SHAFER RELENTLESS 2021 750ML 2021

A blend of 94% Syrah and 6% Petite Sirah, the 2018 Relentless looks to be just about sensational, offering a dense purple color as well as rich, loaded notes of blackberries, currants, smoked meats, peppery spice, and violets. Reminding me of a great Cornas on steroids with its gamy, exotic character paired with beautiful richness, it has fabulous purity, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. This will undoubtedly be a great vintage for this cuvée, and my money is on it being one of the best yet.

The 2018 Relentless is silky and polished. In 2018 the blend includes a relatively high percentage of Petit Syrah, but the wine does not taste like that at all. Ripe red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, rose petal, black pepper and sweet spice are laced into the super-expressive finish. This might be the most refined Relentless ever.

Deep purple-black colored, the 2018 Relentless is a barrel-sample blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Petite Sirah. It sings of crushed black cherries, mulberries and black plums plus cracked pepper, garrigue, lavender, Indian spices and licorice hints. The palate is full-bodied, firm, spicy and energetic with rounded tannins and a long, peppery finish.