Shafer, Napa Valley (California) 2015

  Shafer Vineyards probably makes the biggest, boldest reds in the Stag’s Leap District. Sometimes, in my humble opinion, they are too big. This one walks a fine line at 15.3 percent alcohol by volume but ultimately it stands on the side of voluptuous and powerful without losing touch with the elegance that makes Stag’s Leap one of the Napa Valley’s most coveted sub-appellations. This Bordeaux blend is slightly Right Bank in style, with Merlot dominant at 56 percent (Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec play subordinate roles. It’s richly layered with complex aromas of red and black fruits, an inviting floral note, heaps of wood spice, and soft, supple tannins that indicate you could drink it now even if you shouldn’t. This beautiful addition to the Shafer lineup will be better with another five to seven years in the cellar. By the way, the TD-9 was the first tractor John Shafer learned to drive in the vineyards after founding the winery more than three decades ago.