This wine has a smooth opening with a medium weight to follow. Lighter than many California Cabs, but full and velvety with a gentle tannin finish. Warmer than Italian reds. So well balanced. A joy to drink. I love this wine.
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Wonderful notes of cassis, currants, cedar, tobacco, oak spice, and cinnamon. Fine structure and balance, nice weight and density, with excellent length and persistence. Develops richness and flavor complexity with air, and displays the sense of style and elegance that Old World Cabs possess.
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Nose of black cherry, red cherry, black berry, saddle leather, sage, allspice with floral notes, same on the palate, mouth filling, big body, very tasty, rich fruit, lovely fruit, showing great tonight, paired with ham, turkey, and the fixins, went great with the fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner cooked by Celine, elegant, at its peak but good for 15 more years, long, lovely finish, and a great aftertaste.
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Nose of black cherry, red cherry, saddle leather, and black berry, on the palate, mouth filling, big body, very tasty, almost elegant, at its peak but good for 7 more years, long, lovely finish, photo uploaded.
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This wine continues to be in a great drink window. Very much like a bottle from a year ago. Has developed a little more complexity. I still have no explanation why I have rated recent bottles of this one higher than with many other cellartracker.com tasters.
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Prime drinking window and probably will be for at least another five years. Did not evolve much over a couple hours. Held up on night two but a bit muted then. Solid overall. Lots of dark stuff going on. Somewhat mono dimensional. Very consistent.
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A delicioius wine. I'd say another five years in cellar would make it even better in that it's just a bit tight until it is swirled a bit. The body is full with garnet color and robust legs. There's a nice mouthfeel, ever so slightly viscous, and a complex and long finish. Shame it's our last bottle!
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I think this is good wine! All the Silver Oaks I have drunk over the years have been consistently and dependably good, as well as crowd pleasing. They seem to have consistency of flavors from year to year, so I have tried to start to noting the differences which is fun!
I tried this side by side with 2008. It tasted/smelled saltier, earthier, and less tart that the '08 which was a plus for me. I liked the oak. This one was a bit drier in the back of the mouth, long dark cherry and leather finish.
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94. Deep purple. Medium viscosity. Forest floor, dried fruit, citrus zest on the nose. Strawberry, black berry, slight pepper on the palette. Would drink again soon, do not see it improving much from here.
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Silver Oak is not my favorite California Cab, but it is good. I find it usually is a little one dimensional. It is very reliable.....meaning, rarely have I ever had a bad experience with a bottle. Also, it is almost always a crowd pleaser at a restaurant. So….good to have some bottles on hand. Don't know why, but I seem to rate this one a little higher than the crowd. I have 2022 as the last year in my drink window and will leave the year unchanged.
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Silver Oak always makes a good quality cabernet and this is no exception - the wine pours a dark crimson red, it does have some substantial legs in the glass. The nose is full of dried red cherries, blackberries, and hints of leather, eucalyptus, and toasted oak. Its in a phase where its nose is transitioning from primary to more a earthy tertiary profile. The palate is rich, tannins are nicely integrated, not overpowering. It is smooth, easy drinking, a tad too sweet for my liking - but overall very good. In its prime drinking window now.
Good wine? Yes. Worth the price? No
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Nose of blackberry, and sage, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, very tasty, at it's peak, touch of licorice on the mid palate, delicious, lots to enjoy with Fleming's California Burger, almost mouth filling, no bell pepper in this wine, well balanced, and a flavorful, medium/long finish.
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Nose of black berry, boysenberry, earth, and bell pepper, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, ageing is improving this wine, 2 years to peak drinking, hints of mocha/java coffee today, paired with extra sharp cheddar, went well together, and a long finish.
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Dusty nose at the start. Lighter on the palete than I'd have guessed, but this was early on. I popped and poured. It was Monday night (my Friday). Plums, currant, something "herby" and green pepper. Super smooth.
Then, it got a little air, and though it didn't turn into a "big" wine, it came to the party with a whole lot of cabness. More fruit, and depth with those herbs, earth, and wood. Not life-changing, but solid. Probably over priced, and def over hyped. But it all comes together for a nice time.
NEVER pay retail.
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Toasted oak on the nose, with a hint of licorice. Soft tannins on entry. Blueberry through the mid. But the finish is disappointing, because there is none. We had this with grilled lamb chops and asparagus. Very good by itself and with the lighter meat.
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I tasted this via corvin after some other very good wines, and this disappointed and felt very thin, and lots of vanilla as others have noted here.
That being said, I came back to this on it's own with some light italian food, and on a clean palate, was very enjoyable. Not complex or big or anything fantastic, but still a smooth drinker although a little thin and over-oaked, but still very good if you aren't drinking it against other quality cabs.
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Definitely not a style I favor. Way, way too oaky still. Tannins on their way towards integration, but sill somewhat assertive. The slightest notes of cigar box, leather and tobacco emerging. Some black and blue fruit. But that oak... phew, totally overwhelming, and it eclipsed pretty much everything else this wine may have going for it. Would 5 more yrs in the cellar help? Maybe so. I would be curious to see if the oak ever becomes less obtrusive. But since I needed to liberate some space in the cellar, this was once of the bottles I grabbed for drinking.
PS: I slow ox’d in bottle for 7hrs, and then drank over the next 2 hrs,
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Spicy and toasty oak still at the forefront here, but it’s mellowing. Solid red berry and subtle brown spices come through. Long lingering finish. Goes down well now, but you don’t need to be in a hurry to drink.
