With stocks or wines, it’s performance that counts—maintaining blue-chip quality regardless of the vagaries of the market or vintage. Napa Valley’s Shafer Vineyards partner Doug Shafer agrees, especially about the 1996 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stags Leap District appellation.

"It’s one investment that won’t keep you awake at night."

Produced from the same vineyards since 1978, Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet has a solid track record of consistency and quality. Vintage after vintage, it has rich, expressive fruit and velvety tannins. The 1996 is a high performer that requires no broker to select it. Forward and aromatic, it yields huge flavor from a low-yield vintage.

Unlike many wine-growing residents in the mountainous appellation of Stags Leap District (SLD) the Shafer family headed straight for the hills. While John Shafer, a gracious and soft-spoken man, doesn’t bring to mind the rough and rugged pioneering image, he nonetheless left Chicago in 1972 and the publishing industry to fulfill his dream of owning a wine estate.

"It was the lure of wine country farming that inspired me to make a career change," he says. "I left 23 years of corporate experience to climb on a tractor and work in new field, or rather, vineyard."

Actually, Shafer Vineyards is the only winery in the district to have 100 percent of its red grapes planted on hillsides--hardly the easiest place for vineyards. The Shafers were among the first to recognize the potential for hillside vineyards in the Stags Leap District. They purchased and moved onto a 200-acre estate and set about the arduous task of replanting the neglected 30 acres. This project included terracing and refining the soil. John’s son Doug says the work involved in creating terraces defies description.

From the beginning, however, John and Doug agreed on the uniqueness of the soil and microclimate and they formed attachments to special plots of land. For example, some think that "Lana" and "Rattler" are names for the Shafer’s favorite pets, but they aren’t. They’re pet names, all right, but for their vineyards. There are reasons and interesting stories connected to the names. And, although the process for creating hillside vineyards—clearing trees and rocks and terracing—is probably twice as expensive and often dangerous, for the Shafers, it was worth the effort.

"At times, it seemed each new site deliberately offered unreasonable challenges," Doug recalls. "And for the most part, the names of the plots represent those difficult experiences."

"Lookout" is the highest vineyard on the estate. On a clear day the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco can be seen from the top of this vineyard. It’s a sweeping view.

"But the negative side of that beautiful view is the difficulty of harvesting the land," Doug explains. "We use one-ton bins to hold the gathered grapes and place them on a tractor up there. Usually, on land with less of an incline, we can use three-or-four ton gondolas, but it’s just too dangerous on ‘Lookout.’ It’s much more labor intensive too."

Another major consideration for farming hillside vineyards is snakes. The Shafers became devoted to heavy, protective boots for their treks through the foothills of the Stags Leap palisades. A vineyard they once called "Rustler" was renamed "Rattler" because at least 20 rattlesnakes a year are killed in that vineyard. The Shafers don’t allow visitors up there at all and Doug says that he won’t set foot on Rattler in the summer.

"It is much more civilized in the areas around the winery," John Shafer says, reassuringly. "We keep our guests safely near the home base."

In 1981, an immense and frightening fire swept across Napa Valley, destroying thousands of acres of vines. Also in its path was John Shafer’s home, who was out of town at the time. A concerned neighbor called Doug and his sister Libby to warm them of the approaching conflagration and to offer a solution. The idea was a backfire; that is, a fire purposely started to counter an advancing fire by having the two come together in a clear area. Fortunately, it worked. The house was saved. The vineyard around the Shafer home was named "Firebreak."

John’s romanticism found expression in "Las Vigne Lana." There were a couple of reasons for this vineyard’s name and both of them concern the former movie star, Lana Turner. During his college days it seems John had an incurable crush on the beauty. A few decades later, as fate would have it, Lana Turner was featured briefly in a role on the Napa Valley wine country television series, Falcon Crest. In the final episode, Turner’s character ends her role with death and burial. And where does this dramatic scene occur?--on location at Shafer Vineyards, no less. In tribute, the vineyard was named "La Vigne Lana."

The first cabernet sauvignon the Shafers planted covered seven hillside acres. It was here that they were indoctrinated by learning the most physical part of the wine business: clearing the land. This vineyard, "Upper Seven," was the one that Doug renamed "John’s Folly."

The citizens of California are among the most conscientious conservationists in the country. They are deeply concerned about the welfare of the environment, including flora and fauna. Hunting animals out of season is strictly forbidden.

"One night when Dad was out of town, our vineyard manager got caught poaching," Doug recalls. "I don’t live on the ranch, but they called me because he was hunting out of season. When we finished preparing the land for that vineyard, we named it ‘Venado Illegal’ after that incident."

Besides incidents, critters and people, the vineyard names stem from a variety of places. The Shafers are skiing enthusiasts and "Sunspot" is the name of John’s favorite ski run. At the Shafer’s vineyards there is an "Upper Sunspot," planted with cabernet sauvignon, and "Lower Sunspot," planted with merlot. There are vineyards named for more ordinary features, too, like "Bedrock." The soil depth on the Shafer property ranges from two to four feet with weathered bedrock immediately below. There is great soil diversity, but the two main types are bale loam and volcanic. The low fertility helps the vines strike the right balance between fruit and foliage. Just enough vegetation is produced to support the photosynthesis necessary to ripen the grapes, without taking away from the quality and quantity of the fruit. "Bedrock" seemed an appropriate name for this land.

"Bench" is the lowest point on the property, but it has gently sloping contours that rise to the foothills. It was originally planted to zinfandel and then chardonnay; however, it is now replanted to cabernet sauvignon. "Egg Hill" is the name of the other producing vineyard on the property. It is the vineyard at the entrance to the winery. Doug says it is on the eastern slope to the right and shaped like an egg, but it also has a loyal following of wine lovers who appreciate its "egg-ceptional" quality grapes.

In 1994, the Shafers added a vineyard in the Carneros appellation to their property. It grows the first Shafer vineyard-designated Chardonnay and is named for the red-shouldered hawks that contribute to the Shafer’s sustainable agricultural practices. Nesting-box bird perches were placed in the vineyard and the hawks inhabited them, using the perch to scout the rows for rodents like gophers—animals that can do sizable damage to vines. The hawks protected the grapes by helping to control the ravenous gophers and played a key role in Shafer’s natural farming practices.

This Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay is a rich and luscious wine, made from whole cluster pressing of the grapes. The process extracts the juice more gently and makes a smoother wine. Still, it retains the necessary crisp acidity to make the wine properly balanced and lively.

The microclimates of the various vineyards aid the style of quality and elegance in Shafer wines. Microclimates contribute the warm days and cool nights desirable for a long growing season that encourages the proper balance of sugar and acid in the grapes.

Shafer wines clearly emphasize their regional roots. There are two distinct styles of Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon. Both are representative of the Stag leap District: rounded with rich fruit and supple tannins.

Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon is produced exclusively from selected blocks of the hillside vineyards. The concentrated color and fruit typical of grapes grown on the mountainside combines with the soft, velvety texture of SLD fruit to form a wine that is big yet elegant and with great aging potential. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is aged and cellared for four and one-half years prior to release.

In the Shafer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, varying amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot are blended. This delicious, sleek and stylized wine is aged for three years. Its soft tannins and ripe fruit flavors allow it to be drunk young.

There is also a Merlot in the Shafer profile of wines. The supple texture and rich flavors of plum and berries make the Shafer Merlot a versatile wine that may be enjoyed with a wide range of foods. A duck breast with dried cherry-Merlot sauce or roasted chicken with a cranberry and wild rice dressing are just two suggestions. It also makes an excellent quaffing wine.