Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon "40th Anniversary Hillside Select" 2018
(Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California) - [JD 100] [JS 99, #61 Top 100 of '22] [WA 98+] [VM 98]

About this Wine:
Hillside Select is a wine of a place, sourced from carefully selected blocks of Stags Leap District hillside vineyards. These grapes are small and deeply colored, with concentrated flavors enhanced by meticulous winemaking and extensive aging in French oak barrels. Hillside Select consistently expresses the voluptuous fruit, rich flavors, and velvety texture that characterize grapes grown in this renown AVA.

Winemaker comments:
“2018 Hillside Select is an enticing balance of opulence and energy. This classic Cabernet Sauvignon fills the glass with vivid aromas of blackberry, black cherry, warm earth, and baking spice. The flavors richly echo the wine’s aromas, adding juicy layers of summer briar fruit, berry compote, cinnamon, lively red and black plums, and mocha with a long, radiant finish. Structured tannins offer the promise of a lengthy, sumptuous tenure in your cellar.” — Shafer Winemaker Elias Fernandez

Vineyard Location:

100% hillside vineyards in Stags Leap District including Shafer's estate vineyard blocks
Sunspot, John’s Upper 7, Venado Ilegal, and Firebreak

2018 Growing Season:
A lengthy, cool, steady growing season created ideal conditions for the fruit to hang on the vine a long time in the summer sun developing rich color, alluring aromas, and luxuriant flavors.

Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 15.5%
Cooperage: 32 months in 100% new 60-gallon French oak barrels (Allier and Tronçais)

100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
“Incredible purity and precision, as well as opulence, define the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, and this is as good as any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world today. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a thrilling bouquet of pure crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and an incredible minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, seamless texture, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This is classic 2018 Napa Valley with its purity, freshness and precision as well as sensational concentration and perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, and alcohol. It delivers pleasure today yet warrants a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to be a 30- to 40-year wine.”  (Jan 2022)

99 Points, #61 Top 100 of 2022 - James Suckling:
"So much black licorice in this, together with tar, blackcurrants, blackberries and slate. Full-bodied, but very toned and focused, with polish and energy. Extremely fine tannins and wonderful length. All about balance and purity. Gorgeous now, but this will age for decades to come. Great finish. Better after 2026." (Jan 2022)

98+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select displays a deep garnet-purple color. It charges out of the gate with bold crème de cassis, blueberry pie and black cherry preserves notes, plus hints of smoked meats, fragrant earth and tar, with a fragrant waft of violets and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, supported by a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long with an enticing herbal lift." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Jan 2021)

98 Points - Vinous Media:
"Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is stunning. Bright acids give the 2018 tons of energy. This is an especially mid-weight, refined Hillside Select that is all class. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mint and blood orange build in the glass. Elegant and bright, the 2018 shows all the energy of the year in spades. (Drink between 2026-2043)" - Antonio Galloni (Jan 2022)