Blind Dirty Dozen TOC dinner at La Paella
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4/21/2022 - dcwino wrote: 97 Points
2022 Judgement of Chevy Chase (R & N's residence): Explosive nose displaying incredibly concentrated ripe black fruit, blackberry liqueur, crème de cassis, ink, dark milk chocolate, rose, lead pencil, dark spices and crushed rock. Unbelievable concentration, layers upon layers of hedonistic concentrated black fruit, opulent, rich and unctuous yet also showing beautiful balance, bright acidity, strong mineral, silky sweet tannins, and the finish that last over a minute. As expected, this is a big scale Napa cab, a textbook Shafer HHS.
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4/10/2022 - Cali Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Feels a little light on the palette, probably the vintage, as I find a lot of 2012s a little lighter.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good. Just not great
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1/23/2022 - mflesh wrote:
Hillside Select is always a treat because of its very wide fruit profile. I love the black and blue and even red fruit that you can typically get out of these and it definitely seems to vary a bit with the vintage. This wine seem to be dark black cherry with a hint of blackberry cassis. This particular bottle had a very delicate finish. Now it is likely the finish could have been more abrupt because the wine is just so young and hidden behind a lot of stiff oak which I did note. This one is best laying on its side in your cellar for the next couple of years.
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12/24/2021 - Ryanh8 Likes this wine:
Great wine but definitely needs air to smooth out the edges. Very complex and powerful.
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11/20/2021 - snaff wrote: 96 Points
Wow. Incredibly rich nose of crushed berry and damp earth. Rich and full palette of brambly berries spice box and black cherry.
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10/19/2021 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 100 Points
Quite consistent to my last tasting note on 5/18/2020.
Instead of slow ox for one day, this time decanted for 3 hours. It helped smoothing out the hard edges of this beautiful wild cuvee!
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6/4/2021 - bambam Likes this wine: 99 Points
Decanted, wonderful nose. In the mouth it’s like drinking silk. Awesome texture and balance. Wonderful finish. Flavor profile is classic HSS. Glad I have more. Drinking well now but still very youthful. No rush here but worth a taste now.
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4/6/2021 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 97 Points
Amazing on opening. Was struck particularly by the depth of black fruit and the wine's longevity at the finish. The tannins were fine and smooth, but I think the wine probably benefitted from a brief decant. Was not significantly poured until late in the evening, and unfortunately was a little lost in the evening's festivities. Score based on early tasting. Ready to drink now, but certainly no rush.
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3/8/2021 - civilmatt Likes this wine: 97 Points
Whoa, this wine has everything: deep dark rich fruit, earthiness, decent acid, longggg finish. Opened for 5 hours, then 2 hour decant.
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10/31/2020 - nickle wrote: 95 Points
Great fruit, tannins showed.
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8/29/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Well my good friend Michael and his wife came over for dinner and since he is the one that got me into collecting wine and it was also my daughters birthday I decided to open some nice Cabernets to go with the rotisserie ducks that we were having for dinner. So i opened a 2012 Backus, a half bottle of the 2015 Quintessa and a bottle of the 2012 Hillside Select.
This bottle was opened and decanted 5 hours prior to dinner. The nose was dark berries with a hint of menthol. The palate was dark berries, plums, figs, charred meat,and tree bark. The finish was long and brought out the scent of eucalyptus.
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7/3/2020 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Notes are 2.5 hours after decanting. Wine poured into the decanter a rich black purple and was fairly tight at that time.
2 1/2 hours later the nose is still closed down with faint vanilla and alcohol.
Wine is fairly well integrated across the pallet, showing some deep chocolate, coffee, crushed stone and black fruit.
Four hours after decanting wine is opened up and showsleather and cigar. Wish that I hadn’t finished some nice ribeyes 34 mins ago, as this is presently set to pair very well with beef. Very good, but not as complex or well layered as I found in many vintages of this wine.
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5/18/2020 - wineappellation Likes this wine: 99 Points
Slow ox for one day. Concentrated black fruits, good use of new oak, developing tobacco and expresso notes. Massive yet perfectly balanced in terms of acidity and high 15.5% abv. Polished tannins and lingering finish (of course it is long). Give it 5-10 more years.
