SHAFER VINEYARDS, TD-9

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA 2016

Dubbed one of the “greatest wineries in the world” by Robert Parker in 2003, Shafer Vineyards is, hands down, one of the most celebrated wine estates in all of Napa Valley. Over the last four decades founder John Shafer, his son Doug and Elias Fernandez (their winemaker) have honed their craft, producing monumental wines that have come to define the Valley. With too many 100-point scores to count, “Shafer is a poster boy for remarkable and consistent quality across the board…with over 200-plus acres of estate holdings, and 55 surrounding their winery in Stags Leap, this is a winery that never seems to disappoint" (Robert Parker). From their glorious Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon to their Chardonnay, their portfolio of wines is remarkable and today’s wine showcases just that – the best of what the Valley has to offer from one of Napa’s most noteworthy estates.
 

Shafer’s TD-9 is produced from a collection of small vineyards in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains just south of the Stags Leap District. Named after an inherited piece of farm equipment that was found on the property when John Shafer originally purchased the property in 1973, the TD-9 tractor came to symbolize the spirit of risk-taking and adventure. After a long, successful career in publishing, John Shafer walked away from corporate America at nearly 50 years old and moved his family to the Napa Valley. With no agricultural experience whatsoever, one of his first challenges was teaching himself to drive and maintain his tractor. In just a few short months, John had gone from riding a commuter train in downtown Chicago to wrestling rocks, mud and vines and now 40+ years later - Shafer Vineyards has established itself as one of the most prestigious labels in the world.
 

Over the years, their wines have experienced a smooth evolution and in 2015, after a blind tasting session in the lab - Doug and Elias tasted a blend of Merlot, Cabernet and Malbec from a collection of their vineyards in the Vaca Mountains next to their Estate Merlot that blew them away. It was at this moment where they conceived the idea to produce a wine from the best fruit of the year from these vineyards to create the most compelling wine of the vintage – without the restrictions of varietal or vineyard designation on the bottle. The inaugural 2015 vintage, priced at $60 was met with an overwhelming praise from consumers and critics and even Antonio Galloni notes “The Hillside Select Cabernet remains the flagship, but frankly I am just as turned on the One Point Five Cabernet and the Merlot-based TD-9, both of which deliver plenty of the Shafer magic at far more accessible prices." Today, we’re thrilled to offer you the second vintage of this stunning second wine from this iconic producer. With limited quantities available, don’t miss you’re chance to secure your order!