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A nose of dark fruits and spic, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied red, with black cherry, currants, tea, tar and spice on finish, in a good drinking zone. www.winelx.com
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Light nose and moderate body but all good. Recognizable as cab but clearly cooler weather.slightly simple but beautifully integrated and balanced. Very pleasant and drinking well.
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Chocolate covered cherries! Oh yes. Easy to drink. Don't ask too much of it. But it does hit all the pleasure centers, and what's not to love about that? I got it on a "sweet" deal, so didn't mind pairing it with salmon and a Wednesday night.
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Aerated and decanted for 60 minutes. Could have used another 15-30 as it continued to open for the next 30 minutes. Lots of dark fruit with some spice and moderate plus tannins that softened as it continued to breathe.
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This baby is singing. Cedar spice box notes, but not overtly, the wine is medium-plus finish, Not overbearing in any way. somewhat restrained. Huge fresh organic blueberry compote presence. Round. clear magenta purple at its core, but slight bricking on the edges showing a little age. I like this a lot.
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his 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Silver Oak Cellars is sourced from several different vineyards in Alexander Valley. Rainfall in May made up for the dry winter, prolonging the growing season and making for ideal late ripening conditions for Cabernet. As is custom, the finest lots were blended into 50% new American oak barrels to age for 24 months. The moderate treatment of specifically American oak highlights the wine's distinct Alexander Valley terroir and minerality, rather than creating an undue influence on the wine's profile. Another 15 months of bottle aging at the winery smooths tannins and adds layers of complexity. Historically the Alexander Valley bottling is drinkable upon release but has the structure and stuffing to age. From the winery: "Our 2009 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex wine with berry and floral aromatics and a lovely structure. It has a dark, ruby color and a vibrant nose of black cherry, wisteria and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the wine is elegant and expressive and echoes the berry, floral and spice notes from the nose. It has a classic structure of fine grained tannins and a long, layered finish. Given proper cellaring, this wine should give drinking pleasure through 2032."
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Held up nicely. Deep blood red hue. Decanted for a little over an hour. Nose of sandalwood, vanilla, black cherry. Tannins were subdued, giving way to fruit and herbal essences. Yes, a bit unidimensional, but enjoyable.
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Too young, tannic, oaky (lots of toasted coconut and vanilla) and primary. (No idea why some before described it as "past its prime"). I will cellar my other bottles at least 4-5 more years. Should improve considerably, esp. if you like secondary and tertiary notes in your wines. Right now, to my palate, too oaky and tannic. Enjoyable, but a bit boring, clunky and one dimensional. Nice herbal and savory notes on top of delicious fruit and a hint of leather, but tannins and oak are too much for me.
PS: Give it plenty of air if you must drink now (the palate, and esp. the nose, improved markedly).
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This one has improved from a year ago. I do not know why I am very out of step with other raters......and I have never been a big Silver Oak fan. I am usually in the same zip code as other reviewers. My views were confirmed by another dinner companion that I would deem very knowledgeable about wine. Deep/dark fruit with a lot of complexity right now......even a it decadent. The tannins have softened, but not to the point where the wine is tiring.
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I agree it's past its prime, but with an excellent steak it held up OK showing nice qualities of age including cedar, but oak dominates. The wine has beautiful Cabernet, brick red color and smells of dark berries, but the fruit fades quickly with a short and disappointing finish.
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Very nice. Great nose; maininly dark cherry on the palate with hints of cedar, vanilla, and pepper. Very smooth with soft tannins, and as others have stated, not a very long finish...but it sure tasted great paired with a NY steak!
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Ok I know this a considered a "Cult Wine" and for the most part I normal do not do "Cult Wines". This one was a Christmas gift. We just got home from a couple weeks in France and I wanted a Napa to share with my Daughter. To my surprise... This was a very relaxed and enjoyed able bottle. It poured a cherry red with aromas of cherry, plum and a hint of pepper. Dark plum, cherries and a finish of vanilla were delicious. I'm enjoying the well balanced simple structure. The finish is short and dry, but when you add the company and conversation... It is perfect.
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Filled with vanilla and cherry on pop n pour. The vanilla blows off after the first glass. Shows dark cherry and cedar, vanilla goes to the background. Smooth on the palate with a soft finish.
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typical Silver Oak...not as good as when I first had it. good layers of depth and silk...nice soft tannins, but medium complexity for a cabernet and finish is short/falls off...a little disappointing and uninteresting but always easy to drink!
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Tasted at Silver Oak Oakville this morning, great nose of briar, dark fruit, touch of spring flowers, more of the same on the palate, slightly subdued fruit as opened in front of me-thank you John for the pour, very tasty, fairly fruit forward, medium/big body, showing fairly well this morning, still a year or two from it's best, touch of wood, soft tannins and a long finish.
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Tasted over two nights, cork was 10% saturated, nose of blackberry, boysenberry, red bell pepper, and sage, very aromatic nose following every swirl of the glass, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, delicious, improved immensely since last tasted on 10/11/15, with a medium/long finish.
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First off I am not much for cabs or California but this was an all American night. We ran this through a vinturi and decanted for an hour. It really needed 2-3 hours to open up and it did so nicely. Nose of cured meats and some tobacco on the palate. Enough tannins to go a few more years for sure. Some glycerin silliness but not overdone. I still think I like the Napa better but this is certainly a better value. Good complement to tenderloin.
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This is the first Silver Oak I have had in my inventory is a while. This one is good. I disagree with some other recent reviewers. I had this bottle in a restaurant with no decant. It was very good after only being opened for 45 minutes or so. I assume this was not true a year or two ago. Big on the dark berries. I say drink this one now.....it will last a good while, but would seem unlikely to improve from here.
