This was nearly opaque, dark brooding, and still a baby; Pretty powerful, still a good dose of oak showing, slightly sweet compared to the Heitz Martha's, well put together for sure but somewhat over-extracted and oaky for my taste. Went well with the steak. Musso & Franks Eric B-day.
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The cork failed but the wine passed with flying colors. Dark purple, viscous, full bodied cab with lovely aromas of tobacco and vanilla, big cherry, blackberry, and cassis flavors, decadent long finish. A friend baked savory chocolate sourdough bread, which we ate with cheese and sipped this wine. Divine
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Beat the '91 Heitz: Heavily extracted with dark purple fruit, unintegrated oak with a huge dose of vanilla on the nose. Absolutely zero finesse in this wine. 8/8.
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Wine and BBQ Dinner (At home in leafy West London): Big wine - ready to go I think but lots of life ahead of it. Of all the wines we drank last night - this is the one I wish I'd been able to concentrate more on - it's always a little difficult to balance hosting with contemplative wine appreciation...but as far as I can recall - it has the classic cali cab cigar box / pencil lead nose, tons of presence but not overbearing, really good stuff.
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We decanted this wine and drank over 2-3 hours. Blue fruits, mocha, and vanilla initially; developing earthy and herbal notes with more time. Still some tannin left, and medium acidity. Excellent weight and balance with a long finish. An opulent, delicious Napa cabernet. I suspect this will continue to hold for 2-3 more years.
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Drank this at Wine Loft in Pikesville alongside some other fantastic cabs including a 2007 Quilceda Creek and a 2008 Dunn Vineyards. All were drinking marvelously. The Shafer in my mind came in 2nd to the Quilceda among the cabs. Color was dark without any bricking. The nose was wonderful with leather and herbs. Dark fruit and berries and a hint of chocolate on the palate. We drank over 2 hours, so more air might have been even better. There was still plenty of structure, so 5 more years wouldn't hurt, and more air time wouldn't have hurt but with 6 of us tasting, the wines didn't last that long (and we didn't have that much time). WA gave this a 93+. We all agreed that 97-98 was probably a better range. This is truly a superb wine.
Definitely changed after a 3 hour decant and later drinking into the night. Still had alcohol and tightness after initial decant. Another hour outside in the decanter, the nose became really expressive with dark fruit, blueberries, earthier nose with mint and herbal notes that leads to notes of licorice, leather, graphite with a superb finish. Could easily have another 5 years of life on it. 96+
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First couple hours open had some alcohol and awkwardness on it. After that it became earthy, super deep and complex. Notes of mature fruits, mulberry, leather, graphite. After 2+ hours open it really shows it’s true colors. This has 5+ years left in it at a minimum. Outstanding. 96+
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Oh dear me. Didn't even need decanting. Lots of raspberry and cherry right up front, tar and some licorice on the finish. A little tanning but not too much. Probably opened it at the perfect time.
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Shafer Hillside Select in Boston - Take II (Boston): This was an odd one. When I smelled the bottle I got strong notes of TCA and wrote it off as corked. Once poured, however, there was no trace of it. Medium-to-big fruit. Still young.
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Pulled out for anniversary. Drinking beautifully! Still had nice deep color, aroma was fantastic. Perfectly balanced, subtle flavor all the way around. Dark cherry, chocolate, blackberry, licorice... excellent. Long finish, and nose/finish stayed strong over several hours. One of all-time favorites. Been saving this since release. Wish I would not have sold the other 6 that I had purchased at the time.
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Last of 3 recently acquired bottles. Similar notes to my early June and May 2019 tastings. I let it breathe for 1.5 hrs then drank over Drank over 3 hrs. Enjoyed most of bottle on day 1. If you're holding I'd drink sooner rather than later.
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PnP what a great showing for 1999- tastes like a decade younger. Loved it- of the aged Napa wines we drank this was my favorite (some preferred the 2001 Chateau Montelena)
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Similar notes to my May 2019 tasting. Drank over 3.5 hrs. Lots of cherry on the nose. Good (but not elevated) acidity. Enjoyed most of bottle on day 1.
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14.9% ABV. Aged four years prior to release (three years in new Alliers and Tronçais oak barrels and one year in the bottle). I tried to let it breathe for an hour but ended up drinking about 30 minutes in. Didn't need much more time. Drank over 4 hours. Still big and ripe. Lots of black cherry. Powerful, but still has good (but not elevated) acidity. A modest amount of drop off on day 2, so (if you can) enjoy on day 1.
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Intense ruby edge with a deep (almost black) red core. Aromas of cassis, vanilla, sharpie pen, raspberry jam, coconut, any more emerge as this opens. Pure silk on the palate with tannin that just cheap up on the finish. Acidity is low to medium, enough to keep things fresh. The finish is crazy long. If I tasted this blind I’d probably guess 2009 or so. It’s incredibly young even at almost 20 years old. A wonderful wine. Cheers to the absolute legend, John Shafer.
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Stupendous wine. Decanted for 1 hr, but it continued to improve in the glass over the next few hours. Wonderfully balanced, great fruit presence with oak, leather and other subtle influences that just make this wine special. Great mouth feel and a long enjoyable finish left me wanting more. It is in a perfect spot now, and should easily hold its own for the next 2-3 years. Solid 97.
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Still young and quite vibrant, showing wonderful full fruit and depth through the palate, developing nice complexity but not close to showing its age, evolved well in the glass over 60+ minutes, should continue to improve with time in the cellar.
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Saved this bottle to share with my family at thanksgiving. Pop and pour, not decanted. Strong color, not really bricking yet. Resolved tannin, concentrated dark berry nose, rich but dry with foresty, minty elements in the background that added interest. Well stored bottles should be in a good place and ready for enjoyment. I don't see this wine getting any better. Excellent.
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Blackcurrant, molasses, aniseed, cedar. Super-intense flavours, without heaviness. Very satisfying with lingering flavours and sense of weight and depth. Drink or hold. (94 Excellent wine)
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Decanted for two hours before we tried it. Spicy ripe berry with menthol on the nose, with slight vanilla from the oak. Initial flavor of cinnamon, red berries, oak and oregano with just enough stewed fruit that lets you know that this is a 20yo Napa cab. Sill has the acidity tart and tannin to hold up to the sweetness of the fruit. Only got better in the glass over the evening Very balanced and enjoyable
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Regular dinner group (By EM @ Bottles): Concentrated and deep bouquet with smoke, cigar box and beautiful dark berries. On the palate the same luxurious impressions, juicy acidity, sweet spices, soft acidity and tannin. A very tempting wine.
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Drank at Phoenix family trip. My last bottle of this vintage. Sorry I wimped out and only bought a pair that year. Classic Shafer Hillside, drinking at or near a plateau, that it will maintain for years. Goes without saying to decant for as long as you can wait. Enjoy.
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Thats Entertainment !!! 2 h decant ! All you re looking for in a big red ! Dark fruits , structure, freshness, sweet but not too much , all kinda herbs and minty stuff, loooong finish. This is pure hedonism !!! Drink or hold.
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Wow is this intense. Next to an '04 Abreu it is clear this is in a very different style. It's pretty intense. All out. Tasty, but more in that hedonisitic way that makes you remember what it was like to be a kid. Very dark blackberry. Maybe some brambly. Would love to see it in like 10 or 15 more years when it's had time to tame down.
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Pop and pour brought into a restaurant; previously coravin'd 2 years ago. Black cherry, cassis, heavy leather, caramel on the nose. Elegant approach and mouthfeel; medium weight. Tobacco, cigar, BlackBerry, dark plum. Shows nice layering but lacking the depth of some HSS, I'm guessing at this point due to age. An outstanding wine still within its drinking window though on the back end of it. My last bottle and consumed at a good time.
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Decanted about 40 minutes, great nose and dark red color. It feels well balance and still life ahead, I don't think it will keep on improving but can last another decade or more.
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Powerful wine, still with plenty of life. Firm structure, bright acid, dried berry aroma and flavor. Smoke and tar on the long finish. A bit hot (alcohol-wise) but not over the top. A great wine.
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Lovely nose of berries and vanilla leads to a rich wallop on the palate with some prune flavors added in - but not much complexity or persistence culminating in a short unsatisfactory finish
For the record, there is not much perceptible heat from the 14.9% alcohol
Overall, this comes across as a touch too ripe and uninteresting for a nearly $300 wine retail
An easy drinking, not particularly complex or long, fruit forward red that might be a good accompaniment to a juicy burger that you are grilling should just plain not cost that much
Definitely not one for idle quaffing and contemplation
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I may be understating how good this was since it was served after some extremely good aged Bordeaux's but I had been anxious to try this after many years. Clean opening and decanted for 2 hours before trying. It's still a big wine in every sense with a nose of creosote and tar with some menthol peaking through. The palate was consistent with earth and brambly fruit coming through. I would like to try this again in a couple of years and I sense this is ready to blossom into a more expressive wine having shed its baby fat.
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Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Slightly subdued nose of berries, cherries and plums. Rich flavors of berries, raspberries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Kleur: Diep opaak donker rood. Aroma / bouquet: Bij een proeverij tussen Bordeaux-stijl wijnen uit de oude wereld versus de nieuwe wereld zou deze wijn gemakkelijk herkend kunnen worden als een (meer dan excellente) Napa Cabernet. Heerlijk en verleidelijk bouquet. Zoet donker fruit, zoethout, vanille, potloodslijpsel!, ontbijtkoek. Smaak / Afdronk: Zachte zuurgraad, enorm geconcentreerd maar verleidelijk, boterig zachte, zachte en tegelijkertijd krachtige tannnines. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Shafer Hillside Select heeft me nog nooit teleurgesteld. Geweldige, verleidelijke en verfijnde wijn! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 95/100
Google Translate:
Color: Deep opaque dark red Aroma / bouquet:. In a tasting between Bordeaux-style wines from the old world vs. new world this wine could easily be recognized as a (more than excellent) Napa Cabernet. Delicious and tempting bouquet. Sweet dark fruit, licorice, vanilla, pencil shavings !, Gingerbread. Taste / Finish: Soft acidity, enormously concentrated but seductive, buttery soft, gentle yet powerful tannnines. Impressively long finish. General / potential: Shafer Hillside Select has never disappointed me. Great, seductive and sophisticated wine! 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Taste / Finish: 18 + General / potential: 9 = 95/100
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We loved this wine. It came out roaring with fabulous fruit, great bouquet, deep, dark purple; what a pleasure. We had this with a light pasta from Eataly, with fresh tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and grated Parmesan. Fantastic. This is a wine to enjoy.
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Served from Magnum. Decanted over 2 hours before enjoying. This is (still) everything you want a Shafer Hillside Select to be. Upon the nose, still a great depth here with initial complex aroma of deep dark cherry fruit, casis, nose of tobacco, leather with a hint of chocolate and coffee. The cedar still hints at some oak & black cherry. The dark fruit was present on the initial palate, just a few playful tannins and great legs and structure to the wine. This wine is in pefect harmony between sweetness and tannins with enough acidity left to keep for another 10 to 12 years. You are safe to open and enjoy or hold magnums for another 15 years.
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Coravin pop and pour. Nothing detailed but this showed modest firmness to its structure and great dark fruit flavors. Next to a '99 Insignia (which had been Coravin'd into a stem 3 hrs earlier) this was the clear winner, both comparing out of the Insignia bottle and when the Insignia had been exposed to air for 3+ hours. Definitively shows as New World in structure, flavor and layering.
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Options 1/8/2015 - I LIKE THIS WINE: (Edit) 92 Points I was expecting more after 15 years in the cellar. It's still a good bottle of wine, but the fruit seems a bit less, there was a bit more mineral tones, though the color was great, and there was no sediment on the cork coming out. My expectations were too high. I'll try the magnum next to see if there is a difference.
