Retail Team | December 16, 2023
When it comes to iconic Napa Valley wineries, Shafer Vineyards stands tall among the giants, and among their illustrious portfolio, one wine stands out, truly showcasing the pinnacle of their artistry – the Shafer Hillside Select.
In the 1970s, John Shafer left a successful career in Chicago as a publishing executive to purchase a property in the Stag’s Leap AVA of the Napa Valley, which sits around six miles north of the city of Napa. The rocky soils of Stag’s Leap capture heat and release warmth to the vines, resulting in wines of richness and opulence, but with a fresh acidity courtesy of cooling evening marine breezes from the San Pablo Bay.
John was fascinated by the vertiginous hillsides on the property – so steep and rugged that no one had ever attempted to plant them. But he was not deterred.
John planted Cabernet Sauvignon on these wild slopes, and in 1983, released a wine he called Hillside Select. From day one, the quality and expressiveness of Hillside Select served as an ambassador for Napa Valley wines on the international stage. Its fame not only benefited Shafer Vineyards but further elevated Napa Valley's reputation as a premier wine-producing region, worthy of being in the echelon of Classified-Growth Bordeaux.
Today, we are thrilled to offer four library vintages of this Napa icon, each vintage showcasing the outstanding quality and terroir-driven expression for which Shafer Hillside Select is known, along with the hallmark dark fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, black plum), subtle herbaceousness, espresso bean, and velvety tannins. We encourage you to secure your share before these perfectly-cellared beauties disappear.
