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Date Printed: 5/21/2013
Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2004
Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2004
 (search item no. 90353)
collectible wine

Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 5/21/2013: $46.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2010 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2009 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2009 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2008 Wine Enthusiast rating: 93 points
2008 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2008 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
2007 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2007 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2007 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
2007 Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 90 points
2006 Wine Enthusiast rating: 95 points
2006 Connoisseurs' Guide rating: 92 points
2006 The Wine News rating: 92 points
2006 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points
2006 The Wine Advocate rating: 89 points
2005 International Wine Cellar rating: 91 points
2005 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2003 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2000 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 90 points
1999 International Wine Cellar rating: 89 points
1998 Wine Enthusiast rating: 90 points
1998 International Wine Cellar rating: 87 points
1997 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 Varietal Composition: 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc

The 2004 Merlot is rich purple, reflecting the vintage, and offers lush, focused flavors and aromas of bright cherries, strawberry, red and black plums, and cranberry. The Cabernet Sauvignon gives the wine added strength, firm tannins, and age-ability. Cabernet Franc brings in lovely fragrance with a hint of violets.

Flatter this Merlot's fruit by adding a similar element of fruit to poultry, pork and meat dishes (duck breast with dried cherry-Merlot sauce, roast chicken with cranberry-wild rice stuffing). Carmelized onions, roasted garlic and mushrooms are also pleasant companions.
My Notes:

Additional wines from Shafer Vineyards:

About Shafer Vineyards:

 John Shafer and his family founded Shafer Vineyards, located in the Stags Leap District of the Napa Valley, in 1979. From the Shafers' first wine, a 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon, their wines have won much acclaim. Today, the Shafers farm 200 acres of vineyard in the Stags Leap District, Carneros and Oak Knoll regions. Their flagship wine, Hillside Select, is produced from selected blocks of the family's hillside vineyards and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. They also produce Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, Merlot, One Point Five (Cabernet Sauvignon) and Relentless (a Syrah/Petite Sirah blend), which was named #1 wine of the year by Wine Spectator's "Top 100" of 2012.