On Friday, 4 November, Members will be able to sample a stunning selection of wines from the historically significant Napa Valley classic estate Shafer Vineyards.

The beginning of the Shafer Vinegards traces to 1972 when John Shafer left a 23-year career in the publishing industry and moved his family to the Napa Valley to pursue a second career in wine. Evolving from grape growers to vintners, the Shafers crushed their first Cabernet grapes in 1978 and began the construction of their winery a year later.

The first Shafer Cabernet became a benchmark, winning the acclaimed San Francisco Vintners Club taste-off upon release and, over a decade later taking first place in an international blind tasting held in Germany, where it outranked wines such as Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Palmer.

Florian Beaubouchez, Sales Manager for Ponti Trading Ltd of Hong Kong, will lead participating Members through a Napa journey of four specialty wines from Shafer’s most prestigious selections. On feature will be the 2013 Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay as the sole white selection, followed by the 2014 Merlot Napa Valley, 2013 One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon (from Stag’s Leap District vineyards), and finally the blockbuster cult classic 2012 Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon.

From a modest beginning of 1,000 cases, the winery has grown steadily in the major markets around the globe.

Wines on exclusivity during the tasting event:

• Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012
• Shafer Merlot Napa Valley 2014
• Shafer “Red Shoulder Ranch” Chardonnay Napa Valley 2014
• Shafer “One Point Five” Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 2013

Rare takeaway selection available exclusively for that evening:

• Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (1.5L)
• Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (1.5L)
• Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (750ml)
• Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (750ml)
• Shafer Napa Valley Merlot 2014 (1.5L)