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Red

1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select

Cabernet Sauvignon

  • USA
  • California
  • Napa Valley
  • Stags Leap District

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Community Tasting Note

  • Charlie Carnes Does not like this wine: 80 points

    August 24, 2013 - Obviously I am in the minority here based on all of the super high CT scores, but I just think this is a large scaled, overrated, over made, alcoholic, hot mess... that the rest of the world loves, including my wife. Well, she likes it just fine and compares it to Jordan et. al. I just found it heavy and cloddish and the coconut-vanilla-oak was too overpowering and covered the fruit. This is 1997? I could pass for a large scaled 2009 Cali. Cab. Also, I got that eucalyptus oil astringency that comes from wines like this. I have had this at 55 degrees since release and it is not an off bottle. Julie just read this and said she would rather have had the 2008 Jordan and that this was like a large scaled 2009 which is similar to my impressions.

    2 people found this helpful 5,168 views

3 Comments

  • Seth Rosenberg commented:

    11/28/13, 3:25 PM - Totally agree. Can't stand these wines any more. Life's too short to drink this overripe, overextracted crap.

  • Charlie Carnes commented:

    12/1/13, 2:56 PM - Seth, it's sad but true isn't it? I used to gush over these wines, now I'm just offended by these... and I really don't want to be a hater!

  • Seth Rosenberg commented:

    12/1/13, 4:57 PM - About 8-9 years ago, a guy I know and I were drinking at 11 Madison: 1991 Red Burgundy head to head. He brought 91 DRC Echezeaux, and I brought 91 Leroy Beaux Monts. Up in one of the private rooms, someone was doing a Shafer Hillside vertical with one of the Shafers. The somm came down and asked if we wanted to try the wines. We tried one or two and said, that's OK - no more.

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