2016 Shafer Relentless

Community Tasting Notes (45) Avg Score: 92.8 points

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  3/20/2024 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Similar to my tasting note in 2022. Fruit forward and primary. Does not scream Syrah varietal. Just drinks like a good well made California new world wine. Not a memorable wine, however.

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  3/10/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  First of 3 ($66@) from an auction lots just over a year ago. On the nose, black and blueberries, black currants, violets, rocky minerality, mixed ground herbs, smoked meats, tobacco and tar. Purplish black, full bodied, thick legs. Potent tannins becoming silkier and integrating with time, medium acidity, no heat. VG+ complexity, intensity and persistence. Well, I was looking for a Rhone varietal and may not have chosen this one but for 1) recent notes saying it was ready, 2) a lack of older choices, and 3) having 2 more, so a bit of experimenting wasn’t going to be fatal. This came out tarry, tannic and pretty tight, loosening its grip steadily but not completely over 2 nights so that the last glass was best. I’m bullish on this bottling (and Shafer generally) as I like where it sits in the Syrah pantheon, certainly not a cool climate variant, but also unlikely to be confused with its Central Coast cousins, often delicious but so big as to be hard to pair and often at Cab-like nosebleeding prices. The backbone here made it a hit with stuffed poblanos one night and orzo another, in each instance suffused with chicken, although I think this would stand up well with red meat and spicier dishes. This was quite nice as I was finishing it, but unless you have multiple bottles, can give it significant air or like pretty stiff tannins, I’d give this another 18 months-2 years—I will for my next bottle—before popping at which point I think my score may add another point of 2. Nicely done. 93+

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  2/16/2024 - ajm2573 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Lots of blackberry notes on the nose. Long finish some tannins on finish. Dark fruit jam on palate with a spicy finish. Great wine but decant for 3 hours.

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  2/4/2024 - kitkat4 Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Rich jammy and full of dark fruit....elderberry, black raspberry, blackberry. Touch of sandlewood and herbs. Perfumed nose with a touch of violet.

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  12/20/2023 - econnertx Likes this wine: 87 Points

  Deep ruby purple, dark cherry aftertaste, some dried plum; minor tannins, did not scream Syrah blend

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