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Dark ruby with purple core. Nose of dark fruit with additional aromas of wood, spices and some earthy tones. On the palate full bodied but not over the top. There is a clear Napa sweetness here but it remains balanced and fresh. I really like this style as it keeps the wine “available” to also go well with food. A great hillside.
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Higher End Domestic Cabs (Edina Country Club, MN): Fruit forward with blackberries, blueberries and cherry. Palate picks up underbrush and cedar. A big wine still in its infancy. Should age another 15 years. First pour a little more enjoyable than the second.
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High End Napa Cabs - Blind (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): Very dark purple red color, no apparent bricking. PNP, drank 2 glasses, the first glass blind, over 3 hours. This showed some typical Shafer character upfront, black and blue fruit, savory, roasted meat. The palate has ample glycerin, full body, good concentration, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, very big, wood spice, wood, a bit of heat, long finish. This improved some with time in glass. Still seems young, but where will it go over the long haul...
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Cabernet Sauvignon at C's: Herbs, spices and earth. Some oak. Good structure balancing the fruit nicely, later revealed almost 15% alcohol not noticeable, medium tannins, medium + finish. Would give it another year or two for the oak to integrate further. 93+
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A typical Wednesday evening in Sydney: Tobacco, blueberry, kirsch and blackcurrant aromas form the nose. Based on the aromas I thought this would be all about richness on the palate, but it has a great sense of compact density rather than mouth coating fruit. There is a great spark of minerality that gives it drive and brightness. Great now but I think it will improve further over the medium term.
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Had before dinner, not with food. Beautiful nose but too much grape and not a strong finish as I expect from Shafer HSS. Although it got better with time (2 hours) it just really put a wow on me at all. Disappointing in relation to what I expect from Shafer.
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Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Gorgeous, modern nose of big smokey black fruit, vanilla and toast. Palate is richly fruited with dark cherries accented with herb and tobacco leaf. There is nice freshness and balance given the scale.
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Enjoyed at Next Restaurant - Chicago Steakhouse Menu Decanted over 3.5 hours before enjoying. This is everything you want a Shafer Hillside Select to be. When opened had a very in depth, complex aroma of deep dark cherry fruit, casis, nose of tobacco, leather with a hint of chocolate and coffee. Really enjoyed the cedary nose with just a hint of oak, black cherry. The dark fruit was present on the initial palate, just a few playful tannins and great legs and structure to the wine. This wine is in pefect harmony between sweetness and tannins with enough acidity left to keep for another 10 to 12 years. It is drinking very well now and was a great companion to the flannery dry aged ribeye served at Next.
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drank next to a 06 Futo and a 07 villa del lago (del dotto). I enjoyed this the most. nose of tobacco, graphite, red fruit. really smooth and full in the mouth; long finish with supple tannins. So glad I saved this for so long and thought it was really at its prime. a very beautiful california cab that ages well.
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Football & Domestic Cabs @ Howard's 2013 (Old Greenwich, CT): Pop and pour. An excellent Hillside, but perhaps not as plush as other vintages I've had. This is a bit stern, with the fruit taking a slight backseat to the structure. Very nice minerality, but I think this needs air or more cellar time to soften the tannins... I just hope the fruit holds up.
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Still in great shape, the Hillside Selects never disappoint. Nice cedary nose and great dark fruit on the palate. Wonderful with rack of lamb. Still has plenty of life in it. Wonderful wine.
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Birthday Celebration (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Brief note. Fat black fruit starting to lose its freshness, so the heat is starting to protrude on finish. Still drinking nicely but its best days are in the past.
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Shafer Hillside Select Vertical Tasting (Switzerland): 1999! A vintage that never disappointed me. Much more affordable than the 1997 and 2001, 2002 but very close in quality. Over the past two years I purchased many California Cabs out of this "forgotten" vintage. Very few of the 1999 have disappointed me yet.
The Hillside shows a deep, intensive garnet red. In the nose a plethora of ripe red berries and currant with hints of grapefruit (?). Nice harmony between sweetness, tannins and acidity. Easy to drink. Lots of berries, chalk and chocolate. I expect this wine to get better in a few more years. Drink until 2030.
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If fighters are judged on a pound for pound basis, perhaps wines should be looked at on a point for dollar basis. If we use that scale for high end, California Cabernet Sauvignon, it's hard to see any other wine topping Shafer Hillside Select. This had everything I seek in Cab based wines; complex aromas with fresh blackberries, licorice, earth and a touch of oak, rich, lush textures and a long, fresh, ripe, balanced finish that made me want to taste it again and again. Served with a rare steak, I was loving it!
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Uncorked but not decanted, and allowed to rest for 2.5 hrs prior to following. dark purple with slight bricking on the edge lots of rich black cherry, vanilla, lightly-toasted oak, and a hint of hazelnut paste on the nose. Dark fruit and faint oak present on the palate, faint tannins and adequate structure and backbone to last for many more (7+) years. Well-balanced and in a very good place now.
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Decanted. Poured after almost an hour. Still tightly knotted flavor. Dense, peppery almost sharp. Beautiful deep color. Over the next two hours, began to soften and open. Fruit and leather tones began to emerge. Wound up really enjoying this wine. Not as complex as I hoped, but maybe if we had waited even longer for it to open.
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Inky black color. The nose was a bit light, but the deep dark fruit flavors more than made up for it. Noticeable but integrated tannins. A real winner.
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Had this along with an '08 Cos d'Estournel. Both were slow oxed for a little over two hours and drunk over three hours. The Shafer had a great nose at first but noticeable heat on the back palate. Towards the end do the evening and wine, the Cos pulled away with the typical Bordeaux nose and soft, silky finish. A couple of my other buddies agreed the Cos started out slow but pulled away in the end.
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Impressively dense and packed....defintely a huge wine, with enough structure to not come across as syrupy, etc. Actually relatively "in balance". However, it's so dense/impenetrable that it's difficult to discern any particularly specific (or, for that matter enjoyable) flavors--it's a black hole, with layers of coffee, black fruits, and wood tannins. Good, but not easy to drink...
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Simply an amazing wine. Had it for our NYE dinner and it was great on it own and with food. Competed and complimented the Château Cos d' Estournel that our friends brought to the dinner. Easily in my top 10 all time bottles.
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Great nose of deep, dark fruits that filled the general area. Palate was plush and full. Good balance of fruit and some acidity. Seems like at least another year and it'll be even better.
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Now we're talking! With a beautiful perfume packed with smoke, ripe blackberry, cherry, licorice and an array of spices, the wine is rich, deep, powerful and balanced. Polished tannins and layers of ripe fruits make this a treat to taste. It' s drinking great today. I own a few bottles and do not see any hurry to drink this wine.
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Blue black fruit. Initial impression is of Garigue almost. Huge, large scaled, very ripe fruit. Luckily there are no prunes and the oak is in check. Any precociousness this thing had as a baby seems to be covered up by a lifeless wall of firmness and middlingness.
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Dinner for my personal anesthesia team (Our house. Denver, CO): Decanted 4 hours. Very dark reddish purple. Nose featured deep cassis with a dose of toasted oak, vanilla. Rich and penetrating dark berries from the outset on the palate. It finishes this way as well. Complex in the sense that it was quite rich and smooth in texture, but there was complementing structure as well. Great length. Good, but not as perfectly matched to the food as the Le Serre Nuove.
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Dark red/purple core, dark red rim. Intense nose of cassis, coffee, toasty oak. Full-bodied, layers of rich ripe fruit, well-integrated oak, good balance, smooth tannins, flavors follow the nose, long finish, has many years to go. Outstanding/extraordinary.
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Danny's wine. He decanted it for an hr before traveling to Bazaar. Took another 2 hrs to reveal itself. Restrained bouquet, but rich succulent Cab that has another 20 years to go. Long, long finish!
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Yowza. Pretty ripe and full, both in fruit and alcohol. 14.9%. Throwing a bit of sediment. Not bashful by any means, with ripe fruit, chocolate, truffles, black cassis. Super silky tannins, yet they are extremely long lasting.
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Epic Wine Dinner at Bourbon Steak (Washington DC): Big, plush, ripe black fruits, followed by sweet licorice, brown sugar, and lavender. An exceptional Napa Cab, showcasing all that ripe California wine has to offer. Very gulpable.
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Popped and decanted, drank over a few hours at dinner with filet and scallops. Surprisingly light, with soft if non-existent tannins. Finish lasted forever, which was suprising given how delicate it was in the mouth. Balance was impressive. Very, very nice bottle.
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pop and decanted; drank over 2 hrs or so; beautiful nose immediately prominent. Dark fruits, bit of caramel, with an underlying pleasant warmth. Great thick legs on the glass. Nice palate with dark fruits, minerals, kirsch and a bit of earthiness. Tannins are solid and supporting nicely. Good finish of 40 secs or so. Excellent wne and frankly of the vintages ive tried (92, 95 and 01) the best for my tastes.
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STG does California Cabernet (Seattle): served blind the nose was steeped in caramel, it felt gooey, almost like dessert. I was very hesitant to drink it, suspecting an over-oaked mess. However, the palate was amazing. Not the thick, gooey mess I feared, but firm tannin, pure blackberry fruit and an oaky signature that did not overwhelm. A lovely bottle, though for my palate, the Dominus was the winner.
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Opened several hours before consuming. WOW, filled the room with aroma immediately. This is my first "Hillside" and makes me wish I had bitten the bullet and purchased more. The nose seemed to be as integrated as the wine itself. Black fruits predominant at first with a background of powered graphite lingering in the background. Great mouthfeel, a very balanced wine with a 20-30 second finish.
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A beautiful bottle of wine from start to finish. Double decanted before taking to Capital Grille, where upon opening I think the neighboring tables could catch a whiff of its graphite, black currant and brambly aromas. A great wine!
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Decanted 2 hours. Deep violet. Dark berries, kirsch, licorice and espresso on the nose. Just short of heavy weighted fruit, with good penetration and minerally tannins. Lacked the overt complexity/layering/length I've noted with other vintages, but this still seems a bit wound tight and fruit-laden (was beginning to open more on the final glass - hour 5). Other than dust on the bottle, not showing much age at all.
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A huge Cab. The aroma filled the room, and the flavor was amazing. Plenty of tannin for quite a few more years of aging, but why wait when it blows you away now.
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After having the 2001 SHS on Thursday and it showing as It did which was good, just not great I was happy to peek in on this one. It had soem real pure black fruits with some kirsch and cola, but there was some real evident vanilla as well. usually I can deal with oak, but sometimes it is so noticeable, I have to call it out: This was a bit oaky. It had nice mouth-feel and purity with some pretty floral notes. I think this has not fully resolved, but tannins on this night we in check and well behaved. Some good acidity and a longish finish completed this nicely, I just wanted....more, so shoot me.
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Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Slightly hot nose of dried herbs, Kirsch, pepper, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums framed over a slightly clipped finish. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now? Hold? Perhaps it'll resolve a bit with more time in body. I'd most likely hold a little longer and retry again.
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Medium-deep cherry color. Alcohol completely dominates throughout. This was another disappointing Hillside. Might have shown better with a very lengthy decant, but unlikely. Kindly shared by Jose. No score.
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I'm just not impresed with this for the price. It would make a really nice $35 Cab. As said below the oak and vanilla is way out front. I opened my btl about 2 hours before we drank it and ended up splash decanting it beween two decanters about 5 times in an attempt to coax the fruit to the front and beat the oak into submission. There is real lack of complexity here and in its place is size and power. The anti finesse wine. Glad this is my last blt and happy to free up a cellar bin. Should have flipped it but curiousty got the better of me. Plus my wife still likes it.
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Great wine, but still rather young. Big and bold with vanilla oak and brooding dark fruit. Nice complexity and still possesses ample tannins at its age. Should have a bright future ahead of it. I'm looking forward to checking back in with one in 2-5 years.
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Tastes like a ..... Hillside Select. Massive. Big. Huge. Lots of oak and vanilla. Having said that, pretty well balanced, getting to a decent age where it is coming together. A bright future. Would just like to see more than fruit and vanilla.
