Shafer Vineyards
Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon
Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA
WHN virtual tasting of different HHS - I choose the 2005 - 3 hour decant - medium body and palette / red blue and of course black fruits - stags leap taste profile with old school winemaking - length was not as long as I would have wanted - ABV is 15% and just a little heat present - delicious and could last longer but why wait as this fruit forward is perfectly integrated now
WHN virtual tasting of different HHS - I choose the 2005 - 3 hour decant - medium body and palette / red blue and of course black fruits - stags leap taste profile with old school winemaking - length was not as long as I would have wanted - ABV is 15% and just a little heat present - delicious and could last longer but why wait as this fruit forward is perfectly integrated now
Dec 14th, 2020
2005 Shafer "Hillside Select" Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon.
Palate- Warm black cherries, plum, blackberries & fresh black currants. Complexed/seamless, remarkably balanced, finishing with great length & depth. Tremendous wine that’s raring to go now. @Mike R Multiple thanks aging for sharing this sensation bottle.
2005 Shafer "Hillside Select" Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon.
Palate- Warm black cherries, plum, blackberries & fresh black currants. Complexed/seamless, remarkably balanced, finishing with great length & depth. Tremendous wine that’s raring to go now. @Mike R Multiple thanks aging for sharing this sensation bottle.
Very intense and dark. Almost black fruit, licorice, currant. Still quite clean. Focussed. Punchy.
Very intense and dark. Almost black fruit, licorice, currant. Still quite clean. Focussed. Punchy.
Nov 20th, 2019
The 2005 Shafer ‘Hillside Select’ Cabernet Sauvignon is starting to hit its upper register at now the fourteen year mark. The tertiary notes entice aromatically with its wild mushroom and damp earth tones that combine with the dense core of dark fruits and cocoa powder on this exotic bouquet. Silky smooth throughout, the 2005 ‘Hillside Select’ glides effortlessly across the mid-palate, unveiling its gorgeous mouthfeel and texture. Blackberry cobbler and mocha flavors mingle with the lovely earthy and tertiary tones on the palate. Fantastic now, the 2005 ‘Hillside Select’ is starting to peak and should drink well for at least another ten years. Drink 2019-2032- 95
The 2005 Shafer ‘Hillside Select’ Cabernet Sauvignon is starting to hit its upper register at now the fourteen year mark. The tertiary notes entice aromatically with its wild mushroom and damp earth tones that combine with the dense core of dark fruits and cocoa powder on this exotic bouquet. Silky smooth throughout, the 2005 ‘Hillside Select’ glides effortlessly across the mid-palate, unveiling its gorgeous mouthfeel and texture. Blackberry cobbler and mocha flavors mingle with the lovely earthy and tertiary tones on the palate. Fantastic now, the 2005 ‘Hillside Select’ is starting to peak and should drink well for at least another ten years. Drink 2019-2032- 95
Nov 19th, 2019
Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.
Out of all the wines from the night, this one changed the most. At first, it was very reminiscent of South African blends with a smoky rubbery like note. Odd. After about two hours, it shed that and was showing a lot of sweet cassis, baking spices, ripe red and black fruits. Balanced and smooth on the palate with graham cracker, dates, dark cocoa and mixed berries. I called this Napa cab but couldn’t pin point a producer. Props to Weston for calling this Shafer HSS!
Lots of fun bottles were popped at Al’s hosting this past weekend for his birthday celebration. All were served blind. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 6 reds and 1 dessert wine.
Out of all the wines from the night, this one changed the most. At first, it was very reminiscent of South African blends with a smoky rubbery like note. Odd. After about two hours, it shed that and was showing a lot of sweet cassis, baking spices, ripe red and black fruits. Balanced and smooth on the palate with graham cracker, dates, dark cocoa and mixed berries. I called this Napa cab but couldn’t pin point a producer. Props to Weston for calling this Shafer HSS!
3 hour Audoze followed by a 2 hour decant and poured back in the bottle for dinner. This was extraordinary! Every bit as impressive as the ‘01 and ‘02. Robust blackberries, graphite, a smooth yet substantial mouthfeel and a sensational lingering finish. I recall reading a review of the Shafer HSS that descried the wine as “an elegant sledgehammer”....a perfectly succinct and apt description
3 hour Audoze followed by a 2 hour decant and poured back in the bottle for dinner. This was extraordinary! Every bit as impressive as the ‘01 and ‘02. Robust blackberries, graphite, a smooth yet substantial mouthfeel and a sensational lingering finish. I recall reading a review of the Shafer HSS that descried the wine as “an elegant sledgehammer”....a perfectly succinct and apt description
Feb 25th, 2019
Young but very enjoyable phenomenal nose and finish
Young but very enjoyable phenomenal nose and finish
3 people found it helpfulDec 5th, 2014Full bodied cab with strong berry notes - another birthday winner!
Full bodied cab with strong berry notes - another birthday winner!
2 people found it helpfulAug 10th, 2014
@Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Big Big Big Wine!
@Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Big Big Big Wine!
1 person found it helpfulOct 26th, 2017