Probably my favorite winery in Napa. All sustainable fruit done extremely well. Hillside Select is liquid velvet. The grounds are gorgeous. John, Shafer's ambassador is informative, warmly welcoming and is a gracious host and always runs a great tasting.
Being a member of their wine club I was very disappointed that when I called, in advance, to pick up wine that I'd previously ordered that they refused to accomodate me for a tasting when I was coming to pick up my wine. I find this attitude arrogant and unprofessional.
This is an exceptional experience. Our host, Bob, was knowledgeable and personable and each wine was outstanding. We enjoyed our time here and out of many tasting visits in the area, this is one that we would return to.
Upon my visit, Bob the wine educator greeted us in a humble and sincere manner. Bob was very grounded and made the experience all the more pleasant and fascinating. The history of John Shafer and the continued efforts of his son, Doug Shafer, is not pretentious but in fact humble and meaningful. The estate reflects Shafer s history through its modest but very mindful design. Elias Fernandez the winemaker is mentioned many times throughout the tasting - personally I admire Bob for the mention of Elias as to give credit where it is due. Needless to say, the Shafer family is much more than a label or a mere face. Doug Shafer himself made an appearance for us while we sampled the TD-9!
Shafer is incredible - truly a staple in the Napa Valley.
I love Shafer and I love the view it's breathtaking
This place is a little stiff, but our clients worship the wine. An absolute must for wine collectors!
A great family owned winery. Fantastic wines that we have enjoyed over the years. Consistently high quality and in a lovely setting. We did the tasting, and John, the owner stopped by.
One of the best wineries in the state, incredible wines and great story. I can't say enough good things about this place.
Host was very uncooth. I left 10 minutes into the tasting. Good wine; very annoying pomposity.
Great wines. Wonderful tasting experience! Breathtaking views!
We were at Shafer in November 2011, yes I know this is a little after the fact, but I'm not one that often reviews products or services. We are currently planning another (our 3rd) trip to Napa this fall and saw this and wanted to add my 2 cents. This place is great. The tasting was by appointment and we were treated great. The room we tasted in is beautiful along with the rest of their tasting and customer service area. It over looks their vineyards including the Hillside Select Vineyard. The wine is fantastic and is one of our favorites we pull out a bottle not only for special occasions, but when we just want a great tasting wine. We bought a their book and Doug was there and signed it for us.
shafervineyards.com