Shafer Vineyards
John’s Upper Seven
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Auction 27 | Lot No. 113
Vintage: 2021
Shafer Vineyards
John’s Upper Seven
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
5 cases produced
Highlights
- John’s Upper Seven was the first block of hillside Cabernet Sauvignon planted by John Shafer
- This seven-acre vineyard block was the first of 14 planted on Shafer’s hillside estate vineyards
- These hillside vines produce small clusters of blueberry-sized grapes full of concentrated flavor
- This arid, rugged vineyard has produced classic, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon since 1978
Description
In the mid-1970s, John Shafer planted his first seven acres on the hillside property the family purchased in late 1972. Hillsides hadn’t been planted in Napa Valley since the late 1800s and there was little knowledge of how to do so successfully. John learned by doing. By 1978 this vineyard block was the first on our hillsides ready for harvest. Even 45 years later, the Cabernet Sauvignon from that first vintage is remarkable, showing delicate, elegant aromas and flavors along with a verve and brightness. Fruit from John’s Upper Seven block remains to this day a mainstay in Hillside Select.
Wine Facts
- Single vineyard wine
- Sustainably produced
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
Elias Fernandez
Winemaker, Shafer Vineyards
Elias Fernandez has been making wine at Shafer Vineyards for 40 years, forging a style of boldness, elegance, and balance that has been embraced by wine lovers throughout the world. Elias earned his success in part because he knows Napa Valley vineyards from the roots up. He knows first-hand what it’s like to work in 100-degree heat among dusty vine rows as well as the difficulties of pruning vines in the freezing winter pre-dawn light.
Elias’ father came to the U.S. from Michoacan, Mexico and worked in the San Joaquin Valley as a farm laborer. His mother was born in Napa Valley where her father was a laborer who helped build the rail line that runs through Yountville. Both parents picked prunes and walnuts in the days before wine grapes became the predominant crop in the Valley. Some of Elias’ earliest memories are in these orchards.
In junior high, Elias started working in vineyards with his father where he learned to drive tractors, train and prune grapevines and from both parents he learned the value of hard work and self reliance. "When I graduated from UC Davis, I knew I wanted to work for a smaller winery that would give me the chance to be a "hands-on" winemaker, getting involved in all aspects of running a cellar. I had a lot of excitement getting into this career and that excitement has stayed with me."
Country born: United States
Education: B.S. in Fermentation Science from U.C. Davis
Years in the wine industry: 30+ years
Honors / Awards:
"Winemaker of the Year" - Food & Wine magazine and Wine & Spirits magazine; inducted into the Hispanic Scholarship Fund's Hispanic Hall of Fame at The White House
Winemaking Philosophy:
Coming into this 40 years ago, I thought that winemaking happened underneath the roof of the cellar. Today who I am as a winemaker has umbrellaed in a big way. Winemaking starts in January with pruning and continues throughout the year. I'm not just selecting the best fruit, I'm selecting the best corks, the right barrel staves, ensuring that the bottling line is working at top efficiency. What I've also learned is to let the land dictate the best grape variety and the style of the wine that ends up in the bottle.
Winery Distribution
Shafer Vineyards is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Shafer Vineyards Contact: Andy Demsky
Domestic:
- Alabama ( International Wines & Craft Beer )
- Alaska ( Columbia/Young's Market )
- Arizona ( Quail Distributing )
- Arkansas ( Moon Distributors )
- California ( Winebow - North/South )
- California ( Winebow - North )
- California ( Winebow - South )
- Colorado ( Grand Vin )
- Connecticut ( Worldwide Wines c/o Brescome Barton )
- Delaware ( Vintage Import )
- Florida ( BreakThru Beverage )
- Florida ( Augustan Wine Imports )
- Georgia ( Winebow )
- Hawaii ( Chambers & Chambers )
- Idaho ( Craig Stein Beverage - Sun Valley/East )
- Idaho ( Idaho Wine Merchants - Western )
- Illinois ( Maverick Wine Co )
- Indiana ( Carroll Co )
- Iowa ( Okoboji Wines )
- Kansas ( LDF Sales and Dist. Inc. )
- Kentucky ( Heidelberg Distributing )
- Louisiana ( Wines Unlimited )
- Maine ( South Portland Wine Company )
- Maryland ( Bacchus Importers Ltd )
- Massachusetts ( Carolina Wine Co/Martignetti )
- Michigan ( Great Lakes Wine & Spirits )
- Minnesota ( The Wine Company )
- Mississippi ( International Wines, Inc. )
- Missouri ( Glazer's Midwest-Kansas City )
- Montana ( George's Distributing Wine )
- Nebraska ( Quail Distributing )
- Nevada ( Vin Sauvage, LLC )
- New Hampshire ( Martignetti Companies of NH )
- New Jersey ( Winebow Inc )
- New Mexico ( Bacchus Wine Patrol / SWS NM )
- New York ( Winebow Inc )
- North Carolina ( RNDC Company, LLC )
- North Carolina ( Advintage of NC )
- North Dakota ( RNDC Company, LLC )
- Ohio ( Wine Trends )
- Oklahoma ( Thirst Wine Merchant )
- Oregon ( Galaxy Wine Company )
- Pennsylvania ( Vintage Imports )
- Rhode Island ( Mancini Beverage / Rhode Island Distributing )
- South Carolina ( Advintage Distributing )
- Tennessee ( Best Brands Inc - NASHVILLE & CHATTANOGA )
- Tennessee ( D & V Distributing - KNOXVILLE )
- Tennessee ( Southern (Glazer's) - MEMPHIS )
- Texas ( RNDC- Schertz )
- Texas ( RNDC- Grand Prairie )
- Texas ( RNDC- Houston )
- Utah ( Utah Liquor Control )
- Virginia ( Winebow )
- Virginia ( Select Wines- North VA )
- Washington ( Winebow )
- Wisconsin ( Prestige Wines Wisconsin )
- Wisconsin ( Prestige Wines Wisconsin-Oshkosh )
- Wisconsin ( Prestige Wines Wisconsin- Madison )
- Wyoming ( Wyoming Liquor Commission )
International:
- Austria ( TransGourmet )
- Belgium ( Vinesse )
- Bermuda ( Barrows Lightbourn )
- Canada ( Rogers/International )
- Caribbean ( Webb Banks )
- China ( ASC )
- Costa Rica ( Vinum Aura )
- Denmark ( Bergman Fine Wines )
- France ( Valade et Transadine )
- Germany ( Freund )
- Hong Kong ( Ponti )
- Ireland ( James Nicholson )
- Japan ( Hottei )
- Liechtenstein ( Ritter )
- Luxembourg ( Vimowa )
- Mexico ( Great Fine Wines )
- Netherlands ( Bart )
- Philippines ( Transcontinental )
- Singapore ( Excaliber )
- South Korea ( Nara )
- Spain ( Vila Vinteca )
- Sweden ( VinUnic )
- Switzerland ( Martell )
- Taiwan ( Atherton )
- Thailand ( California Pacific Wines )
- United Kingdom ( Thorman Hunt )
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