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Pop and pour. An aroma of cherry and floral leaps out of the glass. On the palate, starts with cherry and cassis. Oak influences the mid palate. Short and rough finish. Probably could have used a decant.
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Nose of blackberry, cherry fruit, sage, with a hint of earth, more of the same on the palate, mouthful of bell pepper, currants, mocha, medium/big body, very tasty with the grilled burgers and gold bell peppers, with a medium/long finish. Improving gradually, needs four years.
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Opened and allowed to sit for an hour before serving, no decant. Very fruit forward almost overripe style of Cab. After about three hours the tannins took back over. Left a glass for day two and tried multiple times, but the fruit was faded and the acid held serve. The wine had some instant gratification pleasure in that first glass but all in all this is a mess.
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Dark ruby color turning purple at the rim with a deep nose of red and dark berries, floral hints of violets and rose petals, vanilla and smoked oak. The palate is dry, densely structured, full-bodied, with a silky texture. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, graphite, scorched cedar, and spice form the core. At this age, the flavors as expected, have harmonized quite well, providing a well-balanced, layered, and complex drinking experience. Finishes long with hints of vanilla and dusty Alexander Valley earth. Drink now until 2029.
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Enjoyed this with my in-laws at dinner out on the patio. Barbeque pork steaks, baked potato and blue cheese salad. A nice balance with the acidity of the wine. I've always favored the Alexander Valley over the Napa from this producer with is opposite of my usual stance on cab's from these 2 regions. This wine shows nicely right now but I think it has 10 good years of bottle age left in it. I have 5 more from this vintage and I think I'll let the others lay down for another couple years before I try this again.
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Good wine. Standard Silver Oak flavor. Could stand to decant for awhile. We did a blind taste test against the Camus and the crowd preferred the more fruit forward Camus. About the same price. Silver Oak has more acid and would stand up to a heavy steak better I think. A good wine to impress your friends with.
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Christmas in Ocean City last wine of the evening. This one had some tough competition - an 05 St Emilion and an 05 Lascombes Margaux..
Nice enough, standard Silver Oak of dark fruits, vanilla, mint/eucalyptus.
Fruit doesn't seem to have the depth you would expect. Not bad, consistent with prior notes. Approachable now, should improve over next couple years, tannins still pretty big.
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PnP. I enjoyed this and a little more fruit forward than I expected. I suppose it's time to drink the other remaining bottles. Although dark fruit was present, red fruit was too which threw me off a bit. A nice lingering finish.
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Decanted for about 3 hours. This was just uninteresting...not necessarily bad from a taste perspective, but the "plain-ness" of it made it bad. Had some green aroma and taste to it, without having much fruit coming through, nor any secondary aromas or flavors.
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Decanted 3+ hours. Opened up a little over course of drinking, but still young. Oak a little more integrated than I remember from past vintages, but still fairly pronounced. You either love or hate it.....I tend to enjoy. Hold a little longer if you can.
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The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, raspberry, cherry, dust, light toast, cedar and oak. It tastes like cherry, plum, cedar, vanilla, black pepper and chocolate. The body is light/medium. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity. The wine will only improve with a few more years of cellaring.
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Maybe could use a few more years in the cellar. Decanted for an hour. It had a nice dark fruit nose but did not deliver that big new world, powerful fruit expected and as compared to other silver oak wines. It's a good wine just not great.
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Medium red color. Aromatic with some age. Dry with a light body. Crisp acidity. Medium tannins. Fair balance. Moderate flavors. Very thin wine. Mediocre.
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This release shows that distinctive wood oakiness which certainly predominates in this young wine, somewhat overshadowing the dark berry fruits, spice and vanilla. It shows firm tannin structure backbone that promises for long life but which needs time to settle and allow the fruits to emerge and fully reveal themselves.
Tasted at Silver Oak today with Kathy. Nose of rich blackberry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, tasty and rich, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish.
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Tasted blind. Meh. Well made Cabernet, but nothing very interesting here. Followed over the course of the evening, gained a little weight after an hour or so.
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Dark ruby with purple core. Expressive nose of dark fruit, oak and eucalyptus. On the palate medium bodied and fresh with soft tannins, very nice and no jammy at all. Great with food. This is quite modern but very well done. The oak is a bit too prominent though for a higher score but that may just be my taste. 92-93
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Tasted at Silver Oak. nose of rich black cherry fruit and chocolate, more of the same on the palate, hints of baker's chocolate and chalky clay soil, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish, decant for two hours and enjoy.
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Big and upfront aromas of ripe red and black fruit on initial pour into a decanter. Let it sit an hour or so in the decanter. Feels very tight on the palate. Needs more bottle time. Goes to sleep on the midpalate, but comes back to life on the finish. Showing vanilla bean, toasted cedar, and red cherry. Bright acidity and gripping tannins on the finish. Has the potential to develop over the next 4-5 years.
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Pepper and graphite on the nose. Raspberry, dark fruit, pepper, and graphite on the palate followed by vanilla and oak on the finish. Firm tannins, and a very lengthy finish. Slightly above average for the price point.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of blackberry and cherry fruit with a hint of earth, more of the same on the palate, mouthful of chocolate, spice and everything nice, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish. Improving gracefully.
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Opened up nicely over ~1 hour after decanting. That said, this wine still could use some additional time in the cellar to get the tannins where they should be. Nice balance with light oak notes on the finish, we really enjoyed this wine paired with steak and seasoned potatoes. 90+
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Great Alex cab. Beautiful fruit, medium finish, smooth and sexy mouthfeel. Tannins are light. I agree with other notes that this wine opens up wonderfully after 45minutes. Would've loved to see it develop more but we drank it all! Best served at 62 degrees due to its elegance and finesse. Would buy again for special occasion pop n pour.
