my first experience with shafer hillside select was in charleston, sc at tristan before that place went downhill. that bottle, along with an '01 araujo eisele, were arguably my best cali cab experiences. this isn’t far behind.
decanted for 2 hours, then returned to the bottle, and drank over the course of the evening. this note is 5 hours after opening. deep, alive vivid purple in the glass. the concentrated nose knocks you on the floor with oodles of cassis, vanilla, a bit of tobacco, anise, slight hint of eucalyptus, and a heavy dose of wood (the only downside). this is clearly a high dollar bottle. very well balanced, although a bit higher in acid than many cali cabs - i really dig this. a high-end, rich, polished mouth feel. etoh somewhat perceptible, but far from intrusive. finishes like it began for over 45 sec. in summary, a beautiful effort that, while immensely enjoyable at its present state, will greatly reward those who can keep their paws off for several years. i know these wines are often available elsewhere for less than release price, however this is one list i’m pleased that i chose not to drop. i’m really stoked for the '07 and '08.