Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select displays a deep garnet-purple color. It charges out of the gate with bold crème de cassis, blueberry pie and black cherry preserves notes, plus hints of smoked meats, fragrant earth and tar, with a fragrant waft of violets and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with muscular black fruits, supported by a solid foundation of firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long with an enticing herbal lift.

Frankly ripe but well-focused, with blackberry and creamed boysenberry notes flowing through atop a polished structure, while cocoa and black licorice frame the finish. A subtle hint of sassafras lingers on the finish, adding textural nuance. This has the stuffing to age well, too. Drink now through 2038. From California