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Tasted at Silver Oak. Dark ruby color. Very elegant nose of dark berries (black cherries), some red berries, baking spices and some flowers. Similar flavors on the palate. Medium-bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin, all nicely integrated. Good length. A pretty and elegant Cabernet from Alexander Valley. I haven't had Silver Oak in a few years but I still like the style.
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dark red, purple, in color. dark fruit, earth, spice, on the nose. spice, earth, blackberry, currants, olives, on the palate. high acid, high tannins, on the finish.
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Not bad, which is to say not great but a definite improvement over the last 10 years. I got this as a gift as I had not bought a bottle of SO since the '01 vintage. This wine (both the AV and NV) became such a let down that I just moved on. The '09 had decent fruit and soft finish but limited nose and depth. An improvement after many lackluster vintages but not enough to get me back on he buy train. Drink with a decant now as I don't think this wine has the backbone to cellar.
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I'll buy and hold for a few years. Good value if one can obtain at a discount. Balanced but young. Soft tannins. Could develop into a more complex cab after aging? High potential.
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I had a previous bottle and gave it an 88 as it was absolutely flavorless. I also didn't decant it, but had it with steak.
Drank another 2009 (6 months apart) decanted it and it was superb. The finish was long, and the flavors played around on the palate which was missing in the last bottle. Leads me to believe I had a bad bottle before. I would definitely purchase this bottle again and it is not too far off now of the Napa Valley Silver Oak now where I may think twice about coughing up the extra 50 bucks for at this point.
Not sure how this gets below a 90 to some. Good solid lighter cab here. Get a hint of floral with the blackberry on nose. Starts off smooth with the light berry which builds to a velvety middle of light dirt and blackberry. Finish is abbreviated but holds an oaky linger. Not complex no. But solid to tasting yes. Decanted for 5 hours to open up.
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A great wine, almost better alone to enjoy full chewiness of character. Tight on opening but better over the hours. Great fruit and balance. Massive fruit bomb.
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Very vegetative notes. Not a lot of tannins or deep cab structure. Some dried fruit on the end but overall a miss again. Silver oak has lost something.
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Tasted at Silver Oak. nose of rich black cherry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, hints of baker's chocolate and chalk, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish, 3 years to peak.
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Deep garnet, after an hour in the decanter, the nose is expansive, fruity yet showing early signs of complexity and surprisingly fresh with light aromas of toasted french oak. What impressed me most of this wine was the firm, yet velvety texture of the tannins on the attach. The wine is then in full balance in the mid palate and develops a medium length finish with aromas of coffee and sweet cassis. Overall, I would say it is a fine example of a 'lighter styled' California cab with the fresh acidity with alcohol around 13% but unfortunately the bottle does not display it(?!?). More traditional in style and I like that. It was perfect with the BBQ steaks. It was a long time I had not had such a good cab from California.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of rich blackberry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, hints of chocolate and chalk, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish.
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Spontaneous dinner outing at Cafe Lafayette. Without wine in hand and with their very reasonable $ markup we went with this bottle in a moment of nostalgic curiosity. Fans of the breed back in the 80-90's we jumped off the Silver Oak bandwagon in 2000's as it became far too easy to find better quality at better value. Sadly this bottle proved nothing has changed. It surely will improve in 5+ years, yet being the softer more approachable offering from Silver Oak, the Alexander Valley is typically friendlier for youthful (before its time) PnP restaurant consumption. In any case, the bottomlinw - all the basic properties of typical non-exceptional California Cabernet, nothing more, nothing less.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of rich black cherry/berry fruit, and chalk, more of the same on the palate, some mocha chocolate present today, medium/big body, medium/long finish.
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Just a classic Cab. Loads of oak on the nose and on the palate. This is still very young but will be very nice if you can hold onto it for a decade or longer. Loads of black fruit. Some cigar or tobacco and firm gripping tannins. Nice finish.
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Vanilla and caramel over shadowing the dark berrry fruit. Similar in the mouth; the berry fruit is sweet but not over ripe. Tangy and tannic finish. Maybe it will improve with age. As in previous experiences, I think this is pretty darn ordinary and therefore overpriced.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely nose of rich blackberry fruit, with hints of earth, dust, and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting creamy and rich today, best tasting of this wine by me and winery employees today, medium/big body, fabulous, if you got it-drink one now, medium/long finish. Tasted three times today from three different bottles, similar results.
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At Capital Grill in NYC, paired with a Wagyu burger
Deep red/ruby color. Fragrant nose - dark fruits, vanilla, mint/eucalyptus - standard for a Silver Oak. Not as big on mid palate as other younger SO. Vanilla Oak and dark fruit on mid palate.
Approachable now, should improve over next couple years, tannins still pretty big. my guess is this is not a longer lived SO. very nice, not one of their best - i may be proven wrong as this ages
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Creamy grapey cream-sickle with waves of sweet vanilla oak. Balanced, medium finish. This isn't a desert wine but in some parts of Europe it might just be..... A nice example of what differentiates Cali-cabs from the real thing. Definitely not worth the $$$.