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Deep dark color, nose of dark cassis with light oak, spice notes that changed over time to reveal layers. Taste is bold and massive this wine will age for many more years
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Fantastic. This is a very big HSS. Lots of tannins but they are soft enough. Tons of fruit, expresso.. finish goes on forever. Loved it. At home with Ron, lamb chops.
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Drank for my 56th at Aria. Blew everyone away. The essence of Napa Valley Cabernet. Rich fruit. Deep. Complex. Peppery backbone. Lingers forever. Intoxicating. Yes intoxicating. If there was more in this world there would be more addicts. Very young. Can't wait til next time.
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Decanted 2hrs, Intense aromatic nose of dark fruit, smoke, and a minty note. Very rich on the palate, with blackberry, coffee, minerals and mint. Very smooth long finish. Outstanding cab drink nicely now with many years left.
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Decanted for an hour. Truly a gem. Incredible nose of black fruit and earth. Aged enough to have mellowed and eased into its graceful, elegant true nature. Smoky and syrupy in the mouth and finishing long and strong. Really a great wine.
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Nose is of mint, or a mint lake, and slight olive. This wine is cool, cool, cool, with hints of slight green cocoa and sweet paprika, complex and FLUID, and didn't seem anywhere near the 14.9% alcohol the label touted. There are no rough edges here, but plenty of backbone, my wife said it is just continuous in the mouth, and I think that is a good description.
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nose - raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, tea mouth - complex dark berry at its core, yet well balanced, and with serious back end acidity. it has considerable life ahead. Reminded me a bit of 2005 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace - a pure and beautiful creation - it is what it is, not hiding behind any make-up or anything like that. You know like the kind of deal where you look up red wine in the dictionary and there is a picture of the 1999 Shafer Hillside Select. Prototypical. I would like to try another bottle. Possibly merits a higher score. If cheaper I'd buy it by the case.
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One of the best wines I've had in many years, certainly comparable with Pride, Scarecrow, and others. Decanted for only about 30 minutes - probably would have benefited from a few hours. Perfect on the nose, nice blend of tannins and fruit. This could age for 10 to 15 more years on the bottle, no question. The wine of the year so far.
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Dad opened this for my birthday. This was my first Shafer Hillside and I was impressed. Drinking wonderfully right now. Extremely well made, with no hard edges. Great mouthfeel and long finish.
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Wolfang's in BH. Really lovely. Bigger than a lot of HS. Strong iron / copper penny component at first. Fruit grew as the dinner went on. Also more sediment than typcial.... seems like a more extracted HS than usual. Drank young. Definitely a 30 year wine. Try again in 3-5 years minimum.
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Still young, this deeply colored, corpulent mouthful of dense, juicy, ripe fruit offers everything a great California wine needs. Massive amounts of intense, black fruit are found in every sip. The long, clean, pure finish is a delight to taste. Everything in this wine is in perfect balance.
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89;84. Had with the 03 IX Estate. HSS was the winner. Beautiful looking, rich, thick. Started out a bit hard but softened and put on weight. Rich, fat and well structured. Intense black currant, Asian spices, brambly, big flavors, licorice. Aftertaste has huge licorice (the dark, burnt tasting Australian licorice), black currant, long, sweet and delicious.
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Deep garnet color leads to a nose of currant and sweet saddle leather. Round full body is seemless with blackberry, dark cherry, candied plum, vanilla, and a hint of tobacco. Finish lasts 60 seconds. I did not notice any raisin others have. Intersting comparing this to a 2000 Matriarch which contained more chocolate and upfront fruit but lacked some of the complexity and seemlessness of the HSS.
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Full bodied, robust. Nose is just full of licorace and blackberry. Huge nose. Such a large spectrum to the nose. Very easy to drink. Raisins at finish. Finish lingered for a bit. Paired with Colorado Lamb.
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No rating. Had this after a 987 Margaux and a 1996 Monbosquet. Compared to the others, this seemed very one dimensional and somewhat disappointing. To be fair, there was no decant time (not one available at this restaurant). To be honest, I expected more.
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Consumed in Bonaire w/ 2 2lb Porterhouse from Mr Flannery . Sublime . Big wine w/ chocolate , dark fruits , leather ,yea it has got it going on . The finish was outstanding . My last bottle & I enjoyed it the most .Consumed w/ a 1997 Monte Bello , two very different wines . Shafer was massive the Monte Bello was more elegant but no sloach in the group
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12/06/08: The color alone makes you say WOW it is so deep, dark and brooding. The nose is huge with black fruit, oak, flowers vanillia, and ripe blueberry. The flavors hit you in waves of varying tastes and intensity: dark fruit, chocolate, raisin, mineral, lots of Blueberry, currant, dark raspberry, vanilla and tobacco notes tar and cedar. The wine is full bodied, layered, balanced with big fruit, good depth, andand lush tannins and intensity. It is voluptuous. The finish goes on forever with no one taste or sensation predominant, its kinda like a flashback. Still enough touch of dryness in the tannins that the wine should soften and become more nuanced and interesting for several decades.
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Deep dark color and nose of oak and vanillian. This is no doubt a leaner style of Cabernet with brooding fruit...perhaps due to the vintage. Not sure if this will improve but it's highly likely. Enjoable now but I would wait a couple of years to open another one.
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Was very excited to try this again. The nose is packed with ripe, black fruits, cedar, and subtle mineral notes. Blueberry grips the palate giving way to currant, dark raspberry, vanilla and tobacco notes. The wine is just arriving to the party- drinking great right now as the fruit is really starting to emerge and take center stage. I’d expect this to peak in 2011-2013, but have enough structure to last another 10 years or more. Hands down one of the best California Cabernet’s I’ve had. Just a nice, balanced wine with big fruit, good depth and complexity. If you’re offered a chance to try this, or can afford the bottle, it’s a must-try. foodandwineblog.com
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This is really amazing stuff. The dark fruits combined with tar and cedar notes just continuously pump out flavor that lingers in the mouth. This will probably continue to improve for another few years before it peaks.
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1990s Shafer Hillside Select Vertical (The Cellar Master's Lair (Somers, CT)): Will be interesting to see if this evolves similarly to the 92...but at any rate, an impressive close to an amazing lineup of HSS. Still pretty primary, with a packed mouthfeel, dense aromas of black fruits, plums, and smoke. Slightly confected perhaps, but should shake out as the riveting tannins integrate with age... a baby on this night, with lots of promise. [Group placement 7/8]
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wonderful wine still tannic so it will more time to age before i open another one. lots of fruit, long linger and good even taste. i will wait until 09 for anotehr.
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Dark ruby color with tinged edge. Decanted for 2 hrs then drank for 2 hours. Black and red currant nose. Impressive balance on the palete from the start. Before diinner glass smooth and fruity. Held up beautifully through the grilled steak meal. Fantastic cab. Only one left of this vintage wich I will hold for a while. Should expand its range in a couple years but you cant go wrong now. Drink and enjoy!
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Way too young... Extremely tannic and acidic. Expensive $250 lesson on buying restaurant wine (what, no decanting at a Cape May restaurant know for its wine list!). Ended up taking this home in the hope that some time and air would tame it, but never opened up. You could detect the quality, but couldn't get past the acidity. Would only consider this again if I could decant on my own for hours...
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Why did I pop this, when a year ago I said not to touch it until 2010......Decanted for 4 hours (extreme tannins and an herbal taste for the first several hours) and drank for 2 hours. Color was deep purple, nose was bitter mocha, sweet "hot" fructose, no discernable fruit smells....VA???? The nose was not a plus. The taste was dark berry/currant coffee grinds (in a pleasant sense) with noticeable tannins. The finish was actually spectacular, 45 seconds with the mocha berry staying with me until the end. I am not knowledgable to judge a drinking window, but based on this showing, as well as, the showing from 14 months ago, I will let my others rest for another 2 years before revisiting.
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The Wine Summit: Shafer Hillside Select - Saturday, June 2, 2007 - 10:45 A.M. (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise, AB): Dense, dark black/purple with a thin pink rim; spicy aromas – sweet black currant, and short sniffs brought forth some smoky vanillan oak; creamy texture – round and rich; hugely concentrated berry fruit; harmonious structure – very full but seamless in the mix of flavours; liked the acidity and the soft tannins are presently riding under the black currant fruit; finish is full of harmony and one is left eager for the next sip. Very fine.
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Strong VA on nose that never fully blew off. Disappointing. Mouthfeel better, and finish lived up to the hype. This bottle was stored from initial purchase from the winery at 55 degrees. Odd.
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DEEP BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH HINTS OF LICORICE AND CHOCOLATE. NICE COMPLEXITY, KEPT IMPROVING FOR 3-4 DAYS AFTER OPENING. VERY LONG FINISH.
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I like this wine very much. Wish I have more to taste. Somewhat softer nose and sweeter than the 1997. Hedonistic and good length. It will age for a long time but I find myself keep going back to this wine throughout the evening.
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Fruit liqueur in nose, weight and palate. Big, voluptuous and too readily gave its charms, which ultimately were rather simple. No denying its pleasure impact with steaks.
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Shafer Hillside Select Vertical (Zealous - Chicago, IL): Deep dark ruby with aromas of dark fruits, currants and spice. Medium weight on the palate. Focused fruit. Well made, polished with good length. But lacking complexity and interest, relatively speaking. 5+12+16+7=90
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Dark purple; Primary cabernet velvet in a bottle (or decanter...). This wine had beautiful fruit in a balanced, concentrated package. The consensus was that this wine was drinking extremely well albeit in a primary fashion. The potential and track record are in place for this wine. [Decanted 45 minutes with improvement; our next bottle in ~2 years if we find a place to hide these]
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Restaurant bottle - Decanted for about 30 minutes, bottles consumed over 2 hours. Just a great wine that continued to improve as the night went on. Would give at least 3 hours in the decanter if the time were available. Just soft and smooth with all the proper elements. Elegant wine, with just enough fruit to let you know it's a CaliCab.
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Final note on the 99 HHS. Improvement at 6.5 hours. Evident tannins, but the dark berries and plum stained with charred mocha are shining through. Finish is getting longer, roughly 45 seconds of memories of the sip. As I said before, based on this bottle (and only this bottle), I will revisit in 3 years +++. Tons of potential, wonderful structure, and I can't wait to try again in 3+ years.
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f you like 'em young and fruit forward, but with enough kick in the pants to make you think you're not a girly man, then start chuggin' this beauty. a best of the vintage. decant it, and then use the biggest, heaviest bottle on earth to smack away offline thugs trying to get a second pour.
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our table, corked bottle. replacement opened. so, right out of the bottle, this really sings. all of the harlan, plus the lush fruit. how do they do that? highly recommended.
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triple decanted in about 10 minutes then consumed out of reidel vinum bordeaux stems.
this bottle fell victim to a night full of wine and my desire for chris to try a shafer hillside select. needless to say this wasn't the best tasting situation and this wine needs many upon many more years based on the 92 i had the night before.
this was much different then the 1st bottle i had shortly after it was released.
14.9% alcohol!!! well if that's so, then i'm not sure where elias put it. this wine was so dark purple it was almost opaque. it was almost as pleasing to look at as it was to drink. the nose was an explosive bombardment of ripe stag's leap fruit. an unreal amount of black fruits, currants and blackberries, pencil shavings, subtle oak, menthol and vanilla of course. the nose was so intense i almost felt my nose hairs come out. on the palate it seemed to have tons of everything with it all it in perfect balance. creme de cassis, spice box and a slight bit of cocoa. with a wall of tannin and the fruit to match, along with a nice level of acidity i can see this wine doing nothing but bringing years of joy to anyone lucky enough to have secured a nice stash.
