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November 2023 by Paul Schmidt
Amazing experience when in Napa. Top of list over Caymus and Opus One
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August 2023 by Jamie Brewer
Beautiful vineyard with a wonderful tasting experience. Ethan was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, the tasting room was beautiful, and the wines were delightful.
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August 2023 by Terry Bradley
Simply one of the best wine tastings I've ever had. Impeccable.
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April 2023 by Claire Baker
Incredible views, great wine, and fantastic staff. Ilse was WONDERFUL - very approachable and knowledgeable. She absolutely knew her wines but wasn't snooty or uppity like others we have encountered. Ilsa even gave us great recommendations based on the wine we liked and our palette preferences. Definitely book in advance so you're guaranteed a spot and personalized attention.
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March 2023 by Tracy Jones
Beautiful views meet luscious wines! If you are looking for Zen- it is here!
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November 2022 by Erik Rust
Beautiful vineyard at the mountain base and looking on to the rest of the valley. Perfect mix of tour/history of the vineyard as well as wine tasting, which they give you a good sample of their whole selection. Wines are absolutely delicious, and Schafer has one of the better stories behind the vineyard in all of the valley. Definitely recommend.
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January 2021 by Glenna Valley
Some of the best wine in the Napa Valley.
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August 2019 by Melissa D.
This is one of my husbands favorite wines ... visiting this vineyard was a bucket list item for him, so for his 50th bday we finally got to Napa and Shafer. After visiting vineyards all day starting at 9:30am at Caymus, then Robert Mondavi, to Joseph Phelps our last stop was the most anticipated Shafer vineyard . To say we were extremely disappointed would be kind. The pompous, rude tour guide only made the end of our day more disappointing. The appearance of the property was subpar, not standing up to its name or quality/price of its wine, The staff was not welcoming or friendly... and when I offered feedback it was NOT well received . I know the Vineyard name draws you to visit .. BUT be prepared to be disappointed .
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May 2019 by Ivan Ramirez
Upon my visit, Bob the wine educator greeted us in a humble and sincere manner. Bob was very grounded and made the experience all the more pleasant and fascinating. The history of John Shafer and the continued efforts of his son, Doug Shafer, is not pretentious but in fact humble and meaningful. The estate reflects Shafer’s history through its modest but very mindful design. Elias Fernandez the winemaker is mentioned many times throughout the tasting - personally I admire Bob for the mention of Elias as to give credit where it is due. Needless to say, the Shafer family is much more than a label or a mere face. Doug Shafer himself made an appearance for us while we sampled the TD-9!
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April 2019 by Brianna H.
Very disappointed in this experience. By far the worst, most underwhelming tasting experience I've ever had. Let me start off by saying the wine is exceptional. Some are tasting a bit young, but there's no doubt that age will serve these wines well. We own a few bottles of Shafer Hillside Select and were very excited to finally get to visit the winery. When my husband and I arrived, we were a little surprised the tasting wasn't private. For $85 a person, you would think the experience would be a bit more intimate. It wasn't. You're there with about 10 other people. The host starts the experience outside. No wine. No tour. We were literally all standing there while the host just talked about the origin of Shafer. I'm totally open to hearing about the history of the winery but pour us a taste first or take us on a tour of the gorgeous property. We spent the first 20-30 just all standing around listening to this guy talk. Then he takes us inside to a long table with our 5 wines all poured (finally). We got an "owners manual" which is literally just a notebook that regurgitates everything the host is telling you. Our host was nice, but clearly could not read the room. He was not engaging whatsoever and talked to the guests rather than made us feel apart of the experience. Didn't ask any questions and would talk over people. I even felt uncomfortable whispering to my husband who was sitting next to me. Oh, you get crackers too. What's really unfortunate is that we were celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary and were looking to buy a bottle to hold onto for a few years. But sadly once that tasting was over, we just got out of there as soon as we could. Bottom line: don't waste your time (or your hard earned money) here. It's stuffy and you're better off reading about the history of the winery online, and going to a winery with a more intimate, warmer vibe. I do love learning about wineries and hearing stories about the founding members, but there should be a balance. And for that price, we wanted a personal experience with good wine. Not a history lesson.
