Shafer Napa Valley 1992

Description

Ripe and fruity, with attractive plum and cherry notes that progress to more depth and complexity. The flavors fold neatly into a smooth and harmonious finish. 6,500 cases made Wine Advocate #99 Jun 1995 Robert M. Parker, Jr. Rated 90 Drink: now The Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District has jumped in quality as John Shafer’s son, Doug Shafer, abandoned sterile filters in favor of no fining and only a polishing, coarse filtration at bottling. That, plus less acidification, giving the wines a higher PH, has resulted in a more revealing and beautiful expression of the gorgeous fruit obtained from the Stags Leap District vineyards. The 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap includes 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. It offers a wonderfully pure cassis nose, a velvety texture, plenty of ripeness, and some structure and tannin in the medium to full-bodied finish. It should drink well for 10-15 years. This winery continues to build on their fine reputation, pushing the quality to higher and higher levels. Shafer’s 50-acre estate vineyard, located in the heart of the Stags Leap District, is supplemented by an additional 70 acres in Carneros. The winery continues to be innovative, offering a very good Sangiovese called Firebreak that has a small percentage (usually less than 20%) of Cabernet Sauvignon included in the blend for color and bulk.