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5/17/2020 - Shugs_Claret Likes this wine: 98 Points
Definitely a young version of this wine but I enjoy watching these full-bodied monster cabs evolve over time. Popped and poured and let it evolve in the glass. The nose and palate were blackberry and blueberry. The silky tannins and acidity (medium +) balance this wine with a refined mouthfeel that make it extremely enjoyable. It is a very precise Napa cab that will surely change over the next decade but has tremendous charm and appeal in 2020...the 15.5% ABV are perfect for the pandemic.
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5/7/2020 - Clever Wine wrote: 91 Points
Had this with a 2012 Dana Hershey which overshadowed it. This is the first time that I had a Shafer H.S. and felt that they needed to better select the lots for this wine. Maybe they are pushing the production to increase revenue? I have been buying this wine since it's 1994 vintage. But now that they have pushed the release price to $325 I have lost my enthusiasm. I had the 2011 several times and really liked it. I expected a 100 point wine and it under delivered. Not a bad wine but not terribly interesting.
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4/23/2020 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. This is just about as good as it gets. Perfect balance and incredible depth of fruit that just goes on and on.
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4/12/2020 - bonedoc wrote: 99 Points
Dark purple and blue fruits, beguiling silky mouthfeel and sweet tannins.
Absolutely terrific!
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3/22/2020 - TXRDW wrote: 98 Points
I had my daughter and her boyfriend over for a wine & pizza night. Opened a 2016 Carter OG, 2013 Dunn Howell Mountain and a 2012 Shafer Hillside Select. It was very interesting as my daughter ranked them Carter/Shafer/Dunn, her BF had it Dunn/Shafer/Carter and I had them Shafer/Dunn/Carter. It primarily came down to a preference for sweetness, with Carter being substantially sweeter than Dunn. We slow ox’d all 3 bottles for 3 hours and drank over 3 more hours. The Carter lost a little sweetness at the very end and the HSS got very, very good at the 5 hour mark. I think the Shafer was phenomenal, but would have benefited from a few more years in the cellar.
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2/3/2020 - MM29 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Der beste kalifornische Wein, den ich je getrunken habe...trotz 15.5 % Alkohol ist da jetzt schon alles (fast) perfekt...unglaublich gut
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1/24/2020 - mstag1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Was in the mood for a big Cab last night, so I broke out a 2012 Shafer Hillside Select. It’s a great vintage and with a 2 hour decant was in a perfect place. I was actually expecting a bigger in your face Napa fruit profile, but this HSS was surprisingly mellow. With silky smooth tannins, great balance and integration, the dark fruits were prominent on the nose and palate. There were notes of tobacco, spice and graphite and the finish was nice and long. A truly great wine.
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11/10/2019 - rpenn77 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Rich dark fruit with nice long finish.
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10/22/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 95 Points
Shafer Hillside Select in Boston - Take II (Boston): Surprisingly mellow - at least compared to the 2010. Well balanced with a beautiful finish.
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10/12/2019 - twwatson100 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Three hour decant. Pencil shavings, dried blueberries and soft vanilla on the nose. Very smooth tannins; highly integrated palette. Excellent!
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10/7/2019 - Doc Shannon wrote: 100 Points
One if finest Napa wines 2012. 100 pts Robert Parker
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9/10/2019 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Showing big velvety ripe fruit up front with pencil lead, green pepper and forest floor/mushroom. Medium tannins with rich oak character.
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4/27/2019 - markcic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Dinner with good friend at Vauclaus in NYC - they allowed us to bring two bottles so I brought the HS and we drank it side by side with a 2012 Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Las Piedras. The wine was opened 6 hours in advance and then decanted. Dark Fruit on the nose, the palate was dark berries, plums, red meat and tobacco. The finish was long. Extremely well made bottle of wine.
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11/21/2018 - Doc Shannon wrote: 100 Points
RP CALL IT ONE OF WORLD'S GREATEST CABS
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9/13/2018 - Markus IWC wrote: 87 Points
California BYOB #13: young packed fruit and berries, violet, chocolate, loads of new oak. Round and smooth mouthfeel, high fruit concentration, nice acidity, hints of coffee. 8 BV.
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8/23/2018 - Rsds5105 wrote: 94 Points
Tight ..but getting better
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6/6/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
94 pts today... but higher score tomorrow. This is just too young to fully appreciate. Black fruits and creme de cassis, and black licorice coat every taste bud. To be honest the 2011 vintage of HSS smokes this wine at this current point. My experience with HSS is that the lesser vintages drink better young and the best vintages need more time in the cellar. This tasting experience was no exception to this rule. We even decanted it for 3 hours and that’s a long decant for me.