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Tasted at Beltramo's with Doug Shafer in attendence. Per Beltramo's the wine was poured into the glasses about 1 hour prior to tasting. All vintages (1995-2001) appeared to me to be the same color due to the lighting which was a red purple color.
Similar nose to the 1998, a celery root or some similar cooking spice on the nose with a dusty taste. Unfortunately, my notes disappear after this...
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Through the Decades in Burgundy - A Taste for Life 2005 (San Francisco CA): Tasting. Decanted, open several hours before I tasted. Beautiful nose shows dark fruit and spice. Flavors unfold showing tastes of black currant, black cherry. Still rather tannic but not at all unbalanced or inaccessible. Wonderful length. Give this more time, I'd think it will show better 2010 or later.
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Dinner at Rim Rock Cafe (Whistler, BC): I called ahead to order this and have it decanted 90 minutes before arrived, a serious wine geek move, even for me. Liqueur of Napa! Man oh man, this stuff rocks. Tightly wound even with 2.5 hours in a decanter, this has a soaring nose of cassis and cranberry, so pure. The palate is powerful and intense, so fantastically liqueur like, seamless yet also surprisingly brooding and black with dark chocolate and a hint of tar. This is still very youthful and a bit drying on the back end with loads of stuffing to let it age gracefully for many years to come. I need to track some more of this elixir down for the cellar!
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decanted 2 hours. just fantastic, deep cassis, cedar, clove, lots of earth, touh of blueberry, great midpalate with an integrated finish that went on and on. possesses great spine and structure, built to last but still irresistible now.
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Black on black. nose revealed caramel, rhubarb, and expresso. Gorgeous. the palate was like a left hook to the jaw. huge attack of cassis, steak spice, minerals, red currant, tar, and menthol. Oh so complex but still too young, there is so much depth here - and its all tightly wound buffered by a ripe tannic backbone. this wine is fantastic, give it 2-3 yrs to show its fighting form. just an amazing cabernet, one of the best I've had this year.
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Steaks at the Metropolitan Grill (Seattle, WA): This was clearly the best wine of the evening although not necessarily for current consumption. Powerful, focused, loaded with nice acidity, a laserbeam of cassis, cranberry and mineral. This is tight yet still offering so much at a young age. Give it time, but wow what a serious winner!
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California 'cult' lunch at Spago with Leve (Los Angeles, CA): Wowza, this was my #2 wine of the tasting. The nose shows raspberry with slightly vegetal elements, maybe a bit of olive. On the palate this is absolutely freakin' pure and intense, liqueur-like, seamless, endless, palate coating, very grippy yet with gorgeous texture. Wow, this has to be one of the best wines of the 1999 California vintage.
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2004 WS Wine Experience: Shafer HSS Vertical (Hyatt Regency, Chicago): Earlier in the morning, an Italian winemaker compared his wine to Sophia Loren. Inspired by this, Elias called the 1999 his “Tina Turner wine”, since it is “big, dark, full-bodied, and voluptuous.” Inky dark color. This wine was chewy, plush, ripe, and balanced. I loved it. Should drink well for at least another decade or more. My #3 favorite.
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4 Blind Cabernet-Based Wines (Dan's House): Second time tasting this wine in a week! The wine gods are smiling. Managed to nail this one blind among four Cabernet based wines from smell alone. As soon as my nose was in the glass, I knew this was the '99 HSS. Showed very much the same as my last note (happily no bottle variation). Most in the group liked this very much and picked it as either the #1 or #2 wine. A couple people noted that though they liked/loved the wine, they thought it would partner poorly with food - the same comment I had made a week earlier.
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Delyap's Killer '99 Cabathon (An unnamed, very hospitable restaurant): This was one of the big boys. Super ripe nose. Smooth entry on the palate. Classic cassis, black fruit and plums. Superfine tannins. On its own, an excellent wine - gorgeous. A notch below the '97 HSS. However, I must say that this wine did not really match any of the food through the whole night. A show pony only?
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More along the lines of a 'fruit bomb' than any of the other California Cults, it was beautifully balanced and structured and the fruit was intriguing and inviting and pleasing rather than being off-putting. Terrific wine.
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Tasted at the Vitis Vinifera and jonnlisa dinner in Denver on Sunday, December 28, 2003.
Tasted double blind by most tasters.
This wine was decanted upon arrival at the restaurant, and tasted maybe two to three hours later.
A contender for WOTN for me. This big, young, fruity cab had a nose of eucalyptus with bing and dark cherry. On the palate, it somewhat resembled an Aussie shiraz in style, if not flavor profile. Dark currant, black berries and other dark fruit, vanilla oak, and minerals lead to a very long finish. The tannins are noticeable, but sweet and do not detract from the enjoyment of this wine. My rating is 96 points.
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Tasted at the Shafer Vineyards mailing list party. Tasted this one right after a number of other classic vintages and it blew them all away (although the 2001 was even better). Intense, complex with a long long finish.
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2/25/2024 - VINVM Likes this wine: 94 Points
prime
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1/11/2024 - peternelson Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was nearly opaque, dark brooding, and still a baby; Pretty powerful, still a good dose of oak showing, slightly sweet compared to the Heitz Martha's, well put together for sure but somewhat over-extracted and oaky for my taste. Went well with the steak. Musso & Franks Eric B-day.
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4/10/2023 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
The cork failed but the wine passed with flying colors. Dark purple, viscous, full bodied cab with lovely aromas of tobacco and vanilla, big cherry, blackberry, and cassis flavors, decadent long finish. A friend baked savory chocolate sourdough bread, which we ate with cheese and sipped this wine. Divine
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3/24/2023 - melvinyeowq wrote: 80 Points
Beat the '91 Heitz: Heavily extracted with dark purple fruit, unintegrated oak with a huge dose of vanilla on the nose. Absolutely zero finesse in this wine. 8/8.
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1/8/2023 - Wineshington wrote: 91 Points
Decanted but did not need much time to open. Ready to drink, has reached a plateau.
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11/12/2022 - madmaxcmd wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic bottle. Drank with two friends who are new to this wine. Opened, poured and enjoyed over 3 hours. Drink now.
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8/13/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Wine and BBQ Dinner (At home in leafy West London): Big wine - ready to go I think but lots of life ahead of it. Of all the wines we drank last night - this is the one I wish I'd been able to concentrate more on - it's always a little difficult to balance hosting with contemplative wine appreciation...but as far as I can recall - it has the classic cali cab cigar box / pencil lead nose, tons of presence but not overbearing, really good stuff.
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7/24/2022 - GA wrote:
7/22- finish unresolved but intergrated with fruit - 10year lay down. 94pts.
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7/9/2022 - ZionWino Likes this wine: 94 Points
We decanted this wine and drank over 2-3 hours. Blue fruits, mocha, and vanilla initially; developing earthy and herbal notes with more time. Still some tannin left, and medium acidity. Excellent weight and balance with a long finish. An opulent, delicious Napa cabernet. I suspect this will continue to hold for 2-3 more years.
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12/12/2021 - AP MD Likes this wine: 97 Points
Drank this at Wine Loft in Pikesville alongside some other fantastic cabs including a 2007 Quilceda Creek and a 2008 Dunn Vineyards. All were drinking marvelously. The Shafer in my mind came in 2nd to the Quilceda among the cabs. Color was dark without any bricking. The nose was wonderful with leather and herbs. Dark fruit and berries and a hint of chocolate on the palate. We drank over 2 hours, so more air might have been even better. There was still plenty of structure, so 5 more years wouldn't hurt, and more air time wouldn't have hurt but with 6 of us tasting, the wines didn't last that long (and we didn't have that much time). WA gave this a 93+. We all agreed that 97-98 was probably a better range. This is truly a superb wine.
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9/25/2021 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 97 Points
Gorgeous perfect balance, warm spices and complex long finish.
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3/27/2021 - Strile wrote: 98 Points
Incredible. Worth the wait.
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10/15/2020 - jdrhyne Likes this wine: 96 Points
Definitely changed after a 3 hour decant and later drinking into the night. Still had alcohol and tightness after initial decant. Another hour outside in the decanter, the nose became really expressive with dark fruit, blueberries, earthier nose with mint and herbal notes that leads to notes of licorice, leather, graphite with a superb finish. Could easily have another 5 years of life on it. 96+
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10/15/2020 - ajrez Likes this wine: 96 Points
First couple hours open had some alcohol and awkwardness on it. After that it became earthy, super deep and complex. Notes of mature fruits, mulberry, leather, graphite. After 2+ hours open it really shows it’s true colors. This has 5+ years left in it at a minimum. Outstanding. 96+
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9/22/2020 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 96 Points
What a beautiful wine; dark fruit, smooth tannins, endless palate; excellent balance.
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8/9/2020 - 818wines Likes this wine: 94 Points
An hour in the decanter definitely helped. Beautiful once it opened up.
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2/8/2020 - RobbieD68 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Oh dear me. Didn't even need decanting. Lots of raspberry and cherry right up front, tar and some licorice on the finish. A little tanning but not too much. Probably opened it at the perfect time.
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1/19/2020 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Nose: 92 Palate: 92-93
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1/1/2020 - Frank Schneider wrote: 95 Points
Not as stellar as my last bottle, but a huge wine with rich and roundness. Herbal touch and a loong finish.
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12/20/2019 - Eric wrote:
Eastside Tasting Group End of Year Extravaganza (Newcastle, WA): Lovely. Liqueur of Cabernet. But just way, way too much alcohol and oomph, especially following incredible flights of Bordeaux.
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11/27/2019 - Choop wrote: 95 Points
very good
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10/22/2019 - mattiasjansson wrote: 93 Points
Shafer Hillside Select in Boston - Take II (Boston): This was an odd one. When I smelled the bottle I got strong notes of TCA and wrote it off as corked. Once poured, however, there was no trace of it. Medium-to-big fruit. Still young.
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9/7/2019 - Fookonson65 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Pulled out for anniversary. Drinking beautifully! Still had nice deep color, aroma was fantastic. Perfectly balanced, subtle flavor all the way around. Dark cherry, chocolate, blackberry, licorice... excellent. Long finish, and nose/finish stayed strong over several hours. One of all-time favorites. Been saving this since release. Wish I would not have sold the other 6 that I had purchased at the time.
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6/23/2019 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 96 Points
Last of 3 recently acquired bottles. Similar notes to my early June and May 2019 tastings. I let it breathe for 1.5 hrs then drank over Drank over 3 hrs. Enjoyed most of bottle on day 1. If you're holding I'd drink sooner rather than later.
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6/7/2019 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP what a great showing for 1999- tastes like a decade younger. Loved it- of the aged Napa wines we drank this was my favorite (some preferred the 2001 Chateau Montelena)
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6/4/2019 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar notes to my May 2019 tasting. Drank over 3.5 hrs. Lots of cherry on the nose. Good (but not elevated) acidity. Enjoyed most of bottle on day 1.
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5/18/2019 - mdvillaverde Likes this wine: 96 Points
14.9% ABV. Aged four years prior to release (three years in new Alliers and Tronçais oak barrels and one year in the bottle). I tried to let it breathe for an hour but ended up drinking about 30 minutes in. Didn't need much more time. Drank over 4 hours. Still big and ripe. Lots of black cherry. Powerful, but still has good (but not elevated) acidity. A modest amount of drop off on day 2, so (if you can) enjoy on day 1.
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3/3/2019 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Intense ruby edge with a deep (almost black) red core.
Aromas of cassis, vanilla, sharpie pen, raspberry jam, coconut, any more emerge as this opens.
Pure silk on the palate with tannin that just cheap up on the finish. Acidity is low to medium, enough to keep things fresh. The finish is crazy long.
If I tasted this blind I’d probably guess 2009 or so. It’s incredibly young even at almost 20 years old. A wonderful wine. Cheers to the absolute legend, John Shafer.
