The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five is a rich, boisterous wine endowed with tremendous palate presence and depth. Juicy dark red berries, flowers and mint literally burst from the glass as the 2009 opens up with some time. Year after year, the One Point Five is one of the most consistent and fairly priced wines in the highflying landscape that is the Napa Valley. This is a flat out delicious bottle to drink now (with some decanting) and over the next handful of years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Shafer doesn’t miss a beat. After more than a month of intense tastings of Napa Valley wines in 2012, Shafer was a clear stand out for their consistency across the board. The Hillside Select Cabernet remains the flagship, but readers will also find plenty of equally compelling and delicious wines in this range. In particular, this year I was impressed with the Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five, which for my money is one of the best wines in Napa Valley in its price range. Although clearly made in a style meant to be enjoyed upon release, a recent bottle of the 2004 was superb, and showed the One Point Five can also age gracefully. My most recent visit ended with the 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon, an iconic wine that is still in great shape. John Shafer couldn’t get enough workers to pick his vineyard when he wanted, so fruit spent longer on the vine than he originally intended, giving birth to the Cabernet Sauvignon that today is known as the Hillside Select. Tel. (707) 944-2877