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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.6 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 126 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by CHarder on 5/4/2024 & rated 93 points: As previous note from March (279 views) | | | Tasted by KJD45$ on 4/12/2024 & rated 95 points: Color is deepest magenta showing no signs of aging
Nose is asphalt, plum, black pepper, bitey..
Flavor is plum, blackberry, dark cherry, slight licorice
finishing with nicely resolved tannins and excellent acidity to balance it all out (469 views) | | | Tasted by CHarder on 3/26/2024 & rated 93 points: This is getting there I think. 1 hr decant. Not enough to shed all the fat. But over another 1-2hr drinking window it was getting there. Fruit, fresh, tannins there. Need to round off a bit. (569 views) | | | Tasted by AP MD on 2/2/2024 & rated 97 points: Drank at dinner with friends at Vito's. Decanted x 30 minutes. Tannins still very firm. Softened over an hour or so. Dark berries on the nose plus leather and cocoa. Medium-long finish. Overall a fantastic Cali Syrah! (860 views) | | | Tasted by AlanM68 on 1/3/2024 & rated 93 points: Others say this has years left in it - I agree, I even think it’s too early to drink it. If you’re going to, give it plenty of air, at least a couple of hours. It will still be slightly purple. But lovely to drink, with great texture and length. (964 views) | | | Tasted by KJD45$ on 9/25/2023 & rated 95 points: Still going strong…
Plenty of life left…. (1301 views) | | | Tasted by Bob23 on 3/18/2023 & rated 93 points: Dark fruit, oak receding, varietal hints around the edges - has years ahead of it yet, but tasty now. (1607 views) | | | Tasted by sfwinelover1 on 2/19/2023 & rated 93 points: One off ($75) from auction about 4 years ago. On the nose and palate, moderate notes of dark berries, black cherries and currants, charcoal, eucalyptus-forest, ground spice, rocky minerality, saline and black pepper. Dark purple to black, medium to full-bodied, medium to thick legs. Potent but well balanced tannins and acidity, no heat. VG+ complexity, VG intensity and persistence. If you expect syrahs to feel like eating a slice of blueberry pie in a field of violets ringed by garrigue, this probably isn’t your wine. And, to sfwl’s palate and the notes of 3 of the last 4 tasters notwithstanding, “big” doesn’t jump to mind when sipping this bottling (I mean, have any of these people had Andremiley? Saxum? Booker? Not to mention SQN? Maybe if all you drink is Chave and Crozes Hermitage, but I’m not sure that’s most of us.). What this wine *is* is nicely balanced, mostly integrated, highly savory and pretty much ready go off the pour, even as it deepened and softened just a bit, while holding solidly over 4 nights. Outstanding with a spicy pork tenderloin and very good with red sauce pasta, this is also really enjoyable on its own. This is in a really good place, but while I can’t always get into the whole drinking water from a firehose effect of the Central Coast Rhones, this could, for me, have used just a bit more fireworks, especially on the nose. It’s absolutely in its tasting window with possible incremental upside, but should continue drinking at this level at a minimum for, I’d expect, at least 5 years to come. I’m a fan of this producer—the HSS has been a go to high end treat for me for many moons, the basic Cab is rock solid and I enjoyed the merlot when that was on the carte—and this has been on my “to drink” list since the WS named this cuvee the WOTY (why did it take me 10 years to drink one after that honor? Too many good wines!). But it won’t be that long until I drink my next, as I just bought a lot of 3 of the ‘16s and this has done nothing to dim my enthusiasm. 93+ (2295 views) | | | Tasted by SMHalps on 12/30/2022 & rated 92 points: Opened but not decanted for over 50 minutes at a restaurant. Very enjoyable. Big mouthfeel and a long finish. (1959 views) | | | Tasted by denniswdern@gmail.com on 12/19/2022 & rated 88 points: Deep ruby color. Pronounced aromas of blackberries, leather. Moderate tannins; high alcohol. Flavors of blackberries and fruit compote. Long finish.
This wine was too big, jammy and extracted for my personal taste preferences. (1890 views) | | | Tasted by Jalexander on 10/15/2022 & rated 94 points: Wow! Great wine really in a good place for drinking now but probably has another decade for those with the patience to wait.
