Hillside Select Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak but good oak. Needed a decant at 17 years old. A sign of a great wine. Once decanted, it sang so smoothly like Norah Jones. I would like this again. Thank you Lim.

Quick funny story:
Christine & I are LUCKY to have Kelly work in our office but we are BLESSED to be able to consider her and Darryl as dear friends.
We recommended to Kelly, prior to her going on vacation in Charleston SC, that they should stop by the Belmont hotel. They have a bar and restaurant that is 2nd to none in that area. Christine & I LOVE it!!!! Kelly sent me a quick text to say “hey, we’re at the Belmont! And about to have dinner!”
Being the goof ball that I am..... .....I called the Somm and said “I don’t care what they ordered, bring them a Shafer Hillside Select with some age on it!!!”. 10 minutes later he was decanting a 2003 Hillside Select table side! I love that hotel! Incredible service, incredible food and always a phenomenal experience! The only thing better are-our friends that are there right now!!!!

I didn’t Have a drop of this wine but I am scoring it a 10 based on experience alone!! It must have been “Badass in a Glass” as I always say!
I’ll let Kelly and Darryl fill in the official tasting notes!
by the way Kelly: don’t love SC tooooooo much, Christine & I can’t operate that place without you! See you next week! 👍👏👏👏👏👍

Last of the blind red wines at this quarter's S&E Wine Club, which for red was either Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot from either Rutherford or Stags Leap District. Thanks Dad!

Deep and dark ruby red. Tons of sweet spices and black fruits on the nose, so rich. Heavy tannins (7.6/10) and literally melts in your mouth. Well rounded and integrated throughout. Tons of blackberries, cinnamon, and vanilla on the palate, some cigar box too. Full bodied and long finish. Stunning wine as always. Drink till 2030.

Not gonna lie, at first glance i thought it was on the back end of life. As the night progressed got better and better. Still beating!!!!

Ripe fig, chocolate and black dirt. Reminds me of quintarelli Amarone with 15 years age

Bigger, better, faster, more

Soy Asian spices berries Dark fruit blood graphite

You can literally smell this wine as it's being decanted from the other side of the table. Pure Californian deliciousness!

Still huge after all these years (2003). A tiny bit on the port-y side (reduced). Well integrated oak. Baking spices, blackberry jam. Will it get better? Might try again in five years to see. Not as complex as I was expecting.

Incredible - a great end to the week!