Shafer Hillside Select Magnum 2011

Hillside Select is the flagship wine of iconic Napa Valley producer, Shafer Vineyards and is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 14 rugged vineyard blocks planted on an amphitheatre-shaped piece of land that surrounds the winery. 2011 was a complex vintage for many in California yet this is another fine example of exceptional quality fruit and supreme winemaking skill. Deep and dark in hue, it exudes delicious notes of dark cherry, blackcurrant, tobacco, wild flowers and pencil shavings. With a slightly less monolithic tannin structure, there is admirable vibrancy, freshness and early-drinking appeal, though it will almost certainly last until the end of the decade.