June 29, 2023 - 1/3. Dense, opaque coloring here with purplish ruby edges. Smells like dark fruits, cedar, soil, graphite, and some floral. Medium (+) body, bold with big acid, finish, and overall punch, with flavors of black and dark red fruits, lemon, orange, black tea, and prominent spice. Really pretty good with a steak tonight.
August 18, 2022 - A project between Doug Shafer and Elias Fernandez. I think I’ve had this for at least five years and have never known the ideal time to open it. I don’t drink much petite sirah, but when TX barbecue is the food on the table, I figured this would work, and it did.
48 months in barrel! Inky in the glass with aromatics of potpurri, fresh squeezed dark berries, mixed berry cobbler, and espresso. Expecting a brash profile on the palate, I was greeted by a rather tame (albeit juicy) style which had great mid-palate depth. Freshly squeezed raspberries, black raspberries, blueberries, red and black currant, hint of peppered rhubarb and dark chocolate. Compared to other PS wines I’ve enjoyed (Switchback Ridge, Vincent Arroyo) this is less chocolate and spice driven, but the juicy and rich mid palate is there in spades. Oak tannin at the finish but not harsh. Paired really well with TX brisket and sauce. Seems to be in a good window now, but PS always seems to me like it can hold for a while, so no rush.
October 2, 2021 - Inky black. Peppery with chewy berries like black berries and bitter sweet chocolate covered cherries. Interesting, still a bit unruly. Entering its drinking window now.
July 5, 2021 - Drinking very well! Enjoy!
December 14, 2020 - Drinking great! Inky, dark, ripe berries with of touch of spice and dark chocolate. Lingering flavor and great mouth feel.
October 30, 2020 - We had this last night with pasta/red sauce/meat balls. It would have been fantastic with or without the food. Rich, inky purple in the glass. Had a nose like a Heitz cab with similar structure. Very smooth at this point, dark fruit, some chewiness still present. This feels like it can continue to age well, but no need to wait if you're looking to open a rich red. We loved it. A couple bottles left and looking forward to trying the 2013 next year.
September 1, 2020 - Eighty Four is a joint project from Doug Shafer and his long-term winemaker at Shafer Vineyards. If you like Petite Sirah done really well then the 2012 something to seek out. Ripe cherry and blackberry, mint, no. 2 pencil, coffee bean, and spices. Full bodied, rich, and the fine grained tannins you expect from the varietal. This is drinking absolutely beautifully today.
July 21, 2020 - Could have been good, but flavor obscured by too much alcohol (nearly 16%). I see I’m the outlier here, but I had 2 bottles of this spaced a year apart and thought neither was very good. And I’m a petit sirah lover and rate almost everything as “I like it”. Just not this one.
June 15, 2020 - Teeth staining rich, dense and very, very dark in blood red color. Blackberry, black cherry and other black fruits with a smooth, full finish. Needs some time to open. My previous note from Jan., 2019 holds.
April 28, 2020 - Black plums and licorice. Very weighty but the finish is softening. If you're holding this one I would say this is a touch more approachable than the last one but probably has another 5-7 years left before it starts to get a bit weird. Going to try to hold the last one until 2023 which should be OPTIMAL drinking. 90 now IMO with potential for 93-94