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2/24/2019 - Marsman Likes this wine: 97 Points
Stupendous wine. Decanted for 1 hr, but it continued to improve in the glass over the next few hours. Wonderfully balanced, great fruit presence with oak, leather and other subtle influences that just make this wine special. Great mouth feel and a long enjoyable finish left me wanting more. It is in a perfect spot now, and should easily hold its own for the next 2-3 years. Solid 97.
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1/11/2019 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still young and quite vibrant, showing wonderful full fruit and depth through the palate, developing nice complexity but not close to showing its age, evolved well in the glass over 60+ minutes, should continue to improve with time in the cellar.
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12/28/2018 - daved Likes this wine: 99 Points
Big, balanced, dark fruits, oak and spice. Slow ox'd 5 hours and 2.5 hour decant at restaurant.Memorable
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11/27/2018 - fisk15 wrote: 98 Points
Saved this bottle to share with my family at thanksgiving. Pop and pour, not decanted. Strong color, not really bricking yet. Resolved tannin, concentrated dark berry nose, rich but dry with foresty, minty elements in the background that added interest. Well stored bottles should be in a good place and ready for enjoyment. I don't see this wine getting any better. Excellent.
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11/9/2018 - G.M. wrote: 94 Points
Blackcurrant, molasses, aniseed, cedar. Super-intense flavours, without heaviness. Very satisfying with lingering flavours and sense of weight and depth. Drink or hold. (94 Excellent wine)
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8/11/2018 - Kevnzworld Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for two hours before we tried it.
Spicy ripe berry with menthol on the nose, with slight vanilla from the oak.
Initial flavor of cinnamon, red berries, oak and oregano with just enough stewed fruit that lets you know that this is a 20yo Napa cab.
Sill has the acidity tart and tannin to hold up to the sweetness of the fruit.
Only got better in the glass over the evening
Very balanced and enjoyable
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4/22/2018 - Diane (LI) wrote:
Dark fruit and big tannins. Impressive and delicious, but at 14.9% alcohol, it was a bit much.
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1/13/2018 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Regular dinner group (By EM @ Bottles): Concentrated and deep bouquet with smoke, cigar box and beautiful dark berries. On the palate the same luxurious impressions, juicy acidity, sweet spices, soft acidity and tannin. A very tempting wine.
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12/28/2017 - levinml wrote: 95 Points
Drank at Phoenix family trip. My last bottle of this vintage. Sorry I wimped out and only bought a pair that year. Classic Shafer Hillside, drinking at or near a plateau, that it will maintain for years. Goes without saying to decant for as long as you can wait. Enjoy.
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11/28/2017 - Frank Schneider wrote: 97 Points
Thats Entertainment !!! 2 h decant ! All you re looking for in a big red ! Dark fruits , structure, freshness, sweet but not too much , all kinda herbs and minty stuff, loooong finish. This is pure hedonism !!! Drink or hold.
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10/6/2017 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wow is this intense. Next to an '04 Abreu it is clear this is in a very different style. It's pretty intense. All out. Tasty, but more in that hedonisitic way that makes you remember what it was like to be a kid. Very dark blackberry. Maybe some brambly. Would love to see it in like 10 or 15 more years when it's had time to tame down.
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5/7/2017 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Pop and pour brought into a restaurant; previously coravin'd 2 years ago. Black cherry, cassis, heavy leather, caramel on the nose. Elegant approach and mouthfeel; medium weight. Tobacco, cigar, BlackBerry, dark plum. Shows nice layering but lacking the depth of some HSS, I'm guessing at this point due to age. An outstanding wine still within its drinking window though on the back end of it. My last bottle and consumed at a good time.
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4/19/2017 - gteran76 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted about 40 minutes, great nose and dark red color. It feels well balance and still life ahead, I don't think it will keep on improving but can last another decade or more.
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4/2/2017 - GA Likes this wine: 94 Points
4/17 Strong finish - unresolved tannins - good fruit slightly overpowered by finish. extend drinking window to at least 2030. 94 pts.
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12/25/2016 - dabigcat Likes this wine: 100 Points
Absolute perfection.
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10/14/2016 - Cosmo M. Likes this wine: 96 Points
Powerful wine, still with plenty of life. Firm structure, bright acid, dried berry aroma and flavor. Smoke and tar on the long finish. A bit hot (alcohol-wise) but not over the top. A great wine.
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9/12/2016 - Smooth Jazz wrote: 88 Points
Lovely nose of berries and vanilla leads to a rich wallop on the palate with some prune flavors added in - but not much complexity or persistence culminating in a short unsatisfactory finish
For the record, there is not much perceptible heat from the 14.9% alcohol
Overall, this comes across as a touch too ripe and uninteresting for a nearly $300 wine retail
An easy drinking, not particularly complex or long, fruit forward red that might be a good accompaniment to a juicy burger that you are grilling should just plain not cost that much
Definitely not one for idle quaffing and contemplation
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8/6/2016 - g-man Likes this wine: 93 Points
I may be understating how good this was since it was served after some extremely good aged Bordeaux's but I had been anxious to try this after many years. Clean opening and decanted for 2 hours before trying. It's still a big wine in every sense with a nose of creosote and tar with some menthol peaking through. The palate was consistent with earth and brambly fruit coming through. I would like to try this again in a couple of years and I sense this is ready to blossom into a more expressive wine having shed its baby fat.
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7/29/2016 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! Intense and still young. Dark fruit and solid tannins and a long long finish.
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4/13/2016 - wineismylife wrote: 94 Points
WIML94
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Slightly subdued nose of berries, cherries and plums. Rich flavors of berries, raspberries, cherries and plums. Medium acidity, medium tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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3/17/2016 - liveoak97 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Cork came out in crumbles. I thought this bottle may have been diminished but it was absolutely sublime. Vanilla and cake batter all day.
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2/27/2016 - ckinv368 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Earthy, full of leather and white pepper. Delicious effort. Dark red fruit. Cooked red dark fruit.
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12/7/2015 - McKraftyWino Likes this wine: 95 Points
very nice with a wee bit chewy fruit which will benefit from a few more years of aging
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9/21/2015 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 45 minutes. Wonderful with no sign of decline.
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9/11/2015 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 95 Points
Kleur: Diep opaak donker rood. Aroma / bouquet: Bij een proeverij tussen Bordeaux-stijl wijnen uit de oude wereld versus de nieuwe wereld zou deze wijn gemakkelijk herkend kunnen worden als een (meer dan excellente) Napa Cabernet. Heerlijk en verleidelijk bouquet. Zoet donker fruit, zoethout, vanille, potloodslijpsel!, ontbijtkoek. Smaak / Afdronk: Zachte zuurgraad, enorm geconcentreerd maar verleidelijk, boterig zachte, zachte en tegelijkertijd krachtige tannnines. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Shafer Hillside Select heeft me nog nooit teleurgesteld. Geweldige, verleidelijke en verfijnde wijn! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 95/100
Google Translate:
Color: Deep opaque dark red Aroma / bouquet:. In a tasting between Bordeaux-style wines from the old world vs. new world this wine could easily be recognized as a (more than excellent) Napa Cabernet. Delicious and tempting bouquet. Sweet dark fruit, licorice, vanilla, pencil shavings !, Gingerbread. Taste / Finish: Soft acidity, enormously concentrated but seductive, buttery soft, gentle yet powerful tannnines. Impressively long finish. General / potential: Shafer Hillside Select has never disappointed me. Great, seductive and sophisticated wine! 50 + Color: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Taste / Finish: 18 + General / potential: 9 = 95/100
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8/19/2015 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 95 Points
A shade below Phelps Insignia but still over the top.
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4/18/2015 - Agreenblatt wrote: 92 Points
This one was a bit past its peak.
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3/26/2015 - woofy Likes this wine: 95 Points
We loved this wine. It came out roaring with fabulous fruit, great bouquet, deep, dark purple; what a pleasure. We had this with a light pasta from Eataly, with fresh tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and grated Parmesan. Fantastic. This is a wine to enjoy.
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1/18/2015 - charleshetzel wrote: 97 Points
Served from Magnum. Decanted over 2 hours before enjoying. This is (still) everything you want a Shafer Hillside Select to be. Upon the nose, still a great depth here with initial complex aroma of deep dark cherry fruit, casis, nose of tobacco, leather with a hint of chocolate and coffee. The cedar still hints at some oak & black cherry. The dark fruit was present on the initial palate, just a few playful tannins and great legs and structure to the wine. This wine is in pefect harmony between sweetness and tannins with enough acidity left to keep for another 10 to 12 years. You are safe to open and enjoy or hold magnums for another 15 years.
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1/10/2015 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin pop and pour. Nothing detailed but this showed modest firmness to its structure and great dark fruit flavors. Next to a '99 Insignia (which had been Coravin'd into a stem 3 hrs earlier) this was the clear winner, both comparing out of the Insignia bottle and when the Insignia had been exposed to air for 3+ hours. Definitively shows as New World in structure, flavor and layering.
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1/8/2015 - woofy Likes this wine: 92 Points
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1/8/2015 - I LIKE THIS WINE: (Edit) 92 Points
I was expecting more after 15 years in the cellar. It's still a good bottle of wine, but the fruit seems a bit less, there was a bit more mineral tones, though the color was great, and there was no sediment on the cork coming out. My expectations were too high. I'll try the magnum next to see if there is a difference.
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11/6/2014 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Dark ruby with purple core. Nose of dark fruit with additional aromas of wood, spices and some earthy tones. On the palate full bodied but not over the top. There is a clear Napa sweetness here but it remains balanced and fresh. I really like this style as it keeps the wine “available” to also go well with food. A great hillside.
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11/2/2014 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 94 Points
Higher End Domestic Cabs (Edina Country Club, MN): Fruit forward with blackberries, blueberries and cherry. Palate picks up underbrush and cedar. A big wine still in its infancy. Should age another 15 years. First pour a little more enjoyable than the second.
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11/2/2014 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
High End Napa Cabs - Blind (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): Very dark purple red color, no apparent bricking. PNP, drank 2 glasses, the first glass blind, over 3 hours. This showed some typical Shafer character upfront, black and blue fruit, savory, roasted meat. The palate has ample glycerin, full body, good concentration, blackberry, cassis, blueberry, very big, wood spice, wood, a bit of heat, long finish. This improved some with time in glass. Still seems young, but where will it go over the long haul...
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10/31/2014 - pavel_p Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cabernet Sauvignon at C's: Herbs, spices and earth. Some oak. Good structure balancing the fruit nicely, later revealed almost 15% alcohol not noticeable, medium tannins, medium + finish. Would give it another year or two for the oak to integrate further. 93+
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10/11/2014 - Ronfeldman wrote: 97 Points
3 hour decant. Huge with a long finish. Glad I still have 5 more!!
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6/25/2014 - CamWheeler wrote: 93 Points
A typical Wednesday evening in Sydney: Tobacco, blueberry, kirsch and blackcurrant aromas form the nose. Based on the aromas I thought this would be all about richness on the palate, but it has a great sense of compact density rather than mouth coating fruit. There is a great spark of minerality that gives it drive and brightness. Great now but I think it will improve further over the medium term.
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5/24/2014 - vinodonpedro Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fantastic nose, long finish. big and bold. very shafer, very HS.
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4/14/2014 - napasoutherner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Had before dinner, not with food. Beautiful nose but too much grape and not a strong finish as I expect from Shafer HSS. Although it got better with time (2 hours) it just really put a wow on me at all. Disappointing in relation to what I expect from Shafer.
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3/29/2014 - robertek wrote: 98 Points
Outof a magnum this was absolutely spectacular and in a perfect drinking window. A nose to die for.
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3/20/2014 - Nanda Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wines that Charles loves (Cafe Pyrenees): Gorgeous, modern nose of big smokey black fruit, vanilla and toast. Palate is richly fruited with dark cherries accented with herb and tobacco leaf. There is nice freshness and balance given the scale.