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Napa Valley Wine and Food Excursion 2013; 9/30/2013-10/5/2013 (Napa Valley, California): This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 24 months in American oak (50% new, 50% once-used). Deep ruby and showing moderately intense aromas of wild berries, lavender, vanilla and eucalyptus, it follows with similar flavors in a round, full-bodied frame. The generous tannins are somewhat rustic, while the alcohol (listed as 13.9%) is well-integrated. Solid in the middle, it concludes with a medium-length, dry finish. Short-term cellaring will likely be helpful in softening the the tannic bite. Drink 2015-2023.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely rich berry fruit, very earthy, dust, and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting big and brooding, almost like it was shutting down, medium/big body, medium/long finish. Tasted from two different bottles, similar results.
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For the price point of $69-$75 I was disappointed with the "thinness" and lack of complexity to this bottle of wine. I would say there are $20 bottles of wine that you can get from Geyserville that compete with the flavor make up of this wine. I aerated it and let it decant for an hour and it got a tab better where I was able to taste some oak, but it lasted but a millisecond on the palate. Pay the extra $30 and get the Napa Valley Silver Oak. It's a world of difference.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper, smoke and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting wonderfully rich and full bodied today, should improve over the next three years, medium/big body, medium/long finish. Tasted twice, similar results.
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Dark fruit and woody on the nose. Not ceder or oak though, more sandal woody. Dark currant on the palate, very dry. Needs some time. Aggressive tannins.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. This wine will be released on August 3.2013. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper and spice and vanilla, more of the same on the palate, slightly disjointed, needs two years to improve, medium/big body, shows richness, medium/long finish. Tasted twice, similar results.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. This wine will be released on August 3.2013. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper and spice and vanilla, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, shows richness, medium/long finish.
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Tasted at Silver Oak Winery, the Alexander Valley site. It was very young, high acidity - but we tasted it in early morning. The bottle had been just opened.
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4/8/2024 - wrmayfield@gmail.com Likes this wine: 96 Points
This wine has a smooth opening with a medium weight to follow. Lighter than many California Cabs, but full and velvety with a gentle tannin finish. Warmer than Italian reds. So well balanced. A joy to drink. I love this wine.
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12/16/2023 - wbduval Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decent, but a bit light in body and finish. Probably past its prime.
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11/23/2023 - enniszd wrote:
Past it's prime
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7/12/2023 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Wonderful notes of cassis, currants, cedar, tobacco, oak spice, and cinnamon. Fine structure and balance, nice weight and density, with excellent length and persistence. Develops richness and flavor complexity with air, and displays the sense of style and elegance that Old World Cabs possess.
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4/16/2023 - Scorpion wrote:
This was a really nice surprise. Drank really well for us. The heavy oak has mellowed a lot.
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3/18/2023 - jmleytem Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent. Aged well
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3/10/2023 - spearson wrote:
2007 - got better once we had food to go with it
2009 - still very nice
Both were about at their end of drinking range
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1/1/2023 - nelsonjared Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank with family for 2022 Christmas
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11/24/2022 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of black cherry, red cherry, black berry, saddle leather, sage, allspice with floral notes, same on the palate, mouth filling, big body, very tasty, rich fruit, lovely fruit, showing great tonight, paired with ham, turkey, and the fixins, went great with the fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner cooked by Celine, elegant, at its peak but good for 15 more years, long, lovely finish, and a great aftertaste.
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7/24/2022 - pmcellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Should have opened this a couple of years ago.
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6/11/2022 - East of Napa wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful wine that we drank at the perfect moment!
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11/25/2021 - Docemann5 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Open easy with quick decant. Moderate fruit with oakiness. Drink now…
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11/21/2021 - yukoner wrote: 91 Points
Drinking well now. Will not improve.
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8/19/2021 - Steve&Carolyn Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking quite well now. Raspberry, blackberry, and a bit of cinnamon. Smooth, rich, and velvety.
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8/14/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of black cherry, red cherry, saddle leather, and black berry, on the palate, mouth filling, big body, very tasty, almost elegant, at its peak but good for 7 more years, long, lovely finish, photo uploaded.
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5/14/2021 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine continues to be in a great drink window. Very much like a bottle from a year ago. Has developed a little more complexity. I still have no explanation why I have rated recent bottles of this one higher than with many other cellartracker.com tasters.
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1/30/2021 - Winedoc22 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank beautifully - still with ripe blackberry and black cherry integrated with tobacco, smoke, leather and licorice. Smooth tannins.
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1/23/2021 - JoeDwine wrote: 92 Points
Very Good but not Great
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1/2/2021 - spineguy wrote: 90 Points
Prime drinking window and probably will be for at least another five years. Did not evolve much over a couple hours. Held up on night two but a bit muted then. Solid overall. Lots of dark stuff going on. Somewhat mono dimensional. Very consistent.
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12/25/2020 - noshvegas wrote: 90 Points
Christmas pairing ... didn’t need to wait any longer! Drink now.
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10/24/2020 - Vintage wine wrote:
It was dry and chewy. It was good had it with Donnis and Bob at Verona BYOB 10/23/20
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9/5/2020 - jhornung Likes this wine:
Drank at La Cucina in Palm Beach
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8/2/2020 - cbrachfeld Likes this wine: 94 Points
A delicioius wine. I'd say another five years in cellar would make it even better in that it's just a bit tight until it is swirled a bit. The body is full with garnet color and robust legs. There's a nice mouthfeel, ever so slightly viscous, and a complex and long finish. Shame it's our last bottle!
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7/24/2020 - Lederhosen wrote: 91 Points
I think this is good wine! All the Silver Oaks I have drunk over the years have been consistently and dependably good, as well as crowd pleasing. They seem to have consistency of flavors from year to year, so I have tried to start to noting the differences which is fun!
