USA · Napa Valley

Shafer Vineyards

Shafer Vineyards is one of Napa Valley's most respected family-owned estates, founded in 1972 when John Shafer purchased 210 acres of land in the Stags Leap District after leaving a career in publishing. The family farmed their first grapes in 1978 and produced their first wine in 1979; Doug Shafer, John's son, took over winemaking in 1983 and has guided the estate's development ever since. The flagship wine, Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, is the most critically acclaimed and consistently sought Stags Leap District wine at auction. Hillside Select is produced from hand-farmed hillside terraces above the valley floor in the Stags Leap District, on volcanic basalt and tuff soils that give the wine its distinctive mineral character and fine-grained tannins. The wine is not released until 5 years after harvest and is produced in a style built for extended cellaring — 20–30 years for the finest vintages. Winemaker Elias Fernandez has collaborated with Doug Shafer since 1994, providing remarkable continuity of style. The estate was one of the first California wineries to convert fully to solar energy (2004), producing 100% of its energy needs from photovoltaic panels. The biodynamic farming practices adopted across the estate's vineyards reflect the Shafer family's long-term commitment to sustainable viticulture. Beyond Hillside Select, the One Point Five Cabernet and the Relentless (Syrah/Petite Sirah) represent the wider Shafer portfolio at more accessible price points.