Shafer Relentless Napa Red Blend

“The 2016 Relentless offers deep, elegant, meaty, gamey aromas and flavors that are pure Syrah. These are fused with blueberry, black pepper, wet stone, and black tea. The vintage offers an ideal balance of immensity and energy, along with a beautiful, silken texture in the mouth, a lengthy finish, and ripe tannins that promise many rich, memorable years ahead.”

— Shafer winemaker Elias Fernandez

Reviews
The 2016 Relentless is every bit as stellar as it was last year. Silky, nuanced and beautifully persistent in the glass, the 2016 is super-refined. A natural tendency towards extroverted power is nicely tempered in this super-polished and highly nuanced Syrah/Petite Sirah blend from Shafer.”

— Antonio Galloni, Vinous

“So much to unpack on the nose, it’s kind of crazy. Gorgeous boysenberry, blueberry and blackberry fruit, tossed with waves of pepper, anise, clove, leather, charcoal and espresso elements. Obviously full-bodied and burly, this is big stuff but the acidity actually keeps it lip-smacking in spite of its richness. The freshest, sweetness blueberries and blackberries, and the fruit is laced with leather, pepper, spicy herbs, charcoal and rocky earth tones. Complex and rich, yet effortless and pure — a beautiful young Relentless that is built the long haul (a decade at least would do it good).”

— Issac James Baker, Terroirist.com

“A gutsy red, with a polished texture and expressive blueberry and blackberry flavors, accented by smoky sage, espresso and pepper notes and finishing with well-framed tannins. Syrah and Petite Sirah. Best from 2021 through 2028.”

— Tim Fish, Wine Spectator