Name: Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 2016 750ml
Brand: Shafer
SKU: 927393
Price: 496.88 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 98.2 (6 reviews)

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Winery

Shafer

Shop all from Shafer Learn more about this producer

Varietal

Cabernet Sauvignon

By far and away the most recognized and widely grown red wine grape varietal in the world is the Cabernet Sauvignon. First cultivated in the 18th century in France, this wonderful cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes has long since been the most important varietal for red wines across the globe. Now grown everywhere from its native France to the furthest reaches of the New World, Cabernet Sauvignon is adored and prized by wineries for its hardiness and resistance to rot, as well as its large and sharp flavors and wonderful capability for fine aging Indeed, many of the finest wines of history and the modern age would be simply unimaginable without Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, with the famed wineries of Bordeaux and other important regions using it as the primary grape in their oak aged produce. High tannin levels, acidity and powerful flavors are the characteristics most commonly associated with this varietal, however, when blended and slowly aged, it is capable of a world of flavors and aromas unmatched by any other grape.

Country

United States

Of all the New World wine countries, perhaps the one which has demonstrated the most flair for producing high quality wines - using a combination of traditional and forward-thinking contemporary methods - has been the United States of America. For the past couple of centuries, the United States has set about transforming much of its suitable land into vast vineyards, capable of supporting a wide variety of world-class grape varietals which thrive on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coastlines. Of course, we immediately think of sun-drenched California in regards to American wines, with its enormous vineyards responsible for the New World's finest examples of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, but many other states have taken to viticulture in a big way, with impressive results. Oregon, Washington State and New York have all developed sophisticated and technologically advanced wine cultures of their own, and the output of U.S wineries is increasing each year as more and more people are converted to their produce.

Region

California

California as a wine producing region has grown in size and importance considerably over the past couple of centuries, and today is the proud producer of more than ninety percent of the United States' wines. Indeed, if California was a country, it would be the fourth largest producer of wine in the world, with a vast range of vineyards covering almost half a million acres. The secret to California's success as a wine region has a lot to do with the high quality of its soils, and the fact that it has an extensive Pacific coastline which perfectly tempers the blazing sunshine it experiences all year round. The winds coming off the ocean cool the vines, and the natural valleys and mountainsides which make up most of the state's wine regions make for ideal areas in which to cultivate a variety of high quality grapes.

Appellation

Napa Valley

When it comes to New World wines, and especially wines from the United States of America, Napa Valley is something of a standard bearer. Over its relatively short history, it has managed to transform itself from being a fairly insignificant region, to becoming one of the most important and highly regarding wine locations on earth. With an ideal climate for viticulture, blazing sunshine and a low level of rainfall, this valley is shielded on many sides by mountain ranges which help it maintain a consistent level of heat, light and moisture throughout the year. Today, Napa Valley is a home of innovation and quality, with dozens of grape varietals thriving in the fertile soils. However, the main varietals grown there have always been Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Zinfandel, and the wines they produce are constantly lauded by critics and competitions across the globe.

WA 100pts

Wine Advocate

Very deep, vibrant purple-black colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select strides confidently out of the glass with expressive notions of blueberry preserves, Black Forest cake, cassis and cedar chest with touches of pencil lead, licorice, violets and sandalwood plus a an exotic waft of Indian spices. The rich, densely packed, full-bodied palate is at once thrillingly hedonic and perfectly poised, featuring a rock-solid frame of firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and tons of freshness, finishing epically long and with stunning opulence. Bravo!

VM 100pts

Vinous Media

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is a wine of extraordinary beauty. The purity of the flavors is simply striking, but what really stands out is the wine's mind-blowing balance and total sense of harmony. An exotic mélange of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, new leather, lavender and licorice build as this sumptuous, dazzling Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its alluring personality. In a word: magnificent!

JS 98pts

James Suckling

A very complex nose here with fresh notes of violets, blueberries, cassis and forest-wood. The palate has a striking sense of power and purity with layers of glossy, ripe, fine tannins, interspersed with fresh blackcurrant and blueberry flavors. Impeccable poise and focus. Mouthwateringly fresh. Drink or hold.

WE 98pts

Wine Enthusiast

Given 32 months in 100% new French oak, this is a tremendously structured, perfumed and intensely powerful wine from the producer's famous estate. Full-figured and richly woven in blueberry and cassis, it shows remarkable earthiness in the form of sage, dried herb, lavender and crushed rock, with silky tannins encasing it all and a finishing touch of dark chocolate. Enjoy best from 2026 through 2036. (Cellar Selection)

JD 98pts

Jeb Dunnuck

From a benchmark, cooler vintage for Napa, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is reminiscent of the 2010 with its pure, focused, yet massive and concentrated style. Giving up incredible cassis fruits, it has a brilliant sense of chalky minerality, a layered, opulent mid-palate, perfectly integrated oak, and more floral, charcoal, and graphite aromatics with time in the glass. It unquestionably offers pleasure today yet needs another 7-8 years to hit its prime drinking plateau, and it will keep through 2066.

WS 95pts

Wine Spectator

Ripe, warm and alluring in feel, with a velvety texture, the core dripping with cassis, plum reduction and melted red licorice notes. The long finish moves slowly while maintaining definition, with subtle black tea and sage hints peeking in, adding range and intrigue. Should age nicely. Best from 2021 through 2038. 2,400 cases made.