2003 Shafer Merlot

Community Tasting Notes (51) Avg Score: 90.9 points

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  3/23/2018 - Keeping It Real wrote: 93 Points

  That Shafer fruit. Although 2003 was a disaster for most of Napa Valley, it was a good year for Shafer wines. Remember RP gave the 2003 Hillside Select 100pts. Maybe they picked the grapes before the rain or I don't know. Anyway, I had pretty high hopes for this one (although RP gave the 2003 Merlot 90pts).
  
  Straight from pop and pour, the smell was so-so but improved as I swirled it around a couple times. First sip, whoa nice. Seamless entry and exit on the back end. Delicious fruit with a hint of umami. Then I remember, ah, it's that Stag's Leap fruit. This was a treat.
  
  On a side note, I finished the whole bottle by myself and had a couple shots of whiskey afterwards. I am writing this review with an intense hangover. Cheers.

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  1/4/2014 - iamandyc Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Awesome merlot in the Cali style. Big, velvety, balanced with nice structure. Long finish with notes of chocolate. Nice nose. No rough edges. Sorry to see my last one go.

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  2/9/2013 - pinchertwo wrote: 93 Points

  Smooth for the wine. Opened up very nicely. Wine thAt I will buy more of.

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  8/19/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points

  Better on Day 1 than Day 3. Dark fruits on nose and palate with light vanilla. Some earthiness. Well balanced and long finish. Silky with nice acids and structure. By Day 3 there is a port-like quality starting to emerge - probably due to indifferent storage.

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  12/4/2011 - yipen wrote: 90 Points

  in Niujiangjun, this wine is powerful yet balance, it is fruity and dense but shows no alc heat. It changed my idea of a merlot. Nice wine to pair with steak.

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