Dark, inky, full of plums and dark cherry. Smooth tobacco undertones, with a hint of vanilla and earthy blackberry. I’m a big fan of Shafer Relentless generally but this wine was the favorite of the evening paired with seared filet mignon, roasted carrots and fire roasted tomatoes. Only two bottles left of this vintage. I’m planning to drink one soon and hold the last one for 2030+ (2160 views) | | | Tasted by shafer1994 on 4/11/2022 & rated 94 points: A big wine! Very dark color. Fruity nose with blackberries and plum, black cherries and pepper. In the mouth a thick, juicy texture that lasts long. Powerful. Very spicy finish. Still in baby stage, not fully developed but better than 2 years ago. So you can imagine the wonderful bouquet in 2-3 years. I think this wine will enjoy winelovers for over 2 decades. (2773 views) | | | Tasted by Bodyfxr on 4/8/2022 & rated 93 points: Decanted for approximately 40 minutes. Could have used a little more time. Still quite young but approachable. Inky color. Big and brooding with lots black and blue fruit. The nose was a little shy. Needs more time to open up. Very yummy. I'll be holding on opening my next one until 2024. Drink or hold. (1870 views) | | | Tasted by mlawren1 on 3/5/2022 & rated 92 points: Consistent over a number of hours. Thick and dark with plums and cherries and bit of blackberries. (2595 views) | | | Tasted by caesar77 on 12/27/2021 & rated 92 points: Dark inky purple with deep garnet edge. Decanted for 90 minutes in glass.
Nose of huckleberry, cassis and vanilla. On the palate, there is blackberry jam and warm spice. Forceful and brooding, this probably needed more time (in the cellar--or more exposure to air the night we drank it) to fully reveal itself. Medium length finish of jam & sandalwood. Paired beautifully with roast lamb. (3217 views) | | | Tasted by greedy on 12/17/2021 & rated 94 points: First experience with relentless. Pretty good stuff. Big taste of chocolate, long, smooth silky finish
Alcohol a little bit of a distraction like it is with their cab. But I can live with that. And may go away with a little more time in the cellar. All in all I would buy this wine again. (2913 views) | | | Tasted by CHarder on 12/11/2021 & rated 91 points: This has huge potential but needs time. Big bold fruity- but still tannic. Even on day 2. Needs 5yrs I think to round out. But pretty confident this will be great (2687 views) | | | Tasted by KJD45$ on 12/4/2021 & rated 95 points: One of my favorite bottles of the year…it checks every box of what I want in a wine…outstanding… (2603 views) | | | Tasted by Markjams on 11/25/2021 & rated 94 points: Wonderful wine with Thanksgiving dinner ! (2256 views) | | | Tasted by markcic on 11/5/2021 & rated 92 points: It has been over a year and a half since I last tried a bottle and there has been little change. Opened and slow ox'd for two hours. The nose is dark fruit, the palate is dark berries, mocha and spice. The finish was moderate to long. (2382 views) | | | Tasted by dmvatl on 7/2/2021: Blend 89% Syrah / 11% Petite Sirah. Namesake honors longtime winemaker, Elias Fernandez, for his relentless pursuit of quality.
Spent 30 months in new French oak barrels / 8 month in bottle prior to release. 15.8% ABV. Inky, almost purple in color with scent of black fruit, vanilla, leather, herb/spice. Rich, balanced, mouth feel w/silky tannins. (2609 views) | | | Tasted by Gruffalius on 6/9/2021 & rated 91 points: Ont hour decant plus bottle open for hours and still huge. Popular with group. (2948 views) | | | Tasted by Kbentley007 on 6/6/2021 & rated 93 points: Decanted for about 90 minutes. No sediment. So dark - purple that can stain anything, tannins pretty integrated and still plenty of acid. Paired with a Flannery beef hanger steak. Plenty of life ahead but perfectly enjoyable now. (2788 views) | | | Tasted by Rond on 5/9/2021 & rated 92 points: A nice balance of fruit and earthiness. A bit hot (15.8% abv) (2888 views) | | | Tasted by Es7e2003 on 4/12/2021 & rated 92 points: Tasted blind. Deep ruby purple. Gorgeous nose filled with pepper, violet, stewed plum and meat. Discernible heat and high tannin. Called it a new world Syrah. (2983 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Shafer Producer website
John Shafer and his family founded Shafer Vineyards, located in the Stags Leap District of the Napa Valley, in 1979. From the Shafers' first wine, a 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon,
their wines have won much acclaim. Today, the Shafers farm 200 acres of vineyard in the Stags Leap District, Carneros and Oak Knoll regions. Their flagship wine, Hillside Select,
is produced from selected blocks of the family's hillside vineyards and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. They also produce Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, Merlot, One Point Five
(Cabernet Sauvignon) and Relentless (a Syrah/Petite Sirah blend), which was named #1 wine of the year by Wine Spectator's "Top 100" of 2012.2014 Shafer Relentless89% Syrah & 11% Petite Sirah; 15.8% ABV; 30 mos in 100% new 60-gal FR oak barrels (Allier & Tronçais); 3,300 cases made.
96 pts Dunnuck,
95+ WA,
94 Vinous (Galloni),
93 & "Cellar Selection" WE @ $92,
91 WS, &
90 Connoisseurs' Guide!
Syrah BlendThe 2018 is 40% Merlot and 60% Syrah.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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