This is sweet even for a Shafer port which is normally very sweet. Smooth carmel fruit with a nice finish and no heat. I did pick up a little VA on the nose early on.
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Very very good, enjoyed earlier tonight as the dessert with brownies at the monthly meeting of the Hickory Wine Club. Not quite as smooth and complex as some of the aged Portuguese ports but great for this price point, matched sweet desserts very well and would go very well with a good aged cigar. Deep purple, big, surprising amount of subtlety and complexity present. Nose somewhat muted of burnt oak, figs and cane sugar with primary flavors of balanced oak, vanilla, figs, raisins and some mocha on the aftertaste. Definitely recommend this wine, rare and hard to get.
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Pop and pour, with a MonteCristo cuban cigar, following up a 2000 Dalla and a filet dinner at home. Extremely dark in color with some lightening at the edges. Bit of chocolate aroma along with cedar smoke and oak on the nose; plum, blackberry on the finish. While a fairly obvious new world port (not that there are many I've had in comparison with traditional portos) this is an excellent wine, with great balance and finish. Still quite a bit of life ahead of this, and if the 2001 HSS is its parent, this will be an outstanding offering.
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Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Another gift to the group from Elias Fernandez. Shafer has been making Port since 1986. Why does Shafer make a port? "Because," explained Elias, "I like Port." He told a story where he and Doug excitedly took their first port into John Shafer's office for him to taste. He tasted it, grimaced and said "This is SWEET!" Yes, they explained, it's Port. "You used my grapes to make a sweet wine!!!???, said John. He was not pleased. Eventually, the need was recognized for a Shafer dessert wine at tastings and the project was given a go-ahead. The Shafer port is made from Hillside Select Cabernet grapes and is only sold at the winery. Someone asked Elias why he used HSS grapes. He replied that you have to use best grapes to make the best wine. No arguing with that. The 2001 Shafer port is almost deep black in color, with a wonderful nose and palate that is full of bittersweet chocolate and a deliciously long finish. Great stuff.
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4/21/2011 - bambam wrote: 88 Points
This is sweet even for a Shafer port which is normally very sweet. Smooth carmel fruit with a nice finish and no heat. I did pick up a little VA on the nose early on.
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8/10/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 88 Points
Very very good, enjoyed earlier tonight as the dessert with brownies at the monthly meeting of the Hickory Wine Club. Not quite as smooth and complex as some of the aged Portuguese ports but great for this price point, matched sweet desserts very well and would go very well with a good aged cigar. Deep purple, big, surprising amount of subtlety and complexity present. Nose somewhat muted of burnt oak, figs and cane sugar with primary flavors of balanced oak, vanilla, figs, raisins and some mocha on the aftertaste. Definitely recommend this wine, rare and hard to get.
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6/13/2009 - tkoby11 wrote: 92 Points
Rare but if you are ever at the winery pick some up. More liek a red desert wine than port per se.
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7/3/2008 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour, with a MonteCristo cuban cigar, following up a 2000 Dalla and a filet dinner at home. Extremely dark in color with some lightening at the edges. Bit of chocolate aroma along with cedar smoke and oak on the nose; plum, blackberry on the finish. While a fairly obvious new world port (not that there are many I've had in comparison with traditional portos) this is an excellent wine, with great balance and finish. Still quite a bit of life ahead of this, and if the 2001 HSS is its parent, this will be an outstanding offering.
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12/31/2005 - Quinn_cab wrote: 92 Points
Nice chocolate notes, but the alcohol was too prominent.
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3/14/2005 - tconcilio wrote: 93 Points
NYC Shafer Weekend; 3/14/2005-3/15/2005 (New York City): This is one the best domestic port I've ever had. Dark purple color almost black. Long finish. Should age very very well, but why wait.
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3/13/2005 - PaulH wrote: 96 Points
Shafer Hillside Select Dinner (Manresa Restaurant, Los Gatos, California USA): Another gift to the group from Elias Fernandez. Shafer has been making Port since 1986. Why does Shafer make a port? "Because," explained Elias, "I like Port." He told a story where he and Doug excitedly took their first port into John Shafer's office for him to taste. He tasted it, grimaced and said "This is SWEET!" Yes, they explained, it's Port. "You used my grapes to make a sweet wine!!!???, said John. He was not pleased. Eventually, the need was recognized for a Shafer dessert wine at tastings and the project was given a go-ahead. The Shafer port is made from Hillside Select Cabernet grapes and is only sold at the winery. Someone asked Elias why he used HSS grapes. He replied that you have to use best grapes to make the best wine. No arguing with that. The 2001 Shafer port is almost deep black in color, with a wonderful nose and palate that is full of bittersweet chocolate and a deliciously long finish. Great stuff.
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