I tried this side by side with 2008. It tasted/smelled saltier, earthier, and less tart that the '08 which was a plus for me. I liked the oak. This one was a bit drier in the back of the mouth, long dark cherry and leather finish.
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6/5/2020 - Case Knight Likes this wine: 94 Points
94. Deep purple. Medium viscosity. Forest floor, dried fruit, citrus zest on the nose. Strawberry, black berry, slight pepper on the palette. Would drink again soon, do not see it improving much from here.
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5/2/2020 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Silver Oak is not my favorite California Cab, but it is good. I find it usually is a little one dimensional. It is very reliable.....meaning, rarely have I ever had a bad experience with a bottle. Also, it is almost always a crowd pleaser at a restaurant. So….good to have some bottles on hand. Don't know why, but I seem to rate this one a little higher than the crowd. I have 2022 as the last year in my drink window and will leave the year unchanged.
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4/19/2020 - PhStern Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking perfectly.
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2/13/2020 - FlyinI wrote: 90 Points
Nice wine. Smooth, not particularly complex. Don’t see it improving much from here.
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1/24/2020 - pgrzesik Likes this wine: 90 Points
Silver Oak always makes a good quality cabernet and this is no exception - the wine pours a dark crimson red, it does have some substantial legs in the glass. The nose is full of dried red cherries, blackberries, and hints of leather, eucalyptus, and toasted oak. Its in a phase where its nose is transitioning from primary to more a earthy tertiary profile. The palate is rich, tannins are nicely integrated, not overpowering. It is smooth, easy drinking, a tad too sweet for my liking - but overall very good. In its prime drinking window now.
Good wine? Yes. Worth the price? No
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11/24/2019 - PRRobb wrote: 90 Points
Needed an hour to open up, but quite good once it hit its stride.
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3/16/2019 - Rossdhu House wrote: 88 Points
Good but highly muted. Well past peak.
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3/4/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nose of blackberry, and sage, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, very tasty, at it's peak, touch of licorice on the mid palate, delicious, lots to enjoy with Fleming's California Burger, almost mouth filling, no bell pepper in this wine, well balanced, and a flavorful, medium/long finish.
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2/3/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of black berry, boysenberry, earth, and bell pepper, same on the palate, big body, tasty, mouth filling fruit, ageing is improving this wine, 2 years to peak drinking, hints of mocha/java coffee today, paired with extra sharp cheddar, went well together, and a long finish.
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10/19/2018 - SmokeTaint Does not like this wine: 89 Points
not balanced
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10/14/2018 - Vino2Vino wrote: 91 Points
Amazingly smooth and silky!
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10/12/2018 - Rebirth22 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice lighter style cab, plenty of blackberry, some graphite, touch of menthol and a pleasant lingering finish.
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10/6/2018 - AEROSMITH wrote: 90 Points
beautiful; silver oak gorgeous color
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8/31/2018 - ddingley Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very well made wine, but didn't knock my socks off as some Cabs in this price range can.
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7/31/2018 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dusty nose at the start. Lighter on the palete than I'd have guessed, but this was early on. I popped and poured. It was Monday night (my Friday). Plums, currant, something "herby" and green pepper. Super smooth.
Then, it got a little air, and though it didn't turn into a "big" wine, it came to the party with a whole lot of cabness. More fruit, and depth with those herbs, earth, and wood. Not life-changing, but solid. Probably over priced, and def over hyped. But it all comes together for a nice time.
NEVER pay retail.
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7/13/2018 - Bigcat29 wrote: 94 Points
At ours with steaks Mcgee, Sorenson, Peter and Anna
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6/15/2018 - Kahnru12 wrote: 90 Points
Toasted oak on the nose, with a hint of licorice. Soft tannins on entry. Blueberry through the mid. But the finish is disappointing, because there is none. We had this with grilled lamb chops and asparagus. Very good by itself and with the lighter meat.
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4/23/2018 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 90 Points
Oak, vanilla, shorter finish but solid...went great with a filet
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4/17/2018 - Wine G Likes this wine: 90 Points
I tasted this via corvin after some other very good wines, and this disappointed and felt very thin, and lots of vanilla as others have noted here.
That being said, I came back to this on it's own with some light italian food, and on a clean palate, was very enjoyable. Not complex or big or anything fantastic, but still a smooth drinker although a little thin and over-oaked, but still very good if you aren't drinking it against other quality cabs.
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3/31/2018 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 88 Points
Smooth. Loads and loads of oak. A little too much oak for me. Out of balance with the massive oak for my taste.
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3/11/2018 - FGS Likes this wine: 91 Points
Guests favored this over the ‘09 Napa from Silver Oak. Vanilla, oak and dark berries. Good grip,and mouthfeel. Drank well throughout dinner.
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2/28/2018 - Wine G Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent and very solid. In its prime drinking window.
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2/11/2018 - bravo.solares wrote: 89 Points
Definitely not a style I favor. Way, way too oaky still. Tannins on their way towards integration, but sill somewhat assertive. The slightest notes of cigar box, leather and tobacco emerging. Some black and blue fruit. But that oak... phew, totally overwhelming, and it eclipsed pretty much everything else this wine may have going for it. Would 5 more yrs in the cellar help? Maybe so. I would be curious to see if the oak ever becomes less obtrusive. But since I needed to liberate some space in the cellar, this was once of the bottles I grabbed for drinking.
PS: I slow ox’d in bottle for 7hrs, and then drank over the next 2 hrs,
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1/17/2018 - ecola Likes this wine: 91 Points
Spicy and toasty oak still at the forefront here, but it’s mellowing. Solid red berry and subtle brown spices come through. Long lingering finish. Goes down well now, but you don’t need to be in a hurry to drink.
