Harvested between 24 and 25 brix, the 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is incredible and shows the richness, depth, and opulence that make this cuvée so special. Full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, saddle leather, graphite, and sandalwood are just some of its nuances, and this beauty has resolved tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It’s going to hold in its current stage for another decade, and I suspect it will have a gradual decline after that.

The 1992 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is another killer wine boasting a dense purple color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of crème de cassis, creosote, camphor, licorice, blackberries and subtle background oak, and full-bodied, heady flavors. It is clear that after 1991, the Shafers and Elias Fernandez were entering a dramatic new level of quality as the Hillside Select cuvée had become a world-class effort. This beauty is just becoming fully drinkable and should continue to provide immense enjoyment over the next 20 years. - Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Good deepish crimson. Fragrant. Perhaps more appetising than the 1991 - on the nose, anyway. Lovely balance. Very, very ripe. Perhaps slightly drier and lighter. Lovely balance. Complete ripeness. More austere than many. Racy. 18/20