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2/23/2014 - charleshetzel Likes this wine: 97 Points
Enjoyed at Next Restaurant - Chicago Steakhouse Menu
Decanted over 3.5 hours before enjoying. This is everything you want a Shafer Hillside Select to be. When opened had a very in depth, complex aroma of deep dark cherry fruit, casis, nose of tobacco, leather with a hint of chocolate and coffee. Really enjoyed the cedary nose with just a hint of oak, black cherry. The dark fruit was present on the initial palate, just a few playful tannins and great legs and structure to the wine. This wine is in pefect harmony between sweetness and tannins with enough
acidity left to keep for another 10 to 12 years. It is drinking very well now and was a great companion to the flannery dry aged ribeye served at Next.
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10/13/2013 - winelover1808 wrote: 94 Points
drank next to a 06 Futo and a 07 villa del lago (del dotto). I enjoyed this the most. nose of tobacco, graphite, red fruit. really smooth and full in the mouth; long finish with supple tannins. So glad I saved this for so long and thought it was really at its prime. a very beautiful california cab that ages well.
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9/22/2013 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured.
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9/8/2013 - mdefreitas wrote: 92 Points
Football & Domestic Cabs @ Howard's 2013 (Old Greenwich, CT): Pop and pour. An excellent Hillside, but perhaps not as plush as other vintages I've had. This is a bit stern, with the fruit taking a slight backseat to the structure. Very nice minerality, but I think this needs air or more cellar time to soften the tannins... I just hope the fruit holds up.
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9/3/2013 - JLucas wrote: 94 Points
Still in great shape, the Hillside Selects never disappoint. Nice cedary nose and great dark fruit on the palate. Wonderful with rack of lamb. Still has plenty of life in it. Wonderful wine.
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8/26/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote: 90 Points
Birthday Celebration (Del Frisco - Chicago IL): Brief note. Fat black fruit starting to lose its freshness, so the heat is starting to protrude on finish. Still drinking nicely but its best days are in the past.
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7/1/2013 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Vertical Tasting (Switzerland): 1999! A vintage that never disappointed me. Much more affordable than the 1997 and 2001, 2002 but very close in quality. Over the past two years I purchased many California Cabs out of this "forgotten" vintage. Very few of the 1999 have disappointed me yet.
The Hillside shows a deep, intensive garnet red. In the nose a plethora of ripe red berries and currant with hints of grapefruit (?). Nice harmony between sweetness, tannins and acidity. Easy to drink. Lots of berries, chalk and chocolate. I expect this wine to get better in a few more years. Drink until 2030.
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5/9/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
If fighters are judged on a pound for pound basis, perhaps wines should be looked at on a point for dollar basis. If we use that scale for high end, California Cabernet Sauvignon, it's hard to see any other wine topping Shafer Hillside Select. This had everything I seek in Cab based wines; complex aromas with fresh blackberries, licorice, earth and a touch of oak, rich, lush textures and a long, fresh, ripe, balanced finish that made me want to taste it again and again. Served with a rare steak, I was loving it!
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4/6/2013 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 94 Points
Uncorked but not decanted, and allowed to rest for 2.5 hrs prior to following. dark purple with slight bricking on the edge lots of rich black cherry, vanilla, lightly-toasted oak, and a hint of hazelnut paste on the nose. Dark fruit and faint oak present on the palate, faint tannins and adequate structure and backbone to last for many more (7+) years. Well-balanced and in a very good place now.
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2/16/2013 - Wineandsports Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted. Poured after almost an hour. Still tightly knotted flavor. Dense, peppery almost sharp. Beautiful deep color. Over the next two hours, began to soften and open. Fruit and leather tones began to emerge. Wound up really enjoying this wine. Not as complex as I hoped, but maybe if we had waited even longer for it to open.
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2/10/2013 - budman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Inky black color. The nose was a bit light, but the deep dark fruit flavors more than made up for it. Noticeable but integrated tannins. A real winner.
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2/2/2013 - bhalljr wrote: 92 Points
Had this along with an '08 Cos d'Estournel. Both were slow oxed for a little over two hours and drunk over three hours. The Shafer had a great nose at first but noticeable heat on the back palate. Towards the end do the evening and wine, the Cos pulled away with the typical Bordeaux nose and soft, silky finish. A couple of my other buddies agreed the Cos started out slow but pulled away in the end.
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1/21/2013 - Employee500 wrote: 93 Points
Impressively dense and packed....defintely a huge wine, with enough structure to not come across as syrupy, etc. Actually relatively "in balance". However, it's so dense/impenetrable that it's difficult to discern any particularly specific (or, for that matter enjoyable) flavors--it's a black hole, with layers of coffee, black fruits, and wood tannins. Good, but not easy to drink...
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1/18/2013 - GNOR wrote: 96 Points
Prima, zacht.
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1/2/2013 - Jmanz2000 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Simply an amazing wine. Had it for our NYE dinner and it was great on it own and with food. Competed and complimented the Château Cos d' Estournel that our friends brought to the dinner. Easily in my top 10 all time bottles.
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12/14/2012 - KingSlacker999 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great nose of deep, dark fruits that filled the general area. Palate was plush and full. Good balance of fruit and some acidity. Seems like at least another year and it'll be even better.
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12/14/2012 - AlexHop Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful. Don't have full notes from last night but this was drinking perfectly and is at a great point in its maturity.
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10/6/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Now we're talking! With a beautiful perfume packed with smoke, ripe blackberry, cherry, licorice and an array of spices, the wine is rich, deep, powerful and balanced. Polished tannins and layers of ripe fruits make this a treat to taste. It' s drinking great today. I own a few bottles and do not see any hurry to drink this wine.
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9/15/2012 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 87 Points
Blue black fruit. Initial impression is of Garigue almost. Huge, large scaled, very ripe fruit. Luckily there are no prunes and the oak is in check. Any precociousness this thing had as a baby seems to be covered up by a lifeless wall of firmness and middlingness.
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8/26/2012 - thomaskeil wrote: 91 Points
Dinner for my personal anesthesia team (Our house. Denver, CO): Decanted 4 hours. Very dark reddish purple. Nose featured deep cassis with a dose of toasted oak, vanilla. Rich and penetrating dark berries from the outset on the palate. It finishes this way as well. Complex in the sense that it was quite rich and smooth in texture, but there was complementing structure as well. Great length. Good, but not as perfectly matched to the food as the Le Serre Nuove.
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7/12/2012 - dbg wrote:
Dark red/purple core, dark red rim. Intense nose of cassis, coffee, toasty oak. Full-bodied, layers of rich ripe fruit, well-integrated oak, good balance, smooth tannins, flavors follow the nose, long finish, has many years to go. Outstanding/extraordinary.
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6/22/2012 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Danny's wine. He decanted it for an hr before traveling to Bazaar. Took another 2 hrs to reveal itself. Restrained bouquet, but rich succulent Cab that has another 20 years to go. Long, long finish!
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5/24/2012 - DRob wrote:
Yowza. Pretty ripe and full, both in fruit and alcohol. 14.9%. Throwing a bit of sediment. Not bashful by any means, with ripe fruit, chocolate, truffles, black cassis. Super silky tannins, yet they are extremely long lasting.
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4/21/2012 - Ibetian wrote: 95 Points
Rich, ripe, big CA cab, wonderful nose and smooth, fine palate with long finish. Terrific.
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4/18/2012 - davidwhitedc wrote: 94 Points
Epic Wine Dinner at Bourbon Steak (Washington DC): Big, plush, ripe black fruits, followed by sweet licorice, brown sugar, and lavender. An exceptional Napa Cab, showcasing all that ripe California wine has to offer. Very gulpable.
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3/23/2012 - Cow Town wrote: 94 Points
Popped and decanted, drank over a few hours at dinner with filet and scallops. Surprisingly light, with soft if non-existent tannins. Finish lasted forever, which was suprising given how delicate it was in the mouth. Balance was impressive. Very, very nice bottle.
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3/17/2012 - bruinesq84 wrote: 95 Points
pop and decanted; drank over 2 hrs or so; beautiful nose immediately prominent. Dark fruits, bit of caramel, with an underlying pleasant warmth. Great thick legs on the glass. Nice palate with dark fruits, minerals, kirsch and a bit of earthiness. Tannins are solid and supporting nicely. Good finish of 40 secs or so. Excellent wne and frankly of the vintages ive tried (92, 95 and 01) the best for my tastes.
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2/28/2012 - tarheel17 wrote: 93 Points
STG does California Cabernet (Seattle): served blind
the nose was steeped in caramel, it felt gooey, almost like dessert. I was very hesitant to drink it, suspecting an over-oaked mess.
However, the palate was amazing. Not the thick, gooey mess I feared, but firm tannin, pure blackberry fruit and an oaky signature that did not overwhelm. A lovely bottle, though for my palate, the Dominus was the winner.
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2/13/2012 - shaferguy91 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Hitting on all cylinders !
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12/2/2011 - S2 wrote: 94 Points
Opened several hours before consuming. WOW, filled the room with aroma immediately. This is my first "Hillside" and makes me wish I had bitten the bullet and purchased more. The nose seemed to be as integrated as the wine itself. Black fruits predominant at first with a background of powered graphite lingering in the background. Great mouthfeel, a very balanced wine with a 20-30 second finish.
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11/29/2011 - William73 wrote: 95 Points
A beautiful bottle of wine from start to finish. Double decanted before taking to Capital Grille, where upon opening I think the neighboring tables could catch a whiff of its graphite, black currant and brambly aromas. A great wine!
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10/31/2011 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Deep violet. Dark berries, kirsch, licorice and espresso on the nose. Just short of heavy weighted fruit, with good penetration and minerally tannins. Lacked the overt complexity/layering/length I've noted with other vintages, but this still seems a bit wound tight and fruit-laden (was beginning to open more on the final glass - hour 5). Other than dust on the bottle, not showing much age at all.
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10/2/2011 - Didman wrote: 97 Points
A huge Cab. The aroma filled the room, and the flavor was amazing. Plenty of tannin for quite a few more years of aging, but why wait when it blows you away now.
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8/23/2011 - mlawren1 wrote: 95 Points
What a great wine. Opens up with some vanilla then layers of berries and stone fruit. Finishes with chocolate and coffee.
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6/26/2011 - King Cab wrote: 90 Points
After having the 2001 SHS on Thursday and it showing as It did which was good, just not great I was happy to peek in on this one.
It had soem real pure black fruits with some kirsch and cola, but there was some real evident vanilla as well. usually I can deal with oak, but sometimes it is so noticeable, I have to call it out: This was a bit oaky. It had nice mouth-feel and purity with some pretty floral notes. I think this has not fully resolved, but tannins on this night we in check and well behaved. Some good acidity and a longish finish completed this nicely, I just wanted....more, so shoot me.
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6/24/2011 - floydtp wrote:
CellarTracker Wisconsin June 2011; 6/24/2011-6/25/2011 (Madison, WI- various venues): Tasted non blind at a tasting. Nose of tobacco, tree sap and some floral notes. On the palate it had more leather and some cherry before sort of ending abruptly. Very disappointing showing for this bottle. No rating.
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6/24/2011 - wineismylife wrote:
CellarTracker Wisconsin Offline - Pregame Warmup (petiteblanc's house in Madison, WI): WIMLNR
Tasted non blind.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Slightly hot nose of dried herbs, Kirsch, pepper, berries and plums. Flavors of berries, cherries and plums framed over a slightly clipped finish. Medium acidity, medium tannins, medium to full bodied. Drink now? Hold? Perhaps it'll resolve a bit with more time in body. I'd most likely hold a little longer and retry again.
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6/24/2011 - petitblanc wrote:
Medium-deep cherry color. Alcohol completely dominates throughout. This was another disappointing Hillside. Might have shown better with a very lengthy decant, but unlikely. Kindly shared by Jose. No score.
