Napa Valley, United States
John Shafer was a successful businessman in the Chicago suburbs, when in 1972, he purchased a piece of property in what would soon come to be known as the Stags Leap District in southern Napa Valley. Affected by daily fog, this area was originally thought to be too cool to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, but Shafter tasted an example from a neighbor, and decided to go in on this variety; this would be just one example of his brilliant decision making over the years.
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Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon
| SKU (BC) | 541045 |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Napa Valley, CA |
| Type | Red |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Listing (BC) | Speculative |
| Case Config. | 6x750ml |
| Available In |
Colour
Inky, midnight colour.
Aroma
Pure varietal aromas of black fruit, layers of cocoa, black tea and spice.
Flavour
Juicy flavours of black fruit, black tea and subtle toast. A pleasing overall balance keeps the elements together giving the wine a delicious sense of completeness.
Food Pairing
Grilled or roast lamb, duck, beef and game; dishes featuring roasted red peppers or caramelized onions; seasonings of basil, mint or rosemary; aged, full flavour cheeses.
More Info
Hillside Select is made of 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon fruit sourced from rugged hillside vineyard blocks on our Stags Leap District Estate. Truly a "wine of a place," this Cabernet exemplifies the extraordinary richness and suppleness consistently produced in our little valley within a valley. Hillside Select is aged a full four years prior to release (three years in Alliers and Troncais oak barrels and 15 months in the bottle). While enjoyable today, this wine will gain richness and maturity with up to 20 years of careful cellaring.
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Oct/2018
2015 -
"Very deep purple-black in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select comes bounding out of the glass with gregarious scents of crème de cassis, warm black cherries, plum preserves and Indian spices with hints of lilacs, garrigue, stewed tea and cigar box plus a waft of charcuterie. Full-bodied, rich, boldly fruited and wildly decadent, it has a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with loads of earthy and savory layers."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate - 2018
2007 -
"One of the perfect wines from Shafer is the 2007 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select. Think it over – in the first decade of the 21st century, Shafer scored three perfect scores and two 99s – that’s about as high a praise as I can give any producer in the world. Opaque purple in color, the 2007 has a stunning nose of sweet crème de cassis, black cherries, licorice, and toasty oak, a multilayered, full-throttle personality, and a texture that builds and builds. Great purity, fabulous fruit intensity and a richness without heaviness characterize this massive, prodigious effort from Shafer. It’s still very young, despite this vintage, which seems to be maturing precociously. I don’t believe this wine will hit its stride for at least another 5-10 years and drink well for at least 2-3 decades."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2014
2009 -
"The 2009 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is a more ordinarily constructed, compact effort from Shafer, but very powerful, with blackcurrants, cedar wood, vanillin and spice box. The wine is full-bodied, showing outstanding purity, a slightly more narrow framework and a linear personality. Nevertheless, it’s top-notch and a brilliant wine on its own."
Wine Enthusiast, Dec/2013
2009 -
"This is clearly one of the greatest Shafer Hillside Selects ever. It shows incredibly concentrated blackberry, dark chocolate and ripe cassis flavors, wrapped into impeccably rich tannins. Made from 100% Cabernet, it's a superb example of Hillside. Tasted from the same bottle a day later, the wine was even richer and more satisfying, which is a solid indicator of ageworthiness. Drink now–2028."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2014
2010 -
"A remarkable wine, the 2010 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select has gone from strength to strength since it was in cask. It is stunningly rich, with classic, fragrant notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, vanilla, graphite and spring flowers. It exhibits an opaque purple color, with a full-bodied, massive mouthfeel, but no heaviness, and again, a flawless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. It is classic California Cabernet, but beautifully put together, showing impeccable craftsmanship and fabulous potential. This is obviously a very young, infantile style of Cabernet that will not hit its prime for at least another decade and last close to half a century, based on how older vintages that were less well-endowed have matured from Shafer."
Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Oct/2015
2014 -
"Shafer's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is a bit compact and lean today, but it will spend another year-plus in barrel. Inky blue and black fruit, creme de cassis, crushed rocks and spices hit the pulsating, tannic finish. The 2014 needs time. The only question is how much."
Wine Spectator, Nov/2017
2013 -
“Graceful and supple, rich and loamy, tilted toward the savory, herbal side of Cabernet, with modest cherry and currant notes. Displays deft balance and hints of anise and underbrush. Complex throughout. Drink now through 2030. 2,400 cases made.”
James Suckling, May/2017
2013 -
Top 100 of 2017 "Wonderful floral aromas with perfumed roses plus hints of blackcurrants and spearmint. Full-bodied and so powerful and muscular but always showing the brightness and beauty of fruit. Winemakers say this reminds them of the 1978, their first year. It certainly has the structure — "those tannins" as they put it. Finish is so impressive with tar, iron and spices. Available in September 2017. Try in 2023."