Buying options

Tasting notes

Tasting notes
Score 95/100 · Drink 2016-2029, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, Jul 2016

(14.1% alcohol): Healthy dark red. Captivating floral lift to the aromas of raspberry, peppercorn, leather and wet soil; conveys a strong impression of terroir . Wonderfully silky and soil-driven in the mouth, boasting terrific energy and tension for a 21-year-old California wine. The long finish features firm but suave tannins and a slatey quality that gives the wine noteworthy grip. Made from a light, late harvest. This bottle was far better than the one I tasted at my 1995 horizontal tasting in March.

Critic scores

Critic scores
96
96/100

Average Score

95
95/100

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

96
96/100

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

More reviews and scores

90.5 points
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Score 90.5/100 · Drink 2018-2029, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, Jun 2016

(14.1% alcohol): Bright, saturated ruby; looks like a current release. Brooding, medicinal aromas of blue fruits and cassis complicated by leather and peppery herbs. Big and rich, but with a slightly intrusive oak note of creosote. Finishes with big, slightly drying but fine-grained tannins. I find this a bit green-edged but it's still evolving. My bottle of the same wine at my vertical tasting at Shafer (to be published in the next few weeks) was much better.

95 points
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Score 95/100 · Drink 2016-2029, Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, Mar 2016

(14.1% alcohol): Healthy dark red. Captivating floral lift to the aromas of raspberry, peppercorn, leather and wet soil, conveys a strong impression of terroir. Wonderfully silky and soil-driven in the mouth, boasting terrific energy and tension for a 21-year-old California wine. The long finish features firm but suave tannins and a slatey quality that gives the wine noteworthy grip. Made from a light, late harvest. This bottle was far better than the one I tasted at my 1995 horizontal tasting in March.

96 points
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
Score 96/100 · Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, Dec 2015

About the producer

Fall-2025-Wine-Line-Up-nv-scaled
Shafer Vineyards

The site of Shafer has been around since 1880, and grapes continued to be grown here, even during prohibition. It is said that some wine was made here during that time. In 1972, John Shafer bought the property in the Stag’s Leap district, he immediately began planting the Cabernet on the hillside.

View Producer

Product details

Colour

Red

Taste

Dry

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