2010 Shafer Syrah Relentless

Shafer's 2010 Relentless bursts from the glass with super-ripe dark purple/blue fruit, cloves, leather, mint and white flowers. The 2010 is a deep, fruit-driven wine endowed with superb texture and gorgeous depth, but a bit less in the way of varietal nuance. Layers of fruit continue to build through to the huge, voluptuous finish. I have no doubt the 2010 will be a crowd pleaser, as it is delicious. Still, it would be great to see a little more Syrah personality. The 2010 is 96% Syrah and 4% Petite Sirah.

The extraordinary 2010 Relentless (96% Syrah and 4% Petite Sirah) offers up notes of graphite, subtle wood charcoal, barbecue smoke, blackberry, blueberry and raspberry fruit, and hints of spice and meat. This full-bodied, supple-textured, exceptionally rich Syrah already has a certain accessibility, but should age well for two decades. This was a fascinating tasting with one of the superstar reference point/iconic wineries in all of California. Shafer-s Relentless project has been a huge success since the debut. Blending Syrah and Petite Sirah, aging it for a long time in French oak, and not compromising on any element of the winemaking process has put them at the top of the Rhone Ranger sweepstakes. From the Stags Leap District, the Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five was named by the Shafers to honor the generation and a half of the family that has been involved in this winery-s success. Turning to Shafer-s Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon is akin to entering one of the world's museums of liquid art. This is unquestionably one of California-s, and the world's, most iconic and greatest wines. When Chateau Latour bought the Araujo estate, I thought the entire value of the Shafers and of this particular vineyard probably jumped by 30-50% because of that purchase. This is a first-growth wine from a magical site, and it has been one of the top half dozen or so California Cabernet Sauvignons in every vintage since the early nineties. That's a remarkable track record. In every vintage it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged an uncommonly long time (32 months) in 100% French oak, yet you would never know that. The Shafers remain disarmingly modest about what they have achieved, but this is utterly profound, world-class wine that any wine lovers who enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon need to sample at least once in their life. www.shafervineyards.com

Freshly cut flowers, violets, mint and licorice all jump from the glass in the 2010 Relentless. In 2010, the Relentless is quite a bit more varietally expressive than the 2009, but then again, it is almost exclusively Syrah. A wine of gorgeous aromatic intensity, the 2010 impresses for its considerable energy, focus and freshness. The blend is 96% Syrah and 4% Petite Sirah.