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5/28/2018 - LR Wine Guy wrote:
Shea center
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5/22/2018 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 96 Points
My only bottle...….it very well might improve, but the overall experience was good enough that I do not regret drinking it a little early.
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5/11/2018 - jdtonic Likes this wine: 95 Points
Too early, but delicious. 95-96.
Hit like a freight train —or 2001/2013 Napa Cab.
No notes. Improved over eight hours.
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3/21/2018 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very smooth velvety body with big fruit on finish balanced with delicate tannins. Decanted a full hour but showing improvements as open time progresses. Leather mahogany and deep spice on nose. Happy Birthday Craig ����
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2/16/2018 - bortender Likes this wine: 93 Points
Notes of blackberry and currant. Will be great in 10 years.
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2/2/2018 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Birthday Dinner at The Ranch Steakhouse (Anaheim, CA): Similar to my tasting note on 7/21/17, but it has softened up a bit and shows better integration. It hits all the right notes with the interplay of earthy, mineral driven flavors and black fruit. Super dense and powerful, especially for a 2012. Classic style with good structure and great complexity. Will age about as well as 2012 possibly can.
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12/25/2017 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine with nice depth and soft tannins making it hard to resist now.
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12/19/2017 - TXRDW wrote: 99 Points
Slow ox for 90 minutes, then decanted over a long dinner. Drank alongside a 2015 Carter La Verdad. The Hillside had an amazing bouquet, deep dark fruits, touch of dark chocolate with very strong tannins and a lingering finish. What was really noticeable and profound was how much better the wine got over time. Initially the Carter wine was the near consensus favorite, but by the end of dinner 3 of the 4 people switched their WOTN to the Shafer. This to me indicates that the Hillside Select is a beast of a wine just scratching the surface of its potential. This was also my second 2012 over the last 9 months and I noticed a big improvement.
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12/14/2017 - Sundbyberg wrote: 96 Points
Tasting: My second HS, previously the 2005, but this vintage was a lot better. Maybe this is still slightly closed, and therefore not too much yet? Make no mistake, this is a big wine, however, it is not over the edge, even if it is close. I guessed US syrah. Wonderful fruit.
What to pair with this? I have no clue.
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10/12/2017 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
Opaque, glass-staining, purple. Decanted for two hours. A forward and generous nose offers very ripe black fruits, smoke, char and oak spice accented with faint bits of violets and baked soil. Full bodied on the palate with diminished acidity, and a round texture that is clipped by serious alcoholic heat. The intensity here is unquestionable, but there's not much else on offer.
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8/17/2017 - beezer6 wrote: 96 Points
Taste from table at MJs. Outstanding. Classic HS styling. Creamy and lush. Gorgeous black and blue fruit, savory elements as well as sweet spice and purple flowers. Palate is long and rich. Very young but with a two hour decant it was more than drinkable.
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8/2/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 99 Points
Salon, Hillside Select Vertical, ZH, Bernabeleva (Our home): I liked this far more than the group I guess who had it in 6th (actually tied for 5th). The nosse has Cassis, chocolate and char on the nose. Also some spice. On the palate, it is a big wine with lots of up front cassis and tannins. It seems deep and hard to see the bottom. Delicious. Long finish. It does have a softness about it that makes it seem accessible and lacking the structure of the other wines. Many 2012's have an open quality to them but I think they will age just fine. Time will tell but I think this has a decade or more until maturity and then a couple more after that.
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7/31/2017 - jsiegler10 wrote:
Could use another 5 years but still wonderful. Decanted for 2 hours with no regrets.
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7/23/2017 - WineForRob wrote: 97 Points
On vacation with my father and brother so why not? On pnp, because we have no patience obviously, the nose was giving up nothing. In the mouth this was an amazing thrill ride. I just wanted to keep it in my mouth to let all the creamy fruitcake, licorice and sweet cassis flavors coat my entire palate. This was liquid velvet with soft and sweet tannins. The nose never really opened up and that is why I didnt rate it higher. You can sense this has the stuffing under the hood but it is so well disguised. Beautiful now but when this opens up to its full potential there is no doubt it will be a 100 pointer.
