Shafer 2017 TD9 Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

92 points Jeb Dunnuck – The 2017 TD-9 Proprietary Red Blend is mostly Merlot yet includes 22% Malbec and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple-hued with sweet aromas of jammy blackberries, spiced cherries, herbs de Provence, and dried flowers, it is a wonderfully textured, medium to full-bodied, balanced red with sweet tannins and a great finish.

92 points Wine Enthusiast – Blending 62% Merlot, 22% Malbec and 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, winemaker Elias Fernandez shows his skill, producing a thick, earthy and spicy red with vibrant red fruit. Ripe firm tannins add weight and power to the full-bodied blockbuster, as toasted oak seals the finish.

92 points Wine Spectator – Rich and full of dense and spicy dark plum, dried blackberry and mocha flavors. Dark chocolate and smoky notes show on the ripe finish, with dried savory herbal accents.

“TD-9 is a proprietary blend that celebrates a bold move. In 1973, in the space of a few months, John Shafer went from riding morning commuter trains in Chicago to teaching himself to drive a TD-9 tractor in our Napa Valley vineyard. He’d never grown grapes or made wine in his life. That spirit of risk-taking and adventure still guides Shafer today and inspired the creation of this new wine.”