Shafer Vineyards - Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch 2024

Shafer Vineyards traces its beginnings to 1972 when John Shafer left a 23-year career in the publishing industry and, with his family, moved to the Napa Valley to pursue a second career in wine. After purchasing a 210-acre estate in Napa Valley's Stags Leap District, the Shafer family faced the arduous task of replanting the existing vineyards, which dated to the 1920s, and terracing the steep and rocky hillsides, eventually expanding vineyard acreage to its current 50 acres. 

Evolving from grape growers to vintners, the Shafers crushed their first Cabernet grapes in 1978 and began construction on their winery a year later. The first Shafer Cabernet became a benchmark, winning the acclaimed San Francisco Vintners Club taste-off upon release and, over a decade later taking first place in an international blind tasting held in Germany, where it outranked such wines as Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and Chateau Palmer. 

Doug Shafer became winemaker in 1983 after graduating from the University of California at Davis with a degree in enology and viticulture. A year later Elias Fernandez joined the winery as assistant winemaker. Together Doug and Elias have worked closely to forge the Shafer style of quality, consistency and elegance.

The vineyard is named for its Red-shouldered hawks and other birds of prey, who play an important role in Shafer’s sustainable farming practices, and is the estate vineyard in Carneros. Once harvested the grapes are whole-cluster pressed and fermented with wild yeast in individual barrels (75% oak, 25% stainless steel) experiencing 0% malolactic fermentation. The wine ages for 14 months in 75% new French oak barrels and 25% stainless steel. 

The 2024 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch is a very pretty, elegant wine. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and light tropical inflections are some of the many notes that grace this weightless, super refined Chardonnay. All the elements are so well balanced. There is a feeling of understated lightness here that is so appealing. - 94 Points, Vinous

Bold and intense, mingling a laser beam of acidity with flavors of ripe, salted melon, mandarin orange, mango puree and apricot at the core. A whiff of fennel pollen, tarragon and dried lemongrass adds aromatic intrigue. Drink now. - 93 Points, Wine Spectator

Producer: Shafer Vineyards

Country: USA

Region: California

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Carneros

Vintage: 2024

Size: 750ml