Of the three newest vintages (1992,1993 and 1994), the 1992 Merlot exhibits a rich, black-cherry and chocolatey nose, medium body, good purity, fine suppleness, and some tannin in the finish. Shafer's Merlots have generally been good to very good, but rarely outstanding, although they have been well above the rank and file of California Merlots. Most of the Shafer Merlots contain between 82-85% Merlot with small additions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This winery continues to build on their fine reputation, pushing the quality to higher and higher levels. Shafer's 50-acre estate vineyard, located in the heart of the Stags Leap District, is supplemented by an additional 70 acres in Carneros. The winery continues to be innovative, offering a very good Sangiovese called Firebreak that has a small percentage (usually less than 20%) of Cabernet Sauvignon included in the blend for color and bulk. Tel. (707) 944-2877