Shafer Vineyards is one of Napa Valley’s most respected family-run estates, founded in the late 1970s after John Shafer moved to the Stags Leap District and began replanting hillside vineyards. What began as a small grower operation quickly evolved into a winery known for precision, consistency, and a deep respect for its vineyard sites. Today the estate farms more than 200 acres across several Napa appellations, with an emphasis on sustainable practices and minimal-intervention farming.
The Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay comes from their Carneros vineyard, a cool, wind-influenced area perfectly suited to Chardonnay. The vineyard takes its name from the red-shouldered hawks that patrol the property, natural pest control that reflects Shafer’s belief in balancing agriculture with its environment. The wine is fermented with wild yeasts and aged mostly in new French oak, though it never undergoes malolactic fermentation, a choice that keeps the wine crisp and vibrant even as it gains richness from barrel and lees contact.
The wine is complex and expressive, with aromas of jasmine, melon, ripe pear, and pineapple, layered with subtle notes of vanilla bean and warm pastry from its time in barrel. On the palate it feels both concentrated and lifted with ripe orchard and tropical fruits and a bright acidity that keeps everything precise and energetic. The absence of malolactic fermentation gives the wine a clean, mouthwatering edge, so the richness never turns heavy. The finish is long, textured, and fragrant, carrying a mix of fruit, delicate toast and a lingering sense of freshness.