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Founded in 1978, Shafer Vineyards is situated in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, east of the Silverado Trail and just north of the town of Napa. Although their main focus has always been luxuriant, richly textured Cabernet Sauvignons from their Stags Leap vineyards, they own and farm vineyards also in Carneros.
Low fertility, hillside sites have always been a major priority, as has the adoption of the finest, low vigour rootstocks and clones, leading to extremely low yields of small intensely concentrated grapes. They are also passionate exponents of sustainable farming practices in which they eschew all forms of chemical sprays, and their vineyards teem with natural predators including bats, owls, and a variety of insects. The resulting raw materials are of the highest quality and provide them with numerous, stylistic options in the winery.
56% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Malbec from Stags Leap District, Yountville and a vineyard in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains, just south of Stags Leap District. Aged for 20 months in a combination of Allier and Troncais barrels (100% new). A lengthy, cool, steady summer created ideal conditions for the fruit to hang on the vine a long time developing bold colour, enticing aromas, and vivid, complex flavours.
Dark ruby. A really very alluring blend of ripeness and savour. Not too heavy with some pace – even if quite a bit of sweetness, counterbalanced by fine tannin and freshness. 17/20 jancisrobinson.com