Wine Advisor
Shafer, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Description
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. Thanks to scant soil nutrients and moisture, yields at harvest are meager and the berries are small, about the size of blueberries. This Stags Leap District site’s combination of rugged, arid soil and climate results in lush Cabernet Sauvignon fruit with dark color and intense, classic flavor.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The estate’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is one of those rare wines that looks like it will be absolutely delicious pretty much at any point in its life. Super-refined and silky, the 2008 caresses the palate with layers of deeply expressive dark fruit. The 2008 is a wine of exceptional textural finesse and pedigree. According to Doug Shafer, cool weather in the spring resulted in small clusters with high skin to juice ratios, always a plus for high quality wines. Today the 2008 does not look like a huge Hillside Select, but is rather a wine built on polish and elegance. It will be interesting to see if the 2008 fills out in bottle, or it remains more restrained in its personality. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038. Shafer doesn’t miss a beat. After more than a month of intense tastings of Napa Valley wines in 2012, Shafer was a clear stand out for their consistency across the board. The Hillside Select Cabernet remains the flagship, but readers will also find plenty of equally compelling and delicious wines in this range. In particular, this year I was impressed with the Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five, which for my money is one of the best wines in Napa Valley in its price range. Although clearly made in a style meant to be enjoyed upon release, a recent bottle of the 2004 was superb, and showed the One Point Five can also age gracefully. My most recent visit ended with the 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon, an iconic wine that is still in great shape. John Shafer couldn’t get enough workers to pick his vineyard when he wanted, so fruit spent longer on the vine than he originally intended, giving birth to the Cabernet Sauvignon that today is known as the Hillside Select. Tel. (707) 944-2877
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is quite structured. Even with its firm tannins, though, the wine shows gorgeous depth and sheer power. The 2008 isn’t a wine with early appeal, but it shows off tons of muscle and sheer depth. Dark fruit, leather, licorice, spices and tar inform the muscular, virile finish. The 2008 will require patience but its explosive personality virtually ensures it will be a rock star in a few years’ time. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. Shafer’s iconic Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select gets the lion’s share of the attention here, but the rest of the wines also deserve serious consideration. I have been especially impressed with the Syrah-based Relentless on my last two visits here. Tel. (707) 944-2877
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Vanilla, toast, blackcurrants, graphite, earth and foresty notes are all present in the 2008 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select. It has great fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and quite a perfumed personality, but not quite the intensity and length of its predecessor. It could be one of those troublesome pairings where this just happened to follow an out-of-this-world compelling wine. The 2008 is certainly outstanding, just not one of the all-time greats.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select may turn out to be nearly as good. A great success for the vintage and further proof of just how good this year can be for Napa Bordeaux varietals, it boasts an opaque purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of white chocolate, espresso roast, oak, creme de cassis, blackberries and camphor. A potential candidate for the wine of the vintage, it is dense, full-bodied, rich, powerful and well-balanced. This is another compelling effort from Elias Fernandez and his two bosses, Doug and John Shafer. This 2008 should be fabulous when released in 2012, and last for 30+ years. (Not yet released) While still renowned for their portfolio of classic world-class reds, Shafer also turns out a terrific non-malolactic Chardonnay from the Red Shoulder Ranch. The only dramatic change made over recent years is that instead of 100% being barrel-fermented and oak-aged, 25% is now aged in stainless steel which has added freshness and possibly longevity. Introduced several years ago, the Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five cuvee is aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. It is meant to be a reference point Cabernet from Stags Leap priced lower than Shafer’s limited production, usually monumental Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon. Shafer’s flagship offering is their monumental Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select (about 2,000 cases produced). Always 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for at least 30 months in oak, this is one of Napa’s most profound wines. Since 1999, Shafer has made a Syrah/Petite Sirah blend (usually 80% of the former and 20% of the latter) aged 32 months in 100% new French oak. The first vintage, the 1999 Relentless, which they opened at the winery to show how well it is aging, is still a baby at age 11. I rated it 96 points, which is higher than the 93 points I gave it in 2002. So much for California Syrah not aging well! The 1999 is still intense with a plum color and lots of grilled meat, herb, licorice and spice characteristics. Tel. (707) 944-2877; Fax (707) 944-9454
About the Producer
John Shafer, the founder of Shafer Vineyards, was a vice president of a Chicago publishing company when he left his 23-year career in publishing in mid-life. For 35 years, he and his son Doug have run the winery, which has earned a reputation as "one of the best wines in Napa". Today, Sifford is considered to be a full-scale winery, having expanded over the years to over 80 hectares of vineyards. Today, Sifford produces red and white wines with an annual production of 360,000 bottles. Located in the Stag's Leap AVA, the vineyards of Sifford Vineyards are situated in the southeast of Oakville in the middle of Napa Velley, with the Vaca Mountains to the east and the rolling hills and Napa Valley to the west, hence the name "Valley within a Valley". The soil of Deerleap is divided into two types, a volcanic ash layer to the east and a river alluvium layer to the west, consisting of more fertile soils with sub-clay. The vineyards are planted mainly with Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The location on the hillside means that the sunshine, the oceanic fog streams in the evening and the cool nights are ideal for perfect ripening of the grapes. Standing at the foot of the hill and looking upwards, the vineyards slope downwards and, because of the steepness of the slope, the vines need to grow downwards in a desperate attempt to root, allowing the grapes to gain more nutrients and flavour. The long growing period means that the grapes ripen better, with smaller grains and lower yields, resulting in a richer flavour. In order to save energy and reduce the greenhouse effect on the atmosphere, Château Sèvres has installed solar power and does not use the electricity grid at all. In addition, the winery has been growing its grapes organically since the 1980s. The Shafer, Stag's Leap District Hillside Select is one of the top wines of the estate and one that has put it among the top wines in the world. Made from the ripest, most perfect Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, the wine is fermented and then matured for 2-3 years in new oak barrels. The wine has a concentrated fruitiness, heavy tannins and a majestic presence. Since 1990, Château Sifford's Deer Leap Mountain Selection has never scored low with the major names, with Parker rating it 100 and 99 points in 2002 and 2001 respectively, and 94-97, 95-97, 97 and 95 points in 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003 respectively.