Red Shoulder Ranch is Shafer’s flagship Chardonnay, sourced from the cool-climate Los Carneros AVA at the southern edge of Napa Valley. This site-driven wine showcases a different side of the Shafer portfolio, focusing on freshness, texture and Burgundian-inspired structure while retaining the richness and depth associated with top-tier California Chardonnay.
The vineyard’s proximity to San Pablo Bay delivers cooling influences that extend the growing season, allowing Chardonnay to ripen slowly while preserving natural acidity. This results in a wine that balances ripe stone fruit and citrus character with vibrant freshness, giving Red Shoulder Ranch its signature combination of generosity and precision.
Aromatically, the wine typically shows layers of lemon curd, ripe pear, apple and white peach, supported by notes of toasted hazelnut, subtle vanilla and baking spice from barrel fermentation and lees ageing. On the palate, it is richly textured yet focused, with a creamy mid-palate balanced by bright acidity and a long, polished finish.
Winemaking emphasises structure and complexity, with fermentation and élevage in oak contributing to the wine’s layered mouthfeel and savoury nuance. Lees contact adds depth and weight, while careful oak integration ensures that fruit character and site expression remain at the forefront rather than being dominated by overt wood.
For collectors and Chardonnay enthusiasts, Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch represents one of Napa Valley’s most respected examples of serious, cellar-worthy Chardonnay. It offers both immediate appeal and the capacity to develop further complexity with short- to medium-term ageing, standing as a benchmark for cool-climate Napa Chardonnay with international pedigree.
