LEWIS & SHAFER
April 05, 2007
LEWIS and
SHAFER.... Sounds like a new comedy team! Well, there is nothing funny about
these two "serious as a heart attack" Cabernet Sauvignon endeavors from Napa
Valley,
and our shrinking allocations!
It has been a "barrel of monkeys" to watch
Lewis Cellars evolve to greatness over the
years. Luckily for this store, and for you, we have been a stalwart
supporter since the very first vintage was made by Joe Cafaro at Oakville
Ranch Vineyard in 1991. It goes without saying, but I have never been
disappointed by any Lewis wine. Now comes the limited release of
the 2004 Lewis Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa
Valley, from the winery's trove of impeccable sources including the
mountainous Pritchard Hill ("high rent neigborhood" including David Arthur,
Bryant Family, Chappellet...) overlooking Lake Hennessey.
Randy and Debbie Lewis feel this reserve
bottling could be their most captivating yet, as it combines the breadth and
power of vintages like 1997 and 2001, with the depth and exuberant rich fruit of
the 2002 vintage. The winery's description includes, "....blended with 8% Cabernet Franc, the nose is a power keg of
explosive black fruit and blueberries with seamlessly fused oak spices, cedar,
cocoa and espresso. The palate is a cannonball of concentrated core fruit
with delicious, chewy texture and rich, round mouthfeel that travels leagues on
sinewy tannins." 1300 cases were produced. $125 a
bottle.
Reply to the e-mail to order
now for $119.95 a bottle!
In the past, Shafer has produced a Cabernet Sauvignon from various
sources of purchased fruit throughout Napa Valley. Now, for the first
time, Shafer's 2004 "One Point Five" Cabernet
Sauvignon will focus on the Stags Leap
District. The fruit comes primarily from two sources; The
Shafer's Borderline vineyard located about two miles
south of the winery, and their legendary Hillside
estate vineyards. The "One Point Five"
designation is a tribute to the father and son team learning the business
together. Instead of the classic story of passing the torch to the next
generation, or second generation, John Shafer and his son dough came up with the
phrase "a generation and a half". Interestingly, no magnums (1.5 L)
are bottled.
Aside from price, does the "One Point Five"
Cabernet Sauvignon differ from the Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon
(2002 vintage received 100 points from Robert Parker, and is considered one
of Napa Valley's most elite cult wines)? Hillside Select is produced
entirely from Cabernet Sauvginon fruit selected from vineyard blocks on the
hillsides that surround the winery. The two wines are also markedly
different in terms of barrel regime and blend. Hillside Select ages
three years in new French oak and is 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, while "One
Point Five" ages 20 months in 65 percent new oak, half of which is French and
half is American, and includes two percent Petite
Verdot.
In the recent April 30th issue of the
Wine Spectator the 2004 Shafer "One Point Five"
Cabernet Sauvignon earns a 93 point rating.
"Intense and
concentrated, with vivid currant and blackberry flavors that are shaded by light
toasty oak and mocha coffee scents. Smooth-textured, with ripe,
fine-grained tannins, ending with a long, complex aftertaste. Drink now
through 2014. 6,000 cases made. JL -
$65
Reply to this e-mail to order
now for only $62.50 a bottle!
Do not let these production numbers lull
you into believing either of these wines are readily available. Only
selected accounts receive allocations....and these amounts are sparse at the
very best.
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