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7/22/2017 - farinas Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted at the Estate. From the vineyards right adjacent the winery in Stags Leap district on a nice rolling hills. Bouquet of dark fruits with some mint coming through, fairly closed at this age. Palate is muscular and full body with oodles of chunkier tasty tannins, correct acidity, light notes of bell pepper however very well meshed and elegantly powerful. Oak comes through the long finish. Not exceptional but perhaps with age this wine can be something more. 95+
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7/21/2017 - Cristal2000 Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is a great wine that needs another few years (minimum) in bottle to show it's true colors. Drank alongside a 2013 Realm Dr Crane, which is better at the moment.
I gave this wine a 5 hour decant and that still wasn't enough. It is big, muscular and brawny, with a tremendous nose of minerals, forest floor, creme de cassis and blue and blackberries. It hits the pallet with a wallop, showing serious tannic grip and endless depth and concentration. In comparison to the Realm Crane, this wine was more earth driven, more broad shouldered and was still resolving more oak and integration. Interesting, since this is a 2012 and the Crane is a 2013.
Overall, this is a terrific wine. As I know from experience, this will only get better, which is the great thing about buying Shafer wines. Let these lay down for a while and you will be rewarded.
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5/9/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose showed bright cherry, dusty spices, and airy floral perfumes. On the palate, I found soft textures with red berry that saturated the senses and became darker and spicier over time. The finish was long with tart dark red fruits, minerals and lingering sweet tannin.
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4/8/2017 - wmccone54 wrote: 95 Points
Still a bit young. I opened it for a long time friend who asked about it as they had never enjoyed HSS. Decanted for an hour before pairing it with grilled ribeye steaks. Although top notch, I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed some past vintages. As with most other 2012 Cabs from Napa, there is a ton of upfront black juicy fruits with some vanilla and a very soft structure. This will develop complexity and nuance as it ages. Very primary right now. Good finish and it paired well with the steaks.
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4/6/2017 - RayT Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasting at the winery. This has the most amazing nose. I could have smelled it all day long. This was a big, full bodied wine. While it was drinkable now this will be much better in the future.
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2/11/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 95 Points
Almost like a barrel sample. Big sweet red fruit aromas with real decadence. Nice sweet upfront dark red flavors and licorice. Velvety texture almost pluse. Sexy. Middle a bit compacted, but this was popped & poured, decanting clearly needed. Long mouth staining finish. Huge potential, yet a bit closed today.
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1/22/2017 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 100 Points
Shafer Hillside (12 & 91), Guigal La Turque, Bedrock, Fonseca ++ (Our Home): Wow. The bottle was opened at 8:00 am and served twelve years later. It could have used more time, but really needs cellaring. Luckily 2012 is a very accessible vintage. This was awesome. Cassis, pencil lead, spice, slight charcoal, slight blueberries on the nose. On the palate, amazing seamless texture. Usually wines need time to develop that seamless quality but its here now. Deep and complex and not as tight as one might expect. It has decades and more left though. Manageable if firm tannins. Long finish. Each sip makes you want more. When we got to the last few announces I announced that I would save it to try the next day. No such luck. Its empty anyway. No worries. This is expensive for sure, but it is the Lafite of Napa IMO.
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11/5/2016 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 94 Points
A Matter of Taste (Meritage Resort & Spa Napa, CA): 93-94: Needs time
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9/19/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Inky in color, the wine pops with licorice, black cherry liqueur, black and blue fruit, smoke and vanilla aromatics. Fat, rich and fleshy, the wine is packed to the gills with incredibly ripe, dark berries, vanilla and chocolate. Shafer Hillside Select is one of the few, higher alcohol wines to improve with age. Give it at least 7 years and your experience should rock.
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6/26/2015 - Pitch_n wrote: 89 Points
Hillside Slect 2012 presents itself with a dark purple color. The nose is fruit forward with mild sandelwoold and cedar. It portrays fruit with black pepper, sandalwood and blackberry. The body is medium/full. The wine has a leather like texture. This year has more spice/hotness/heat than has been evident in previous vintages.
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2/20/2015 - GTFreek wrote:
Blind tasted amongst 71 Napa cabs. Fruit forward but big, better than '11 or '10. Hold now, but not too long and enjoy when it's ready in 3-10 years.
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