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Date Printed: 5/19/2013
Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2008
Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2008
 (search item no. 111139)
Wine Enthusiast rating: 93 points
Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $48.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2010 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2009 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
2009 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
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
2004 Wine Spectator rating: 92 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:

 The lengthy spring and summer offered seemingly endless stretches of warm, sunny days and cool nights. A gentle heat spell warmed up our vineyards in early September at exactly the right time to usher in the harvest of gorgeous fruit.

2008 Merlot has a lively, perfumy nose that begins the moment the bottle is opened – delicious aromas of red cherry, raspberry, red plum, cherry kirsch. In the mouth are rich, juicy, palate-enveloping flavors of pure red and black fruit, red licorice, and hints of mint and toasted almonds. The tannins are round and smooth and part of the long, pleasing finish.

Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
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.