Shafer 1997 Hillside Select

The Shafer 1997 Hillside Select is a truly exceptional wine that embodies the artistry and dedication of the Shafer Vineyard. With its beautiful cedar, tea, cherries, rhubarb, and tobacco notes on the nose, it immediately captivates the senses. On the palate, it offers a rich and opulent mouthfeel that is both luxurious and velvety, leaving a lasting impression. The dark color of the wine hints at its depth and concentration, setting the stage for the explosion of flavors that unfold with each sip. Layers of chocolate, spice, and black fruit dance on the palate, creating a harmonious symphony of taste sensations. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a lasting impression of the wine's complexity and finesse. The Shafer 1997 Hillside Select is a true masterpiece, a wine that showcases the remarkable quality of the vintage and the dedication of the winemaking team. It is a wine that will continue to evolve and delight for many years to come, a testament to the outstanding craftsmanship and commitment to excellence that Shafer is known for.

Robert Parker - 96 Points

"The 1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is a relatively evolved style for Hillside Select and seemingly more advanced than the older vintages, such as 1995 and 1994. Nevertheless, there is plenty to excite. It’s a big wine, dense purple in color with some lightening at the edge, plenty of crème de cassis fruit, lead pencil shavings, sweet vanilla and earth. It is very ripe, full-bodied, opulent and voluptuously textured. This is terrific stuff, hedonistic, showing secondary/tertiary nuances in the aromatics and essentially a full resolution of the tannin. This wine also seems to have come into its own and is clearly at its peak of flavor. Drink it over the next 10-15 years."

Antonio Galloni - 92+ Points

"(14.5% alcohol): Bright saturated ruby to the rim. Brooding blackberry, dark cherry and licorice aromas show both medicinal and superripe aspects. Rather suave and tight-grained on entry, then high-pitched, thick and very sweet--in fact almost liqueur-like--in the middle, conveying a slightly chunky character to its dark fruit and licorice flavors. Huge material here but still a bit unevolved and hard to warm to. I wanted more shape, clarity and elegance but this wine, amazingly, still needs time. Finishes with big, chewy tannins. This bottle was a bit less plush than the one I tasted in 2016 as part of an extensive vertical tasting at Shafer Vineyards but appears to have a considerably longer life ahead of it."