Shafer Vineyards : Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Tasting notes and advice for the Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 from Shafer Vineyards

Tasting

Color
The color reveals a deep garnet hue with purplish highlights.

Nose
Extraordinarily complex, the nose unveils rich aromas of blackberry and black cherry, supported by secondary notes of cocoa, rhubarb, rose water and espresso. With aeration, tertiary fragrances of cedar chest, clove oil, lavender and menthol emerge.

Palate
Juicy and energetic, the palate delivers a cascade of summer bramble fruits, blackcurrant, black licorice, red plum and freshly cracked black pepper. The slightly red-fruit-leaning profile lends immediate approachability while maintaining substantial depth. Ripe tannins provide structure without excessive astringency. The long, captivating finish lingers with fragrant impressions of spice and dark fruit.

Food and wine pairings

This Cabernet Sauvignon pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, particularly beef and game. It also accompanies ribs, burgers and barbecue dishes with elegance. Duck, lamb, pork or veal preparations also make excellent matches. For a refined pairing, opt for Wagyu beef, whose umami richness beautifully complements the dark fruit and velvety texture of the wine. Asian meat-based dishes, meaty fish such as tuna or salmon, mushrooms, and pasta with meat-based sauces are also well suited.

Serving and cellaring

The Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 can be enjoyed now while also benefiting from an additional four to five years of bottle aging. This wine has a cellaring potential of thirty to forty years, and can be enjoyed through around 2047.

A powerful and refined California Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap District

The estate

Founded in 1972 by John Shafer, a former publishing executive in Chicago, Shafer Vineyards spans 209 acres in Napa Valley. The estate played a pioneering role in the development of hillside viticulture in California and in establishing Stags Leap District as an official appellation in 1989. Since 2022, the property has belonged to Shinsegae Property, a South Korean company specializing in luxury brands and real estate. The legendary winemaker Elias Fernandez, present since 1984 and celebrating his 40th harvest in 2024, continues to oversee the winemaking. Shafer Vineyards stands out for its trailblazing environmental commitment, having been the first American winery to operate entirely on solar power as early as 2004.

The vineyard

The Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 comes exclusively from hillside plots located in the Stags Leap District, a small sub-appellation of Napa Valley renowned for its volcanic soils and fractured shale. The Sunspot, John's Upper 7, Venado Ilegal and Firebreak blocks, planted on the estate’s steep slopes, benefit from optimal exposure and well-draining soils that curb vine vigor. These challenging conditions encourage the production of small, deeply colored, thick-skinned berries with intensely concentrated aromas. The climate is defined by warm days and cool nights, thanks to breezes from San Pablo Bay, creating a diurnal temperature range that enables optimal ripening while preserving the fruit’s natural acidity.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage benefited from a long, warm summer, allowing the grapes to ripen in near-ideal conditions over an extended period. In early September, an intense heatwave with temperatures reaching 45°C created stressful conditions for the vines. However, cooler temperatures in late September allowed the grapes to recover and continue ripening, thus preserving the quality of the vintage.

Winemaking and aging

The Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 was aged for 32 months in 60-gallon new French oak barrels from the Allier and Tronçais forests. This extended aging allowed gradual oxidation and harmonious integration of the compounds imparted by new oak, whose structuring tannins support cellaring potential. After barrel aging, this California wine underwent additional bottle aging before its release on September 1, 2021.

Grape variety

100% Cabernet Sauvignon