Shafer Vineyards – Hillside Select 1998 – Napa Valley

Shafer Vineyards – Hillside Select 1998 – Napa Valley

Name: Shafer Vineyards
Vintage: 1998
Wine: Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Stags Leap District, Napa Valley, California, USA
Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol Content: Approx. 14.5%
Bottle Size: 750ml

Tasting Notes

The Hillside Select 1998 from Shafer Vineyards is an extraordinary expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, combining depth, grace, and the unmistakable elegance of the Stags Leap terroir.
It opens with captivating aromas of blackcurrant, plum, tobacco leaf, cedar, and graphite, with hints of truffle, dried herbs, and mocha emerging with age.

On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, offering layers of dark fruit, cassis, spice, and mineral notes supported by fine, silky tannins.
Despite the challenging vintage, the wine shows remarkable concentration and balance, with a long, refined, and harmonious finish that reflects both power and restraint.

Now beautifully mature, the 1998 Hillside Select displays classic Napa structure with Bordeaux-like sophistication, making it one of the standout wines of the vintage.

Vintage Highlights

The 1998 season in Napa Valley was cool and compact, producing smaller berries with intense flavor concentration.
Shafer’s estate hillside vineyards in Stags Leap benefited from the rocky, well-drained soils and meticulous hand selection, resulting in wines of purity and complexity.
Aged for 32 months in new French oak, the wine gained remarkable texture, aromatic lift, and longevity.

✔ Robert Parker – “A successful effort in a challenging year, offering depth, elegance, and balance.”
✔ 100% estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the famed Stags Leap slopes
✔ Mature and graceful, showing tertiary complexity and finesse
✔ One of Napa’s benchmark collector wines

Why It’s Special

Hillside Select is Shafer’s flagship wine — a symbol of Napa Valley excellence and meticulous craftsmanship.
The 1998 vintage demonstrates the estate’s ability to produce greatness even in difficult conditions, yielding a Cabernet of refinement, longevity, and terroir expression.
Today, it stands as a piece of Napa history, offering a glimpse into the evolution of one of California’s most iconic wines.

Storage & Serving

Store in a temperature-controlled environment with stable humidity.
Ideal serving temperature: 16–18°C (60–65°F).
Decant gently for 1 hour before serving to awaken its mature aromatics.

Availability

The Hillside Select 1998 is now a rare collector’s item, with limited bottles remaining in pristine cellar condition.
All bottles offered by Deggusto are professionally stored, sourced directly, and available for immediate and secure shipment.

💎 Secure your bottle of this historic Napa Valley classic today!