Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Dark and muscular, with blackberry and graphite aromas and youthful, concentrated black cherry and mocha fruit that show notes of roasted herb, with a hint of game.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Very ripe, very sweet and awash in very obvious oak, this outgoing wine embraces the Shafer style to a "tee". It is full, fat and fleshy on the palate with layers of mocha, black cherries, vanilla and cream running its length, but it is also a bit hot at the finish with a rise in last-minute tannins that says it would be wise to set it aside for a few years despite its many immediate appeals.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Merlot (a 10,000-case cuvee that includes 15% Cabernet Sauvignon) may be the finest Merlot I have ever tasted from Shafer. Reasonably priced for a Napa Valley Merlot, it is characterized by elegance and substance. Its dark ruby/purple hue is followed by notes of wood spice, forest, flowers, berries, mocha, and wood smoke, medium to full body, sweet tannins, and good freshness. Enjoy it over the next 12+ years.
As Napa Valley’s third most planted grape, Napa Valley Merlot shows time and time again its potential to produce exceptional results. Napa’s vaunted combination of climate, soil and the human factor of winemaking expertise lead to big, ripe, cellar-worthy and world-class versions.
Whether made by itself in single varietal bottlings or as an important role in Bordeaux Blends, Merlot continues a prominent role in this famous region. While Cabernet typically takes the lead role, Merlot’s contribution—even at 10% to 20% or so—is significant indeed. Often described as “the flesh on Cabernet’s bones,” Merlot lends a soft, round and plush character that beautifully complements Cabernet’s linear, full-throttle structure. Its flavors of plums plus subtle herbs and mint also dovetail nicely with Cabernet’s blackberry and cassis.