Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Winemaker Notes: Hillside Select is a wine of a place, sourced from carefully selected blocks of Stags Leap District hillside vineyards. These grapes are small and deeply colored, with concentrated flavors enhanced by meticulous winemaking and extensive aging in French oak barrels. Hillside Select consistently expresses the voluptuous fruit, rich flavors, and velvety texture that characterize grapes grown in this renowned AVA.

Critical Acclaim 

Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points Incredible purity, precision, and opulence define the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, and this is as good as any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world today. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a thrilling bouquet of pure crème de cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings, and an incredible minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, seamless texture, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This is classic 2018 Napa Valley with its purity, freshness, and precision, as well as sensational concentration and perfectly integrated acidity, tannins, and alcohol. It delivers pleasure today yet warrants a solid 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to be a 30- to 40-year wine. 

James Suckling 99 Points So much black licorice in this, together with tar, blackcurrants, blackberries, and slate. Full-bodied, but very toned and focused, with polish and energy. Extremely fine tannins and wonderful length. All about balance and purity. Gorgeous now, but this will age for decades to come. Great finish. Better after 2026. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 98 Points Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select displays a deep garnet-purple color. It charges out of the gate with bold crème de cassis, blueberry pie, and black cherry preserves notes, plus hints of smoked meats, fragrant earth, and tar, with a fragrant waft of violets and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, supported by a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins, and compelling freshness, finishing long with an enticing herbal lift. Rating: 98+ 

Wine Spectator 95 Points Frankly ripe but well-focused, with blackberry and creamed boysenberry notes flowing through atop a polished structure, while cocoa and black licorice frame the finish. A subtle hint of sassafras lingers on the finish, adding textural nuance. This has the stuffing to age well, too. Drink now through 2038.

Pickup Only

Wine is available for pickup at our restaurant Pizzaioli located at 3920 Grand Ave., Unit A, Chino, California 91710. Alternatively, enjoy your wine at our restaurant, which pairs nicely with our charcuterie board of fine artisan cheeses and cured meats, or select a wine from our eclectic list. For Menus and Reservations, please visit us at https://www.pizzaioli.com.