Food & Wine 2007 Awards Select Shafer Merlot as Top Merlot For the Third Time in Four Years

October’s Food & Wine magazines honors two Shafer wines

Food & Wine magazine’s “2007 American Wine Awards” have named Shafer’s 2004 Merlot the top Merlot in the nation (in the over $20 category). Shafer Merlot has been a consistent favorite at the magazine, receiving the top spot three times in the last four years by the magazine’s editors. The 2001, 2002 and, now, 2004 vintages were all awarded the highest honor in their categories.

Shafer’s current Merlot release is the 2005 vintage, which is already winning critical praise. The December ‘07/January ‘08 issue of Wine News named the 2005 Merlot as one of their “Top Ten Merlots.” Steve Pitcher wrote in his review, “Wonderfully fragrant aromas of cinnamon toast, black cherry, cassis and dark berries, plus a hint of smoke. Smooth and luscious ... Deeply flavorful and irresistible …”

Robert M. Parker, Jr., said the 2005 vintage“… possesses crisp acidity as well as an elegant bouquet of berry fruit, menthol, sweet cherries, and spice. The tremendous aromatics are followed by abundant fruit.”

Food & Wine’s 2007 awards also named Shafer’s inaugural release of 2004 One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon as top Cabernet in the over $20 category. This is only the second time the American Wine Awards has named two wines from one producer as the top in the nation.

In 2005 Food & Wine magazine’s American Wine Awards for the first time named two wines produced by the same winery as top in the nation: Shafer Vineyard’s 2002 Merlot and 2001 Hillside Select.

“We are thrilled to see our wines receive this level of recognition,” says Doug Shafer. “Wine critics and consumers have more choices now than at any time in history and we feel extremely fortunate to get this kind of lightning striking multiple times.”

Since 2001, Food & Wine’s “American Wine Awards” has named other Shafer wines as top in the nation including 1999 Relentless, and 2001 Hillside Select.

The magazine’s 10th Annual American Wine Awards named only eight wines in the U.S. in the over $20 category.

Of the 2004 Merlot, Food & Wine editors write: “This wine is truly a classic Napa Valley Merlot. Made by F&W’s 2002 Winemaker of the Year, Elias Fernandez, it’s refined and generous, marked by black cherry and plum.”

Regarding 2004 One Point Five, the magazine writes: “Father-and-son team John and Doug Shafer joined forces a few years ago after the winery’s founding in 1978, and the idea behind this wine’s name is that Doug is not exactly second-generation, but more like 1.5. Their opulent, simply luscious Cab is from some of their best Stags Leap District vineyards.”