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1/15/2018 - Wine G Likes this wine: 91 Points
see prior notes, very consistent
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12/30/2017 - Rossdhu House wrote: 91 Points
Std SO
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12/24/2017 - bberg wrote: 91 Points
Great but starting to fade. Soft tannins but no fall out at bottom of bottle. Drink now or by end of 2018.
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12/18/2017 - corkscrews Likes this wine: 90 Points
A nose of dark fruits and spic, dark garnet in color. A medium to full bodied red, with black cherry, currants, tea, tar and spice on finish, in a good drinking zone. www.winelx.com
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12/3/2017 - Naso wrote: 91 Points
Liked this much better than the 08 - well balanced and smooth - in a good spot
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7/9/2017 - Sourdough wrote: 90 Points
Light nose and moderate body but all good. Recognizable as cab but clearly cooler weather.slightly simple but beautifully integrated and balanced. Very pleasant and drinking well.
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5/23/2017 - HelloHelloHello wrote: 92 Points
More sophisticated than expected. Oak fully integrated.
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4/26/2017 - TallMikeWine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Chocolate covered cherries! Oh yes. Easy to drink. Don't ask too much of it. But it does hit all the pleasure centers, and what's not to love about that? I got it on a "sweet" deal, so didn't mind pairing it with salmon and a Wednesday night.
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4/22/2017 - comlaw Likes this wine: 92 Points
Aerated and decanted for 60 minutes. Could have used another 15-30 as it continued to open for the next 30 minutes. Lots of dark fruit with some spice and moderate plus tannins that softened as it continued to breathe.
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3/2/2017 - Wine G Likes this wine: 92 Points
This baby is singing. Cedar spice box notes, but not overtly, the wine is medium-plus finish, Not overbearing in any way. somewhat restrained. Huge fresh organic blueberry compote presence. Round. clear magenta purple at its core, but slight bricking on the edges showing a little age. I like this a lot.
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1/2/2017 - GusgooseWine wrote: 90 Points
his 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Silver Oak Cellars is sourced from several different vineyards in Alexander Valley. Rainfall in May made up for the dry winter, prolonging the growing season and making for ideal late ripening conditions for Cabernet. As is custom, the finest lots were blended into 50% new American oak barrels to age for 24 months. The moderate treatment of specifically American oak highlights the wine's distinct Alexander Valley terroir and minerality, rather than creating an undue influence on the wine's profile. Another 15 months of bottle aging at the winery smooths tannins and adds layers of complexity. Historically the Alexander Valley bottling is drinkable upon release but has the structure and stuffing to age. From the winery: "Our 2009 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex wine with berry and floral aromatics and a lovely structure. It has a dark, ruby color and a vibrant nose of black cherry, wisteria and sweet baking spices. On the palate, the wine is elegant and expressive and echoes the berry, floral and spice notes from the nose. It has a classic structure of fine grained tannins and a long, layered finish. Given proper cellaring, this wine should give drinking pleasure through 2032."
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12/25/2016 - Rossdhu House wrote: 90 Points
Drinks like an Alex Silver Oak should. Right on target. Drank against a very good Napa Cab and the SO was the winder hands down.
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12/25/2016 - VenturePlanet Likes this wine: 92 Points
Held up nicely. Deep blood red hue. Decanted for a little over an hour. Nose of sandalwood, vanilla, black cherry. Tannins were subdued, giving way to fruit and herbal essences. Yes, a bit unidimensional, but enjoyable.
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12/21/2016 - bravo.solares wrote: 89 Points
Too young, tannic, oaky (lots of toasted coconut and vanilla) and primary. (No idea why some before described it as "past its prime"). I will cellar my other bottles at least 4-5 more years. Should improve considerably, esp. if you like secondary and tertiary notes in your wines. Right now, to my palate, too oaky and tannic. Enjoyable, but a bit boring, clunky and one dimensional. Nice herbal and savory notes on top of delicious fruit and a hint of leather, but tannins and oak are too much for me.
PS: Give it plenty of air if you must drink now (the palate, and esp. the nose, improved markedly).
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12/15/2016 - WineGuyFL wrote: 93 Points
This one has improved from a year ago. I do not know why I am very out of step with other raters......and I have never been a big Silver Oak fan. I am usually in the same zip code as other reviewers. My views were confirmed by another dinner companion that I would deem very knowledgeable about wine. Deep/dark fruit with a lot of complexity right now......even a it decadent. The tannins have softened, but not to the point where the wine is tiring.
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11/27/2016 - zack.wygant Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fun to drink, short finish I agree, but still great fruit and leather quality. I wouldn't wait too long to drink the rest!
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10/9/2016 - OCLivergood Likes this wine: 88 Points
I agree it's past its prime, but with an excellent steak it held up OK showing nice qualities of age including cedar, but oak dominates. The wine has beautiful Cabernet, brick red color and smells of dark berries, but the fruit fades quickly with a short and disappointing finish.
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10/5/2016 - Wine Problems Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice. Great nose; maininly dark cherry on the palate with hints of cedar, vanilla, and pepper. Very smooth with soft tannins, and as others have stated, not a very long finish...but it sure tasted great paired with a NY steak!
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8/26/2016 - DJSeiler wrote: 91 Points
Ok I know this a considered a "Cult Wine" and for the most part I normal do not do "Cult Wines". This one was a Christmas gift. We just got home from a couple weeks in France and I wanted a Napa to share with my Daughter. To my surprise... This was a very relaxed and enjoyed able bottle. It poured a cherry red with aromas of cherry, plum and a hint of pepper. Dark plum, cherries and a finish of vanilla were delicious. I'm enjoying the well balanced simple structure. The finish is short and dry, but when you add the company and conversation... It is perfect.
