Limited Time Offer Shafer Vineyards TD-9 2018

The Shafer Vineyards TD-9 is a proprietary red wine 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 a Napa Valley vineyard. Heﾡﾯd 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.?TD-9 represents an evolution of Shafer Vineyards Merlot, which has been a cornerstone of their range for 30 years. The birth of TD-9 was an early morning conversation during the 2015 harvest when Doug Shafer and long-standing winemaker, Elias Fernandez, were discussing the Merlot and other fruit from a cluster of small Shafer vineyards just south of Stags Leap District. ﾡﾰYou do realise that we could make a much better wine if we could make a red blendﾡﾱ suggested Elias ﾨC referring to the mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec fruit on the property. They slept on the idea and soon decided that if they could make a more profound wine, the way forward was clear. As anticipated, TD-9 was indeed finer and more complex than previously, whilst retaining the joyous, plush, generous fruit which characterised their varietal Merlot. 56% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Malbec from Stags Leap District, Yountville and a vineyard in the Vaca Mountains, just south of Stags Leap District. Aged for 20 months in a combination of Allier and Troncais barrels (100% new). [#intro]A beautifully textured, proprietary red wine blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec...[/intro]