SHAFER WINERY AMERICAS FIRST GROWTH.

 

In 1972 John Shafer after a 23 year career as a school book publisher in Chicago moved his family to the Napa Valley to pursue a second career in wine.  After purchasing a 210-acre estate in the Stag's Leap district of the Napa Valley, they replanted the existing vineyards with dated bat to the 1920s and terracing the steep and rocky hillsides, eventually expanding the vineyard acreage to its current 50 acres. In 1978 John produced his first cabernet which became a classic, winning the acclaimed San Francisco Vintners Club taste-off upon release and, over a decade later taking first place in an international blind tasting held in Germany, where it outranked such wines as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and Chateau Palmer. A year later constructions was begun on their winery a year later.  Doug Shafer, John’s son became winemaker in 1983 after graduating from UC Davis with a degree in enology and viticulture and a year later Elias Fernandez joined the winery as assistant winemaker.  However, it wasn’t until 1990s that they hit their stride.  In 2001, 2002, and 2003 Shafer received perfect ratings from Robert Parker and with rare exception their rating have been 95 points or above.

In 2007 they changed the name of their regular Cabernet Sauvignon bottling to One Point Five.  For a farther and son team it was the start of a working relationship that would last more than 30 years, a partnership that is embedded in the name One Point Five.  The wine has been rated in low to mid-90s since its release. Likewise, their Merlot has also receive ratings in the low to mid-90s.  

The Relentless which was released in 1999 is a blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah.  The named is to honor Shafer’s longtime winemaker Elias Fernandez for his relentless pursuit of quality.  Elias, son of Seasonal farm workers, went on to graduate with honors from UC Davis with honors and joined the Shafer team in 1984

 The wine has scored in the mid to high 90 since it inception.    

However, the Shafer’s were not happy with their Chardonnay that was grown on their Stag's Leap property and they continued to look for a property which would produce outstanding Chardonnay.  In 1988 they discovered a new home for Chardonnay in The Carneros region of Napa Valley, purchase it and named it Red Shoulder Ranch.  Their first vintage off the new property, the 1994 Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay debuted with considerable acclaim even Shafer Vineyrards.docxbeing named on the Top 10 Wines of the Year by the Wine Spectator and continues to be rated in the low to mid-90s.