Shafer Vineyards Welcomes Guests Back with New Tasting Experiences

After a two-year pause in its hospitality program, Shafer Vineyards is again welcoming guests to its historic estate property to taste the best Napa Valley has to offer.

“We’re very pleased to say ‘welcome back,’” says Doug Shafer. “We’ve missed the incredible energy and warmth of sharing our property and our wines with guests from around the world.”

The launch of Shafer’s new hospitality approach begins this season with two options.

The Terrace View Tasting offers the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of the surrounding hillside estate vineyards, along with unparalleled views of Napa Valley and the Stags Leap Palisades. Visitors will enjoy a relaxing experience featuring a line-up of Shafer’s current wines, including Hillside Select, paired with a selection of cheese and charcuterie. The Terrace View Tasting is a 90-minute visit. Fee is $125 per guest.

The Private Collectors Experience is hosted in Shafer’s indoor tasting salon whose expansive glass walls open to vineyard views. This space also features a changing mix of large-scale contemporary paintings, currently featuring works by celebrated artist Damian O’Brien. In this experience, guests enjoy Shafer’s line-up of current wines, along with a library vintage of Hillside Select. These wines are paired with an elevated selection of cheese and charcuterie. The Private Collectors Experience is a 90-minute visit. Fee is $195 per guest.

The new Shafer hospitality program is headed by Estate Director, Geoff Pattison, and the team includes Hospitality Director, Ilse Mapes, and Estate Host, Ethan Gladner.

“What a thrill to welcome three new team members who bring such depth in wine and hospitality to this new era at Shafer,” says Matthew Sharp, General Manager, Shafer Vineyards. “Everyone is incredibly pleased to have Geoff, Ilse, and Ethan join us.”

Prior to joining Shafer, Geoff Pattison was Vice President of Purchasing at Wally’s Wine & Spirits, with locations in Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Las Vegas. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds an Executive MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Ilse Mapes joins Shafer with two decades of experience in hospitality, cellar consulting, and fine wine sales.

Most recently, she curated cellars for sommeliers and collectors at Benchmark Wine Group, Bounty Hunter Rare Wine, and directed the hospitality program at Vice Versa Wines.

Ethan Gladner has worked in wine education for the past five years both with consumers and trade, with positions most recently at Trinchero Family Estates and Eisele Vineyard. In October Ethan earned his Advanced Sommelier Certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, receiving the Rudd Round Table Scholarship for passing with top honors.

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