SHAFER Shiraz 'Relentless' - Stag's Leap District 2019 Bottle

Description

The 2019 Relentless has received exceptional acclaim, including 97 points from Decanter and 96 points from Wine Enthusiast. This powerful wine offers inviting aromas of Kirsch, toasted cedarwood, and caramel, along with herbal nuances that draw you in. On the palate, silky Syrah notes of black cherry and blackberry mingle with white pepper and charcuterie, showcasing a generous, harmonious profile. The finish is long and satisfying, featuring crushed cocoa nibs and refreshing blood orange acidity. Vinous highlights its bright, savoury character with hints of black pepper, sage, and dried herbs, reflecting a shift towards cooler growing sites. The Wine Advocate emphasises its blend of 89% Syrah and 11% Petite Sirah, recommending patience for optimal enjoyment. Drinking window: 2024-2040.

*****

DECANTER 97 points
Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040
Powerful and enticing aromas of Kirsch, toasted cedarwood, caramel, and scored herbs draw you into the glass, revealing even more nuances of late-summer mountain scrub brush balanced by springtime violets. Seductively silky Syrah notes of black cherry, blackberry, white pepper, and charcuterie entice the senses. It is a generous wine with a harmoniously soft palate expression balanced by firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing extremely long with crushed cocoa nibs and blood orange acidity. Syrah and Petite Sirah grapes are harvested from ridgetop and foothill sites along the Vaca Mountains, just south of the Stags Leap District AVA border, aged 20 months in 100% new Allier and Tronçais French oak.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 96 points
This powerful, rough-hewn wine that contains 11% Petite Sirah holds extremely deep black and blue fruits in a framework of grippy tannins. A tight, reserved expression on the midpalate signals more aging is needed for best enjoyment. The wine's ripe, compelling, late-harvest fruits match the massive structure. Best from 2028–2040. — Jim Gordon

VINOUS 94 points
The 2019 Relentless is gorgeous. Bright and intensely savory, the 2019 bristles with energy. Black pepper, sage, tobacco, incense and dried herbs lend tons of nuance to this expressive Syrah/Petite Sirah blend. There's quite a bit of energy here and also a bit less heft than most previous vintages, a reflection of a move towards slightly cooler sites. - Antonio Galloni

THE WINE ADVOCATE 93+ points
Drink Date: 2026 - 2040
The 2019 Relentless is a blend of 89% Syrah and 11% Petite Sirah that spent 30 months in 100% new French oak. The nose is a bit briary, with intriguing herbal complexities from the Syrah, vibrant purple-raspberry fruit and perhaps some blueberry fruit from the Petite Sirah. This is full-bodied, tannic, sturdy stuff that needs time to come around, but as it's packed with fruit, that shouldn't be an issue. Patience will be required.