Fine Wine: New World Wines
Live Virtual Auction, 18 September 2022
New World Wines
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About this Item
Shafer Vineyards is one of the pioneers of the modern Napa Valley wine scene in the Stags Leap District. John and Bett Shafer acquired the property in the early 1970s, which included land planted to vines since the 1880s.John Shafer set about planting Cabernet Sauvignon on hillside sites and a first Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon wine was produced in 1978, released in 1981. It is particularly known for its Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, regarded as one of the very finest wines in California. In February 2022 Shafer Vineyards was sold to Shinsegae Property Group.
Hillside Select is sourced from a collection of 14 small vineyard blocks planted within an eons-old amphitheater-like structure of rock and volcanic soil that surrounds the winery. Sheer rock walls tower along the eastern boundary of Shafer’s hillside estate vineyards, reflecting the warming rays of the afternoon sun and channeling cool breezes off the bay. These are the Stags Leap palisades from which this small appellation takes its name. They create a craggy amphitheater that is home to Shafer Vineyards and stand as a silent testament to the eons-old history of the place.
From the first vintage, the wine from the hillside vineyards showed the same intense fruit and velvety texture year after year. It was an expression of the land, a wine of a place, and it became Shafer’s signature wine, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon.
Provenance
Coats Family cellar.
Critics Ratings
‘One of the world’s great wines and profound expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select. This wine spends more than 30 months in 100% new oak, and, year in year out, has been one of the most singular and profound examples of Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. It seems Shafer began to ratchet up performance during the 1990s, and the first decade of the 21st century has provided a treasure trove of either perfect or nearly perfect wines, including the 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and more recently the 2010, 2012 and, in all likelihood, the 2013. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (about 2,000 cases produced) is another one of those “wow” wines, but it does it with a sort of measured richness and restraint and extraordinary subtle character, like the Gary Cooper of Napa Cabernet Sauvignons – authentic, tall, straight-boned, but substantial and worthy of introspection. Inky purple, with a classic nose of creme de cassis, licorice, a touch of vanilla and forest floor, the wine hits the palate with a gorgeous display of measured, but substantial fruit, body and intensity. Not a component is out of place, and the wine remarkably pure and persuasive. Combine great winemaking with great viticulture and a special terroir, and this is the result. Readers are in the presence of genius when tasting this wine.’ - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 99/100 (Jun 2015)
‘Bright, saturated ruby to the rim. Deep, ripe aromas of black cherry, tobacco, mocha and earth, plus a complicating note of musky espresso. Plush, suave and very sweet but with terrific harmonious acidity framing the dark berry, spice, dark chocolate and mocha flavors. Wonderfully concentrated, broad, utterly seamless wine with noble tannins and outstanding length. Offers great appeal today but this may yet gain in complexity with more time in bottle.’ - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 95/100 (May 2016)
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