Shafer Vineyards
2023 Cabernet Sauvignon
"Sunspot Vineyard"
Stags Leap District AVA
Auction 29 | Lot No. 146
Vintage: 2023
Shafer Vineyards
Cabernet Sauvignon
Stags Leap District
5 cases produced
Highlights
- Sourced from a single-vineyard block on the winery's historic hillside estate
- Decade after decade, the Sunspot block is the heart of Shafer's iconic Hillside Select
- The vines on this rugged site grow in rocky, volcanic soil that is just 18 to 22 inches in depth
- At harvest the grapes are small, and deeply flavored producing wine of balance and elegance
Description
Decade after decade, the Sunspot block is the heart of Shafer's iconic Hillside Select. Sourced from a single-vineyard block on the winery's historic hillside estate, the vines on this rugged site grow in rocky, volcanic soil that is just 18 to 22 inches in depth. At harvest the grapes are small, and deeply flavored producing wine of balance and elegance.
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.
Total Wine & More
6600 Rockledge Drive Suite 150
Bethesda MD 20817
301-547-0757
Other Premiere Napa Valley Wines available from Total Wine & More:
| Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Nova Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | AG Vineyard 1 of 1 | 29 (2025) |
| Amici Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Beckstoffer Heritage Blend | 29 (2025) |
| Antinori Napa Valley | 2023 | Red Table Wine | Atlas Peak | A27 The Next Generation of Antinori | 29 (2025) |
| Axios | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 29 (2025) | |
| Barnett Vineyards | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | Rattlesnake Blend | 29 (2025) |
| Beau Vigne | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Titania | 29 (2025) |
| Bella Union | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 29 (2025) | |
| Cakebread Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Suscol Mountain Vineyard | 29 (2025) |
| Chappellet Vineyard | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Upper Terraces | 29 (2025) |
| Clos du Val | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Cypress District | 29 (2025) |
| Faust | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | The Pact | 29 (2025) |
| Favia | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Scalene Dream | 29 (2025) |
| Foley Johnson | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Peral Vineyard | 29 (2025) |
| Gallica, Snowden Vineyards, Trois Noix | 2023 | Cabernet Franc | Napa Valley | Phenolic Femmes | 29 (2025) |
| Grgich Hills Estate, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Re-Generation | 29 (2025) |
| Inglenook | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Heritage Blocks | 29 (2025) |
| Ink Grade | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | Prophet’s Water | 29 (2025) |
| JaM Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | 29 (2025) | |
| Kerr Cellars | 2023 | Merlot | Napa Valley | Sideways | 29 (2025) |
| Long Meadow Ranch Winery | 2023 | Cabernet Franc | Napa Valley | 29 (2025) | |
| Miner Family Winery | 2023 | Cabernet Franc | Napa Valley | P&J Vineyard | 29 (2025) |
| Napa De Oro | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | AU79 | 29 (2025) |
| Nickel & Nickel | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | John C. Sullenger | 29 (2025) |
| PlumpJack Winery | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 29 (2025) | |
| Quintessa | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Corona | 29 (2025) |
| S. R. Tonella Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 29 (2025) | |
| Saintsbury | 2024 | Pinot Noir | Los Carneros | Georgie | 29 (2025) |
| Shafer Vineyards | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Sunspot Vineyard | 29 (2025) |
| Silver Oak | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | State Lane Legacy | 29 (2025) |
| Silverado Vineyards | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Caldera | 29 (2025) |
| Spoto Family Wines | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Family Reserve | 29 (2025) |
| Stag's Leap Wine Cellars | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Judgment of Paris 50th Anniversary | 29 (2025) |
| TATE | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Mount Veeder | 29 (2025) | |
| Titus Vineyards | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 29 (2025) | |
| Volker Eisele Family Estate | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Chiles Valley District | 29 (2025) | |
| ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 29 (2025) |
| Amici Cellars | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Fire & Ice | 28 (2024) |
| Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Stags Leap Unleashed | 28 (2024) |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Maître Cuvée | 28 (2024) |
| Bella Union | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 28 (2024) | |
| Belle Glos | 2022 | Pinot Noir | Napa Valley | Eulenloch | 28 (2024) |
| Bougetz Cellars | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Yountville | 28 (2024) | |
| Burgess Cellars, Heitz Cellar, Stony Hill Vineyard | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Founder's Cuvée | 28 (2024) |
| Cakebread Cellars | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Suscol Ranches | 28 (2024) |
| Chimney Rock Winery | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Swan Song | 28 (2024) |
| Davies, Diamond Creek, Diamond Mountain, Dyer, The Vineyardist, Wallis | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | Diamond Mountain Six | 28 (2024) |
| Duckhorn Vineyards | 2022 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | Three Palms Vineyard Red Blend | 28 (2024) |
| Far Niente | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 28 (2024) | |
| Faust | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Coombsville | THE PACT | 28 (2024) |
| Foley Johnson, PEJU | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Heart of the Valley | 28 (2024) |
| Freemark Abbey | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 28 (2024) | |
| Ghost Block Estate Wines | 2022 | Red Table Wine | Yountville | Maratona | 28 (2024) |
| Monticello Vineyards | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Yewell Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Nickel & Nickel | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | John C. Sullenger Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Pine Ridge Vineyards | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Trailblazer | 28 (2024) |
| Red Thread Wines, Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | 28 (2024) | |
| Robert Mondavi Winery | 2022 | Red Table Wine | Oakville | To Kalon Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Rombauer Vineyards | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Stice Lane | 28 (2024) |
| Saintsbury | 2023 | Pinot Noir | Los Carneros | Lee Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Shafer Vineyards | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | Sunspot Vineyard | 28 (2024) |
| Silver Oak | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Echoes of Exceptionality | 28 (2024) |
| Spring Mountain Vineyard | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | Vista 42 | 28 (2024) |
| TATE | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Jack's Blend | 28 (2024) |
| Women Winemakers | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Women Winemakers | 28 (2024) |
| Acumen | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 5.71 Carats | 27 (2023) |
| Baldacci Family Vineyards | 2021 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | Assemblage V | 27 (2023) |
| Beau Vigne | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Titania | 27 (2023) |
| Belle Glos | 2021 | Pinot Noir | Napa Valley | Eulenloch | 27 (2023) |
| Cain Vineyard & Winery | 2021 | Red Table Wine | Spring Mountain District | The Phoenix Rises | 27 (2023) |
| Davies Vineyards | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Diamond Mountain District | J. Davies Tres Bloques | 27 (2023) |
| Frank Family Vineyards | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Winston Hill Block 5 - Heart Block | 27 (2023) |
| Ghost Block Estate Wines | 2021 | Red Wine | Yountville | Maratona | 27 (2023) |
| Groth Vineyards & Winery | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Sweet Spot | 27 (2023) |
| La Jota Vineyard Co. | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | 27 (2023) | |
| Miner Family Winery | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Bonny’s Vineyard | 27 (2023) |
| Monticello Vineyards | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Tietjen Vineyard | 27 (2023) |
| Quilt | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 27 (2023) | |
| Quintessa | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Mt. Calisse | 27 (2023) |
| Robert Mondavi Winery | 2021 | Red Wine | Oakville | To Kalon Vineyard | 27 (2023) |
| Rutherford Ranch Winery | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | Abela Vineyard Charlie's Reserve | 27 (2023) |
| Silver Oak | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Heritage Homecoming | 27 (2023) |
| TATE | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Tetz Vineyard | 27 (2023) |
| The Vice | 2020 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | The Cowboy of Wall Street | 27 (2023) |
| William Cole Vineyards | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Smoking Gun | 27 (2023) |
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.
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)