2012 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select

Community Tasting Notes (73) Avg Score: 95.5 points

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  3/30/2024 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 93 Points

  When I pulled the cork bright blue fruit raced out of the bottle. After three hours slow ox blu fruit remains on the nose along with graphite, tight wood, some heat and clay.
  
  Nicely balanced but fruit is more prominent with the structure a bit light, offering 10-15 sec finish. Blueberries continue to dominate along with watery blackberry and well-integrated tannins. 15 1/2% listed alcohol seems close but maybe a bit light.
  
  I have two more bottles which I'll drink in the next three years. Disappointing QPR, would rather have two bottles of Quilceda Creek for each of these.

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  2/17/2024 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 96 Points

  Decanted for 3 hours. Had a soapy smelling glass to start but got a different one. Aromas of blackberry, currant, sweet cherry and bit of earth. Not a bad nose but certainly not jumping out of the glass. Flavors of blackberry, currant, dusty berry, iron, melted chocolate and hint of earth. Ends with a long finish of 45+ seconds with mocha and black currant notes. Not hot at all even though 15.5 %. Only thing missing was the somewhat shy nose.

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  1/8/2024 - MariusA Likes this wine: 93 Points

  I continue to be underwhelmed by the Hillside Select. Tried two bottles of the '12 with friends and we were all "okay it's good but meh". It never helps a bottle when expectations are set high and maybe this was part of the problem. The good side is that the '12 is in early drinking window and have plenty of time left. I can see this improve over time and easily last 20 years.

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  11/11/2023 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Well my good friend Michael and his wife came over for dinner and since he is the one that got me into collecting wine and it was also the night before my younger daughters birthday I decided to open some nice Cabernets to go with the individual beef wellingtons we were having for dinner.
  This bottle was opened and but not decanted 5 hours prior to dinner and poured using a vintorio. The nose was dark berries with a hint of menthol. The palate was dark berries, plums, figs, charred meat and tree bark. The finish was long. I believe it might have scored higher but it was followed by a 2014 Realm Beckstoffrer Dr. Crane and that stole the show. To all the verterans out there in Trackerville, my family and I thank you for your service.

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  10/23/2023 - Winedad53 wrote: 93 Points

  Intense, almost overpowering core of blueberry compote, with notes of smoky cedar, pine needles and spearmint. Too young for me; wait at least 3-5 years for next one.

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