1990s Shafer Hillside Select Vertical

Our monthly tasting group kicked off 2008 in style with our generous first-time-host outdoing himself with an amazing lineup from this flagship CA cabernet sauvignon. Everything was served double blind and decanted in advance, with the exception of the replacement 1996 which was decanted direct from the cellar.

• 1991 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Medium-ruby red in color. Sweet, smoky oak with black currant, pepper notes. At first approach, somewhat short and angular, but with a few minutes in the glass - wow, really sexy with perfectly integrated tannins balanced with still ripe black fruit flavors. Drinking exceptionally now, but probably 10-15 years of life remaining. [Group placement 2/8]

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• 1992 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Clearly paled in comparison to the 1991 - some reduced, jammy notes at first, followed by spice, cassis, and secondary leathery hints. Decent concentration and balance, but the depth of fruit somewhat lacking compared to other vintages. Still a worthy effort and drinking well as a mature wine. [Group placement 8/8]

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• 1994 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Amazing stuff - every bit as good as 94 Dominus, for example. Dark to the rim, with achingly pure essence of black currant exploding from the glass, backed with secondary cola, tobacco, and Hoisin notes. A testament to the judicious use of oak, and/or just really exceptional fruit - vanilla hints are present, but by this stage the oak is welcome complement. Impressively balanced and incredibly long, textured finish, seems to be just hitting its stride with many years of interesting evolution ahead. [Group placement 1/8]

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• 1995 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Seemed somewhat tight this evening, giving up little in terms of aroma compared to the ethereal 1994. Flavors of chocolate, black fruits, and coffee and assertive tannic structure. Likely benefit from more bottle age. [Group placement 5/8]

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• 1996 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Majority of group quickly pegged this as corked. [Group placement N/A]

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• 1996 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Our host was generous enough to offer up another bottle, after our first was corked (noticed several other users reporting corked 96s...?) - and we were rewarded with a still young seeming beauty, with a nose of Kirsch, ripe blackberries, currants, and grilling spices. Full bodied mouthfeel, maybe less apparent acidity than the other mid-90s vintages, but certainly not flabby. [Group placement 3/8]

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• 1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  Brawny and bristling with full-throttle fruit flavors. Dark to the rim, with a pronounced complexity to the nose - under brush, pine sap, ripe black currant, Chinese five spice, and eucalyptus. As seems a HSS trait, the balance was impressive, especially in the "big" vintage which pushed CA cabs to the forefront of the wine world. One of the longest finishes of the night, with plenty of tannins to support 8 - 10 years of peak drinking. [Group placement 4/8]

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• 1998 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  In another lineup, this could have been WOTN, and clearly showed the winemaking chops of Shafer in a difficult year. Slightly muted strawberry, black cherry, and toasty vanilla oak aromatics. Impressively endowed structure, still some youthful aspects (bright tannins), but clearly evolving towards middle age. [Group placement 6/8]

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• 1999 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

  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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• 2003 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Really unnecessary and probably overkill after 8 vintages of HSS, but what a change of pace! Dark purple/ruby red in color. Aromas of garrigue, red flowers, black cherry, and soy sauce. Rich and extracted in the mouth, with fine tannins...difficult to gauge evolution at this point, but didn't seem shut down or 'dumb'? As with other modern-styled 03 Chateauneufs , what happens with extended aging is a anyone's guess, but if the fruit can hang in who knows...

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Most of us guessed CA cabernet of various vintages as a theme, but no one expected the Hillside Select lineup. A night of hedonism (by the time things wound down, we'd also sampled a Montelena chardonnay, a mid-80s vintage port, a really good syrah from Relic, and some Belgian beers) but also a very educational evening to observe how the HSS changes from vintage-to-vintage, with age, and changes in viticulture. Several of the vintages (91, 94, 97) were of First Growth-caliber, and all served as a blueprint of how to balance elegance, depth of flavor, and ripeness of fruit in New World cabernet.