In 1988 John and Doug Shafer discovered a new home for Chardonnay in the Carneros region of Napa Valley and purchased the property, naming it Red Shoulder Ranch. Named for its Red-shouldered hawks who play an important role in Shafer’s natural farming practices, the vineyard lies within sight of the northern rim of San Francisco Bay. The marine-influenced climate in Napa Valley’s southernmost growing area, Carneros, offers a long, cool growing season that’s ideal for developing Chardonnay’s spectrum of floral and tropical aromas and flavors as well as its natural acidity.

The Shafer team takes a largely hands-off approach for producing this wine. They only use the yeast that thrives naturally in the vineyard for fermentation and, in order to enjoy the variety’s true acidity, do not put the wine through malolactic fermentation. Instead they ferment the wine in individual barrels (80 percent oak, 20 percent stainless steel) and stir the lees once a week during its 14 months of aging to give the wine a creamy mouthfeel.

“…one of the best non-malolactic, barrel-fermented Chardonnays in California....” -Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate

“The 2012 vintage gives the wine all the characters I love in this Chardonnay, just more of them. Your glass swims with floral aromas and flavors of white peach, honeysuckle, grapefruit peel, kiwi, and toasted almond – a gorgeous, juicy bowl of fruit held together with pleasing minerality and lively, bright acidity.” -Elias Fernandez, Shafer Winemaker

Buy this now at this week’s incredibly low price of $42.50/bottle!

*Please enter coupon code SOLID6 during checkout to receive an additional 15% discount, when you purchase 6 bottles of the same wine in this sale. Offer valid through 1/27/2015 at 11:59 p.m. PT. This offer is valid only on www.wineranger.com. Applicable taxes and shipping are additional. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer. No adjustments to prior purchases.