
Shafer Relentless 2017
The elegant 2017 offers a wealth of aromas and flavours of black plum, herbs, grilled game, vanilla, leather, river stone, and spice. The wine's richness, balance, and vibrancies are mouth-filling and soul-satisfying on every level, with ripe, silky tannins that promise greater pleasures with years of cellaring.
94 Points - Wine Spectator
Deep and powerfully built, with a rich and polished texture that highlights wild berry and blueberry flavours that show espresso notes, smoky beef and black pepper. It finishes with big but refined tannins. Syrah and Petite Sirah. Drink now through 2030.
92 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 86% Syrah and 14% Petite Sirah, the 2017 Relentless has a deep garnet-purple colour and fragrant notes of cracked black pepper, licorice and violets over a core of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and mulberries, plus an earthy waft of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has lovely purity and freshness, featuring ripe, rounded tannins and lots of pepper and spice layers, finishing refreshingly savoury.
94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
While I don't think the 2017 Relentless will match 2018, it's a beautiful Syrah that offers lots of smoky dark berry fruits, barbecue notes, spice, and meaty nuances in a rich, pure, pure, nicely textured, medium to full-bodied package. It's going to evolve gracefully for a solid 10-12 years.
94 Points - Vinous
The freakish vintage notwithstanding, 2017 Relentless retains its personality. Rich, ample and exotically ripe, the 2017 builds effortlessly in the glass, with superb textural richness and outstanding balance. It is one of the more convincing 2017s I tasted at Shafer this fall. Best of all, 2017 should drink well upon release, as it is already quite harmonious.
92 Points - Wine Enthusiast
This burly, muscular yet sophisticated wine shows complex characteristics of black pepper, clove and garrigue. Woody oak underscores a robust palate of black plum, game and savoury herb, with a velvety texture. It's a blend of 86% Syrah and 14% Petite Sirah.