A Vineyard In Napa by Doug Shafer

A Vineyard In Napa chronicles the founding and history of Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley 

I spent my Memorial Day immersed in the book A Vineyard In Napa by Doug Shafer. I had purchased it a while back but saved it for when I could devote a block of time to sit back, relax and enjoy, as I tend to do when I immerse myself in a book - I read it in the one sitting. It was that good, worthy of the invested time.

This is about the life of John Shafer, a Chicago businessman, and his pursuit of a dream when he decided to pursue a second career by buying a plot of land that included a vineyard in Napa Valley back in the early seventies. He moved his family from their comfortable suburban lifestyle in an adjacent suburb from here, to a remote mountainside farmstead in rural northern California, and set upon developing vineyards, and ultimately, building a winery, a business and a brand.

With no prior experience or knowledge of farming, viticulture or winemaking, over the next forty years, he rode the roller coaster of the evolving Napa Valley wine business, and built an incredibly successful brand and business, one that distinguished wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. called “one of the world’s greatest wineries.” 

The book, narrated by Shafer’s son Doug, follows their dual careers as they lived the history of Napa Valley and the American California wine business. Through it they learned the challenges, travails, science, technology and handicraft of planting and growing grapes, crafting wines, and building a brand and wine business- the three legs of the stool, as they called it.

It follows the history of Napa Valley and the Shafers and the myriad of friendships and collaboration of the many farmers, growers, producers, winemakers, critics, distributors, restaurateurs and others in the trade they encountered along the way and that made the journey with them. 

Its a history book, a human interest story as well as a business book, and a journal of winemaking and marketing, balancing and folding all together in an enjoyable intriguing well paced story.

The only thing missing is a companion parallel wine tasting of the many Shafer wines in the portfolio that are chronicled in the book, ones that we hold in our cellar. The insights and background will add immeasurably to the enjoyment of these wines when and as we explore them. 

John Shafer, now Chairman, has since stepped aside to pursue other interests, and handed over operations of Shafer Vineyards to son Doug, who is President. Together, they were awarded the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional.” The book is authored by Andy Demsky, a Napa Valley–based writer and PR consultant.

 

Watch for references and background as I post tastings of the many Shafer labels in our cellar including a Shafer Hillside Vineyard Reserve Cabernet 1982 (left), the year before they created the legendary Hillside Select brand, a 1989 Hillside Select, and modern era releases of Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay and Relentless Syrah.