Shafer Hillside Select Napa Valley Magnum 2019

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon "Hillside Select' is another almost frighteningly perfect wine, following on from the 2017 and 2018 vintages – 2020 was not released due to forest fires and the resulting "smoke taint' – especially as this one seems even more elegant than its two predecessors. After 32 months in barrique, a wine has seen the light of day that is simply magnificent. It captivates with a potpourri of clear, ripe, perfectly crafted notes of cassis, blueberries, blackberries and plums, cinnamon, graphite and cedar, violets, lavender, liquorice, mocha and mint. On the palate, the "Hillside Select' is ripe, elegant, dense and concentrated, with silky tannins and a fresh acidity structure.