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1/13/2011 - chablis28 wrote: 90 Points
I'm just not impresed with this for the price. It would make a really nice $35 Cab. As said below the oak and vanilla is way out front. I opened my btl about 2 hours before we drank it and ended up splash decanting it beween two decanters about 5 times in an attempt to coax the fruit to the front and beat the oak into submission. There is real lack of complexity here and in its place is size and power. The anti finesse wine. Glad this is my last blt and happy to free up a cellar bin. Should have flipped it but curiousty got the better of me. Plus my wife still likes it.
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12/21/2010 - wineguy21 wrote: 94 Points
Great wine, but still rather young. Big and bold with vanilla oak and brooding dark fruit. Nice complexity and still possesses ample tannins at its age. Should have a bright future ahead of it. I'm looking forward to checking back in with one in 2-5 years.
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12/21/2010 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
Tastes like a ..... Hillside Select. Massive. Big. Huge. Lots of oak and vanilla. Having said that, pretty well balanced, getting to a decent age where it is coming together. A bright future. Would just like to see more than fruit and vanilla.
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12/13/2010 - mcneil7 wrote: 95 Points
Deep dark color, nose of dark cassis with light oak, spice notes that changed over time to reveal layers. Taste is bold and massive this wine will age for many more years
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11/20/2010 - snordhoff wrote: 95 Points
Still amazingly youthful. Dark, deep and classic SLD Cab. Might go 30 years if well stored. Very tasty
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11/6/2010 - cbrown82 wrote:
Excellent wine. Still very tight and youthful. Very focused flavors of dark fruit, back cherry with a hint of expresso. 95pts.
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11/2/2010 - AtoZ wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic. This is a very big HSS. Lots of tannins but they are soft enough. Tons of fruit, expresso.. finish goes on forever. Loved it. At home with Ron, lamb chops.
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10/3/2010 - shiel wrote: 97 Points
Drank for my 56th at Aria. Blew everyone away. The essence of Napa Valley Cabernet. Rich fruit. Deep. Complex. Peppery backbone. Lingers forever. Intoxicating. Yes intoxicating. If there was more in this world there would be more addicts. Very young. Can't wait til next time.
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8/22/2010 - slugme wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful wine in a perfect drinking window.
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8/2/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2hrs, Intense aromatic nose of dark fruit, smoke, and a minty note. Very rich on the palate, with blackberry, coffee, minerals and mint. Very smooth long finish. Outstanding cab drink nicely now with many years left.
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8/1/2010 - bflood wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour. Truly a gem. Incredible nose of black fruit and earth. Aged enough to have mellowed and eased into its graceful, elegant true nature. Smoky and syrupy in the mouth and finishing long and strong. Really a great wine.
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7/10/2010 - Charlie Carnes wrote: 96 Points
Nose is of mint, or a mint lake, and slight olive. This wine is cool, cool, cool, with hints of slight green cocoa and sweet paprika, complex and FLUID, and didn't seem anywhere near the 14.9% alcohol the label touted. There are no rough edges here, but plenty of backbone, my wife said it is just continuous in the mouth, and I think that is a good description.
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5/1/2010 - soyhead wrote: 94 Points
nose - raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, tea
mouth - complex dark berry at its core, yet well balanced, and with serious back end acidity. it has considerable life ahead. Reminded me a bit of 2005 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace - a pure and beautiful creation - it is what it is, not hiding behind any make-up or anything like that. You know like the kind of deal where you look up red wine in the dictionary and there is a picture of the 1999 Shafer Hillside Select. Prototypical. I would like to try another bottle. Possibly merits a higher score. If cheaper I'd buy it by the case.
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5/1/2010 - Mike Oxlong wrote: 94 Points
One of the best wines I've had in many years, certainly comparable with Pride, Scarecrow, and others. Decanted for only about 30 minutes - probably would have benefited from a few hours. Perfect on the nose, nice blend of tannins and fruit. This could age for 10 to 15 more years on the bottle, no question. The wine of the year so far.
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2/14/2010 - budman wrote: 95 Points
Amazing wine. Deep dark fruit. One minute finish. Tannins are present, but in check.
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1/9/2010 - JHWinick wrote: flawed
CORKED!!
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10/13/2009 - B Paul wrote: 96 Points
Dad opened this for my birthday. This was my first Shafer Hillside and I was impressed. Drinking wonderfully right now. Extremely well made, with no hard edges. Great mouthfeel and long finish.
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10/7/2009 - AtoZ wrote: 96 Points
Wolfang's in BH. Really lovely. Bigger than a lot of HS. Strong iron / copper penny component at first. Fruit grew as the dinner went on. Also more sediment than typcial.... seems like a more extracted HS than usual. Drank young. Definitely a 30 year wine. Try again in 3-5 years minimum.
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9/25/2009 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Still young, this deeply colored, corpulent mouthful of dense, juicy, ripe fruit offers everything a great California wine needs. Massive amounts of intense, black fruit are found in every sip. The long, clean, pure finish is a delight to taste. Everything in this wine is in perfect balance.
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9/9/2009 - phenricsson wrote: 97 Points
89;84. Had with the 03 IX Estate. HSS was the winner. Beautiful looking, rich, thick. Started out a bit hard but softened and put on weight. Rich, fat and well structured. Intense black currant, Asian spices, brambly, big flavors, licorice. Aftertaste has huge licorice (the dark, burnt tasting Australian licorice), black currant, long, sweet and delicious.
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8/30/2009 - davidn wrote:
BBQ at Lamb's. This was showing very well (1.5L).
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7/16/2009 - Eric wrote:
Textbook Napa cab. Does anyone make a more pure and classic Napa cab than Shafer? Truly gorgeous.
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7/4/2009 - mcneil7 wrote: 95 Points
Still drinking very well. Big on the nose is deep black fruit and chocolate notes. taste is wonderful, balkanced and deep spices.
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7/2/2009 - fisk15 wrote: 97 Points
Massive and mouthcoating. Still very young tasting to me, I think it's in a great place right now so drink w/o concern.
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5/23/2009 - flashvictor wrote: 95 Points
Deep garnet color leads to a nose of currant and sweet saddle leather. Round full body is seemless with blackberry, dark cherry, candied plum, vanilla, and a hint of tobacco. Finish lasts 60 seconds. I did not notice any raisin others have. Intersting comparing this to a 2000 Matriarch which contained more chocolate and upfront fruit but lacked some of the complexity and seemlessness of the HSS.
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5/17/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 94 Points
Deep garnet. Nose was of a high end Cal Cab, but there didn't seem to be that Shafer sweetness around. Taste was excellent Cal Cab in spades.
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5/4/2009 - txfireman wrote: 97 Points
Full bodied, robust. Nose is just full of licorace and blackberry. Huge nose. Such a large spectrum to the nose. Very easy to drink. Raisins at finish. Finish lingered for a bit. Paired with Colorado Lamb.
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4/18/2009 - MWes wrote:
No rating. Had this after a 987 Margaux and a 1996 Monbosquet. Compared to the others, this seemed very one dimensional and somewhat disappointing. To be fair, there was no decant time (not one available at this restaurant). To be honest, I expected more.
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3/9/2009 - JDB wrote: 95 Points
Consumed in Bonaire w/ 2 2lb Porterhouse from Mr Flannery . Sublime . Big wine w/ chocolate , dark fruits , leather ,yea it has got it going on . The finish was outstanding . My last bottle & I enjoyed it the most .Consumed w/ a 1997 Monte Bello , two very different wines . Shafer was massive the Monte Bello was more elegant but no sloach in the group
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12/7/2008 - enosnob wrote: 98 Points
12/06/08: The color alone makes you say WOW it is so deep, dark and brooding. The nose is huge with black fruit, oak, flowers vanillia, and ripe blueberry. The flavors hit you in waves of varying tastes and intensity: dark fruit, chocolate, raisin, mineral, lots of Blueberry, currant, dark raspberry, vanilla and tobacco notes tar and cedar. The wine is full bodied, layered, balanced with big fruit, good depth, andand lush tannins and intensity. It is voluptuous. The finish goes on forever with no one taste or sensation predominant, its kinda like a flashback. Still enough touch of dryness in the tannins that the wine should soften and become more nuanced and interesting for several decades.
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9/20/2008 - Rob A wrote: 98 Points
Stunning.
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9/1/2008 - Ki Punwar wrote: 94 Points
Deep dark color and nose of oak and vanillian. This is no doubt a leaner style of Cabernet with brooding fruit...perhaps due to the vintage. Not sure if this will improve but it's highly likely. Enjoable now but I would wait a couple of years to open another one.
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8/29/2008 - MeMyself&I wrote: 95 Points
Stunning display of all that is wonderful about Napa CS!
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5/6/2008 - foodandwineblog wrote: 96 Points
Was very excited to try this again. The nose is packed with ripe, black fruits, cedar, and subtle mineral notes. Blueberry grips the palate giving way to currant, dark raspberry, vanilla and tobacco notes. The wine is just arriving to the party- drinking great right now as the fruit is really starting to emerge and take center stage. I’d expect this to peak in 2011-2013, but have enough structure to last another 10 years or more. Hands down one of the best California Cabernet’s I’ve had. Just a nice, balanced wine with big fruit, good depth and complexity. If you’re offered a chance to try this, or can afford the bottle, it’s a must-try. foodandwineblog.com
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3/17/2008 - g-man wrote: 94 Points
This is really amazing stuff. The dark fruits combined with tar and cedar notes just continuously pump out flavor that lingers in the mouth. This will probably continue to improve for another few years before it peaks.
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2/29/2008 - mlhla wrote:
Really coming around now. Great fruit and balance.
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2/8/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com; 2/8/2008-2/10/2008 (Various Sonoma County Locations): Served as part of the 2nd Annual Freeman Caves Weekend for VinoCellar.com. Served at the John Ash dinner. Gorgeous nose of dark fruit with chocolate, raisin and some mushroom with a dry finish. Very Good. Wine of the Night.
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1/17/2008 - ERoss wrote: 94 Points
1990s Shafer Hillside Select Vertical (The Cellar Master's Lair (Somers, CT)): Will be interesting to see if this evolves similarly to the 92...but at any rate, an impressive close to an amazing lineup of HSS. Still pretty primary, with a packed mouthfeel, dense aromas of black fruits, plums, and smoke. Slightly confected perhaps, but should shake out as the riveting tannins integrate with age... a baby on this night, with lots of promise. [Group placement 7/8]
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12/25/2007 - mcneil7 wrote: 93 Points
wonderful wine still tannic so it will more time to age before i open another one. lots of fruit, long linger and good even taste. i will wait until 09 for anotehr.
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12/1/2007 - carnyc wrote: 95 Points
BYO Dinner at Maloney and Porcelli (Organized by Acker Merrall): Great! (No Notes Taken)
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10/6/2007 - bflood wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby color with tinged edge. Decanted for 2 hrs then drank for 2 hours. Black and red currant nose. Impressive balance on the palete from the start. Before diinner glass smooth and fruity. Held up beautifully through the grilled steak meal. Fantastic cab. Only one left of this vintage wich I will hold for a while. Should expand its range in a couple years but you cant go wrong now. Drink and enjoy!
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9/21/2007 - EileenB wrote: 91 Points
Way too young... Extremely tannic and acidic. Expensive $250 lesson on buying restaurant wine (what, no decanting at a Cape May restaurant know for its wine list!). Ended up taking this home in the hope that some time and air would tame it, but never opened up. You could detect the quality, but couldn't get past the acidity. Would only consider this again if I could decant on my own for hours...
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7/31/2007 - jhngo wrote:
Huge thick wine with no sign of aging.
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6/23/2007 - JLL wrote: 91 Points
Why did I pop this, when a year ago I said not to touch it until 2010......Decanted for 4 hours (extreme tannins and an herbal taste for the first several hours) and drank for 2 hours. Color was deep purple, nose was bitter mocha, sweet "hot" fructose, no discernable fruit smells....VA???? The nose was not a plus. The taste was dark berry/currant coffee grinds (in a pleasant sense) with noticeable tannins. The finish was actually spectacular, 45 seconds with the mocha berry staying with me until the end. I am not knowledgable to judge a drinking window, but based on this showing, as well as, the showing from 14 months ago, I will let my others rest for another 2 years before revisiting.
