Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch Carneros Napa Valley 2024

Like a brand new season of your favorite show releasing all the episodes at once, the rock-solid, mouth-wateringly delicious, new 95-point 2024 Shafer Chardonnay has arrived, and it is an absolute thrill. No malo, light oak, a single cherished vineyard in a cool stretch of Carneros, and all the pedigree and class that comes with the Shafer name. Twenty bucks off on 2 or more is BIG – and you’ll want way more than that.

Shafer Vineyards is one of Napa’s most-loved and historic wineries. The people behind it (Doug Shafer, of course, and the humble and unbelievably talented winemaker extraordinaire Elias Fernandez, among others) are salt-of-the-earth folks who simply make the most impressive wines year after year, that is so allocated we never get but a few bottles.

Doug’s father, John, purchased the estate in 1973 and harvested the fruit for their first wine in 1978 – releasing it for sale in 1981. Just two years later, Doug joined the team as the winemaker at the time, coming alongside his father and learning the ropes of the wine business together, to rapidly mounting success and critical applause. They call their story not a typical second-generation winery, where one family member hands down the business to their kin after decades of running it – but, instead, a “generation and a half.” A father and son, working side by side.

We’ve always been so impressed with the way master winemaker Elias Fernandez crafts a rich, immensely layered style Chardonnay, with just the perfect levels of acidity and finesse. Endlessly satisfying as always, and our main reaction is bravo! This sells out like nobody’s business every year, so grab it while you can. Wine Advocate put it nicely: “For fans of Chardonnay without malolactic fermentation, Shafer's 2024 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch remains a standard-bearer.” The acidity and freshness is what makes this work so well, and in this case it comes from skipping malolactic fermentation altogether (a process which can add an oily texture and that buttery flavor). This has always been Shafer’s signature Chardonnay, a style that has won them almost as much acclaim as their world-class reds.

We love the expressive pineapple, grilled peach, Meyer lemon, dried mango, mint, and tangerine peel notes, and a distinctive white flower quality that sets this vintage apart from others. Also, there is a notable lift and precision in the 2024 that gives this weighty and textured wine cut and tension. We have just a few cases of this in store, and it’s sure to move quickly, especially with a nice $20 price drop on 2 or more bottles! You don’t want to miss this!

FOOD PAIRINGS: Bouchon’s Lyonnaise salad; here’s a recipe. Super easy. Perfect with this wine. Lardons, crisp lettuce, large fresh croutons, and a perfect poached egg… yum!