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Tasting notes
Quite deep for a wine that is largely Sangiovese with just seven per cent Cabernet which seems apparent on the nose, but the wine is pure tangy, slightly singed Sangiovese on the palate. There’s just a trace of heat on the palate but otherwise this high alcohol wine is well balanced with an appetising dry finish. More than a hint of tarriness on this wine. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2001 Firebreak (93% Sangiovese and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals strawberry and cherry notes intermixed with saddle leather, tobacco, and herbs. Medium-bodied with abundant fruit and fragrance, it is a classic food wine to drink over the next 3-4 years. Tel. (707) 944-2877; Fax (707) 944-9454
About the producer
The site of Shafer has been around since 1880, and grapes continued to be grown here, even during prohibition. It is said that some wine was made here during that time. In 1972, John Shafer bought the property in the Stag’s Leap district, he immediately began planting the Cabernet on the hillside.