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6/2/2007 - Hank Gillespie wrote:
The Wine Summit: Shafer Hillside Select - Saturday, June 2, 2007 - 10:45 A.M. (The Post Hotel in Lake Louise, AB): Dense, dark black/purple with a thin pink rim; spicy aromas – sweet black currant, and short sniffs brought forth some smoky vanillan oak; creamy texture – round and rich; hugely concentrated berry fruit; harmonious structure – very full but seamless in the mix of flavours; liked the acidity and the soft tannins are presently riding under the black currant fruit; finish is full of harmony and one is left eager for the next sip. Very fine.
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5/13/2007 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 92 Points
Strong VA on nose that never fully blew off. Disappointing. Mouthfeel better, and finish lived up to the hype. This bottle was stored from initial purchase from the winery at 55 degrees. Odd.
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5/5/2007 - buckeye76 wrote: 97 Points
DEEP BERRY FRUITS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR WITH HINTS OF LICORICE AND CHOCOLATE. NICE COMPLEXITY, KEPT IMPROVING FOR 3-4 DAYS AFTER OPENING. VERY LONG FINISH.
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4/28/2007 - Paul Lin wrote: 93 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Vertical Dinner (1989-2002) (California Club, Los Angeles, CA): I thought this was very similar to the 1997, with its cassis and red currant flavors. A bit more acidity than the 1997, however, and not quite as polished. Still, an excellent wine.
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4/25/2007 - acheng wrote: 94 Points
I like this wine very much. Wish I have more to taste. Somewhat softer nose and sweeter than the 1997. Hedonistic and good length. It will age for a long time but I find myself keep going back to this wine throughout the evening.
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3/10/2007 - pakabear wrote: 96 Points
Great nose, dark currants and fruit galore! Blackberry and spice on th epalate with licorace and supple tannins. Should age a bit longer!
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2/14/2007 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Fruit liqueur in nose, weight and palate. Big, voluptuous and too readily gave its charms, which ultimately were rather simple. No denying its pleasure impact with steaks.
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1/11/2007 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Vertical (Zealous - Chicago, IL): Deep dark ruby with aromas of dark fruits, currants and spice. Medium weight on the palate. Focused fruit. Well made, polished with good length. But lacking complexity and interest, relatively speaking. 5+12+16+7=90
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12/3/2006 - Winetex wrote: 94 Points
Dark purple; Primary cabernet velvet in a bottle (or decanter...). This wine had beautiful fruit in a balanced, concentrated package. The consensus was that this wine was drinking extremely well albeit in a primary fashion. The potential and track record are in place for this wine. [Decanted 45 minutes with improvement; our next bottle in ~2 years if we find a place to hide these]
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11/23/2006 - ehard wrote: 90 Points
agree that it's too early...full bodied with fruit but not matured...maybe 2 or 3 more years...like the 2002 Downing better
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10/27/2006 - Hillel wrote: 88 Points
Needs a lot more time. This was still very tight. Drank it at El Gaucho in Seattle.
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7/5/2006 - LC17SMP wrote: 95 Points
This has good potential. Hold for a couple years.
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5/14/2006 - JDB wrote: 94 Points
very good but... just wait for another couple of years
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4/22/2006 - davidandrose wrote: 96 Points
Restaurant bottle - Decanted for about 30 minutes, bottles consumed over 2 hours. Just a great wine that continued to improve as the night went on. Would give at least 3 hours in the decanter if the time were available. Just soft and smooth with all the proper elements. Elegant wine, with just enough fruit to let you know it's a CaliCab.
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4/16/2006 - JLL wrote: 92 Points
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Final note on the 99 HHS. Improvement at 6.5 hours. Evident tannins, but the dark berries and plum stained with charred mocha are shining through. Finish is getting longer, roughly 45 seconds of memories of the sip. As I said before, based on this bottle (and only this bottle), I will revisit in 3 years +++. Tons of potential, wonderful structure, and I can't wait to try again in 3+ years.
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3/13/2006 - jeff nowak wrote:
f you like 'em young and fruit forward, but with enough kick in the pants to make you think you're not a girly man, then start chuggin' this beauty. a best of the vintage. decant it, and then use the biggest, heaviest bottle on earth to smack away offline thugs trying to get a second pour.
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1/28/2006 - jeff nowak wrote: 94 Points
our table, corked bottle. replacement opened. so, right out of the bottle, this really sings. all of the harlan, plus the lush fruit. how do they do that? highly recommended.
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12/7/2005 - jwgauthier wrote:
Hard to evaluate this wine as it is so primary at this point. However, it was smooth with excellent balance and a long finish. A great wine.
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10/24/2005 - anthonyiez wrote: 97 Points
triple decanted in about 10 minutes then consumed out of reidel vinum bordeaux stems.
this bottle fell victim to a night full of wine and my desire for chris to try a shafer hillside select. needless to say this wasn't the best tasting situation and this wine needs many upon many more years based on the 92 i had the night before.
this was much different then the 1st bottle i had shortly after it was released.
14.9% alcohol!!! well if that's so, then i'm not sure where elias put it. this wine was so dark purple it was almost opaque. it was almost as pleasing to look at as it was to drink. the nose was an explosive bombardment of ripe stag's leap fruit. an unreal amount of black fruits, currants and blackberries, pencil shavings, subtle oak, menthol and vanilla of course. the nose was so intense i almost felt my nose hairs come out. on the palate it seemed to have tons of everything with it all it in perfect balance. creme de cassis, spice box and a slight bit of cocoa. with a wall of tannin and the fruit to match, along with a nice level of acidity i can see this wine doing nothing but bringing years of joy to anyone lucky enough to have secured a nice stash.
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10/14/2005 - tanglenet wrote:
Tasted at Beltramo's with Doug Shafer in attendence. Per Beltramo's the wine was poured into the glasses about 1 hour prior to tasting. All vintages (1995-2001) appeared to me to be the same color due to the lighting which was a red purple color.
Similar nose to the 1998, a celery root or some similar cooking spice on the nose with a dusty taste. Unfortunately, my notes disappear after this...
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10/10/2005 - Russell Faulkner wrote: flawed
Corked :(
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9/24/2005 - Burgundy Al wrote: 94 Points
Through the Decades in Burgundy - A Taste for Life 2005 (San Francisco CA): Tasting. Decanted, open several hours before I tasted. Beautiful nose shows dark fruit and spice. Flavors unfold showing tastes of black currant, black cherry. Still rather tannic but not at all unbalanced or inaccessible. Wonderful length. Give this more time, I'd think it will show better 2010 or later.
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9/3/2005 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Dinner at Rim Rock Cafe (Whistler, BC): I called ahead to order this and have it decanted 90 minutes before arrived, a serious wine geek move, even for me.
Liqueur of Napa! Man oh man, this stuff rocks. Tightly wound even with 2.5 hours in a decanter, this has a soaring nose of cassis and cranberry, so pure. The palate is powerful and intense, so fantastically liqueur like, seamless yet also surprisingly brooding and black with dark chocolate and a hint of tar. This is still very youthful and a bit drying on the back end with loads of stuffing to let it age gracefully for many years to come. I need to track some more of this elixir down for the cellar!
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8/7/2005 - Koods wrote:
decanted 2 hours. just fantastic, deep cassis, cedar, clove, lots of earth, touh of blueberry, great midpalate with an integrated finish that went on and on. possesses great spine and structure, built to last but still irresistible now.
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7/31/2005 - shaferguy91 wrote: 96 Points
Delicious now but will improve for many more years yet.
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5/19/2005 - Koods wrote:
Black on black. nose revealed caramel, rhubarb, and expresso. Gorgeous. the palate was like a left hook to the jaw. huge attack of cassis, steak spice, minerals, red currant, tar, and menthol. Oh so complex but still too young, there is so much depth here - and its all tightly wound buffered by a ripe tannic backbone. this wine is fantastic, give it 2-3 yrs to show its fighting form. just an amazing cabernet, one of the best I've had this year.
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5/15/2005 - AlexHop wrote: 97 Points
Wow.
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5/4/2005 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Steaks at the Metropolitan Grill (Seattle, WA): This was clearly the best wine of the evening although not necessarily for current consumption. Powerful, focused, loaded with nice acidity, a laserbeam of cassis, cranberry and mineral. This is tight yet still offering so much at a young age. Give it time, but wow what a serious winner!
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3/13/2005 - PaulH wrote: 94 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Simple structure, medium body, quite ripe. Not the barn burner I was expecting.
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2/16/2005 - Eric wrote: 98 Points
California 'cult' lunch at Spago with Leve (Los Angeles, CA): Wowza, this was my #2 wine of the tasting. The nose shows raspberry with slightly vegetal elements, maybe a bit of olive. On the palate this is absolutely freakin' pure and intense, liqueur-like, seamless, endless, palate coating, very grippy yet with gorgeous texture. Wow, this has to be one of the best wines of the 1999 California vintage.
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11/5/2004 - otisabdul wrote: 96 Points
2004 WS Wine Experience: Shafer HSS Vertical (Hyatt Regency, Chicago): Earlier in the morning, an Italian winemaker compared his wine to Sophia Loren. Inspired by this, Elias called the 1999 his “Tina Turner wine”, since it is “big, dark, full-bodied, and voluptuous.” Inky dark color. This wine was chewy, plush, ripe, and balanced. I loved it. Should drink well for at least another decade or more. My #3 favorite.
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11/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
WS CWE 04 - Shafer Hillside Vertical (Marquis Marriott): Deep opaque blue/purple. Subdued clearn aroma of briar and a hint of spice. Huge mouthful of sharp spicy chocolate fruit. A little tannic, needs time. 11/04
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10/19/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 96 Points
4 Blind Cabernet-Based Wines (Dan's House): Second time tasting this wine in a week! The wine gods are smiling. Managed to nail this one blind among four Cabernet based wines from smell alone. As soon as my nose was in the glass, I knew this was the '99 HSS. Showed very much the same as my last note (happily no bottle variation). Most in the group liked this very much and picked it as either the #1 or #2 wine. A couple people noted that though they liked/loved the wine, they thought it would partner poorly with food - the same comment I had made a week earlier.
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10/9/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 96 Points
Delyap's Killer '99 Cabathon (An unnamed, very hospitable restaurant): This was one of the big boys. Super ripe nose. Smooth entry on the palate. Classic cassis, black fruit and plums. Superfine tannins. On its own, an excellent wine - gorgeous. A notch below the '97 HSS. However, I must say that this wine did not really match any of the food through the whole night. A show pony only?
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7/27/2004 - jamiekutch wrote: 97 Points
More along the lines of a 'fruit bomb' than any of the other California Cults, it was beautifully balanced and structured and the fruit was intriguing and inviting and pleasing rather than being off-putting. Terrific wine.
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12/28/2003 - SacredCow wrote: 96 Points
Tasted at the Vitis Vinifera and jonnlisa dinner in Denver on Sunday, December 28, 2003.
Tasted double blind by most tasters.
This wine was decanted upon arrival at the restaurant, and tasted maybe two to three hours later.
A contender for WOTN for me. This big, young, fruity cab had a nose of eucalyptus with bing and dark cherry. On the palate, it somewhat resembled an Aussie shiraz in style, if not flavor profile. Dark currant, black berries and other dark fruit, vanilla oak, and minerals lead to a very long finish. The tannins are noticeable, but sweet and do not detract from the enjoyment of this wine. My rating is 96 points.
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8/23/2003 - AlexHop wrote: 97 Points
Tasted at the Shafer Vineyards mailing list party. Tasted this one right after a number of other classic vintages and it blew them all away (although the 2001 was even better). Intense, complex with a long long finish.
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