Vinous 91 points - 91-93 - The 2017 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch is a very beautiful wine. The warm vintage produced a Chardonnay that is a bit richer and more generous than has become the norm here in recent years, but the style of the wine is unchanged in its citrus and floral driven profile..December/2018 There is so much to like in these new and upcoming releases from Shafer. The quality and pedigree of the 2016 vintage is evident in a series of wines that are stellar across the board. I was also very positively surprised by the 2017s. Shafer is among the producers where the 2017s have the potential to outshine the 2015s, which is saying a lot. In short, there is much to admire here. The Hillside Select Cabernet remains the flagship, but frankly I am just as turned on the One Point Five Cabernet and the Merlot-based TD-9, both of which deliver plenty of the Shafer magic at far more accessible prices. - From Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets - Part 1 (Dec 2018) by Antonio Galloni Shafer’s single-vineyard Carneros-grown Chardonnay is produced from small-clustered clones of grapes selected for their low yields and distinctive flavors. Fermentation takes place within individual oak and stainless steel barrels using native yeasts. The wine matures on the lees for 14 months and since it undergoes no malolactic fermentation this Chardonnay retains a lively natural acidity. The vineyard is named for its Red-shouldered Hawks and other birds of prey, who play an important role in Shafer’s natural farming practices.