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6/30/2016 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Filled with vanilla and cherry on pop n pour. The vanilla blows off after the first glass. Shows dark cherry and cedar, vanilla goes to the background. Smooth on the palate with a soft finish.
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6/28/2016 - richshoes Likes this wine: 90 Points
typical Silver Oak...not as good as when I first had it. good layers of depth and silk...nice soft tannins, but medium complexity for a cabernet and finish is short/falls off...a little disappointing and uninteresting but always easy to drink!
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6/3/2016 - pamitos wrote: 89 Points
I would agree this wine has peaked
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5/19/2016 - BHathaway Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for about 4 hours and then proceeded to enjoy all aspects.
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4/14/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak Oakville this morning, great nose of briar, dark fruit, touch of spring flowers, more of the same on the palate, slightly subdued fruit as opened in front of me-thank you John for the pour, very tasty, fairly fruit forward, medium/big body, showing fairly well this morning, still a year or two from it's best, touch of wood, soft tannins and a long finish.
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2/22/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted over two nights, cork was 10% saturated, nose of blackberry, boysenberry, red bell pepper, and sage, very aromatic nose following every swirl of the glass, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, delicious, improved immensely since last tasted on 10/11/15, with a medium/long finish.
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1/3/2016 - jesswammi wrote:
Is big. Needs decanting. Should drink well for 20 more years.
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12/31/2015 - jdporter3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
First off I am not much for cabs or California but this was an all American night. We ran this through a vinturi and decanted for an hour. It really needed 2-3 hours to open up and it did so nicely. Nose of cured meats and some tobacco on the palate. Enough tannins to go a few more years for sure. Some glycerin silliness but not overdone. I still think I like the Napa better but this is certainly a better value. Good complement to tenderloin.
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12/29/2015 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is the first Silver Oak I have had in my inventory is a while. This one is good. I disagree with some other recent reviewers. I had this bottle in a restaurant with no decant. It was very good after only being opened for 45 minutes or so. I assume this was not true a year or two ago. Big on the dark berries. I say drink this one now.....it will last a good while, but would seem unlikely to improve from here.
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12/26/2015 - Spanjersberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
After decanting for 3 hours the wine opened up. Great match with prime rib for Christmas dinner last night. Oak, dark ruby colors.
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12/24/2015 - ev3rthesame Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour as upon uncorking very flat. Amazing bottle of wine once I poured it into my glass. Very fruit forward one of my favorites!
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12/17/2015 - PSUSteve wrote: 91 Points
Pop and pour. An aroma of cherry and floral leaps out of the glass. On the palate, starts with cherry and cassis. Oak influences the mid palate. Short and rough finish. Probably could have used a decant.
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12/8/2015 - rjeman2000 wrote:
Drank with Kotwicki and sawyers
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11/26/2015 - garyty wrote: 92 Points
Lot of oak but in a good way
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10/11/2015 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of blackberry, cherry fruit, sage, with a hint of earth, more of the same on the palate, mouthful of bell pepper, currants, mocha, medium/big body, very tasty with the grilled burgers and gold bell peppers, with a medium/long finish. Improving gradually, needs four years.
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9/19/2015 - Bauman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not quite the depth of the Napa valley silver oak but still quite good.
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9/5/2015 - KendraPM wrote: 91 Points
much better than the '06 Napa Valley. More fruit forward and rounder bodied. I would drink sooner rather than later.
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8/29/2015 - Omar Khayyam wrote:
Vinopia sortimentsprovning (AG, stockholm): Warm fruit, chocolaty, lots of oak on the nose but great freshness and a point of balance. recommended
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8/11/2015 - Leerecords wrote:
Fruity good flavor
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7/25/2015 - dangdad wrote: 91 Points
Very well balanced. Cassis up front, transition to black cherry, finish with long soft tannins. Perfect with pasta.
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7/19/2015 - nkredich wrote: 86 Points
Drink fairly soon. It has peaked.
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7/12/2015 - Kent Cooper wrote: 93 Points
Always a favorite. Paired with a filet. Did not disappoint.
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7/6/2015 - dividend Likes this wine: 92 Points
I let it open for 2 hours. Compared to 2010 vintage, the 2009 is better. If you are looking for a big, bold Cab, this one fits the bill!
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7/4/2015 - Tmjdoc Likes this wine: 95 Points
Oak and no after taste a truly perfect Cab
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6/19/2015 - lockestep Does not like this wine: 81 Points
Opened and allowed to sit for an hour before serving, no decant. Very fruit forward almost overripe style of Cab. After about three hours the tannins took back over. Left a glass for day two and tried multiple times, but the fruit was faded and the acid held serve. The wine had some instant gratification pleasure in that first glass but all in all this is a mess.
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6/7/2015 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Needs an hour to open- solid wine, good balance, average finish, in prime.
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5/27/2015 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby color turning purple at the rim with a deep nose of red and dark berries, floral hints of violets and rose petals, vanilla and smoked oak. The palate is dry, densely structured, full-bodied, with a silky texture. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry, graphite, scorched cedar, and spice form the core. At this age, the flavors as expected, have harmonized quite well, providing a well-balanced, layered, and complex drinking experience. Finishes long with hints of vanilla and dusty Alexander Valley earth. Drink now until 2029.
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5/16/2015 - Cycle Man Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed this with my in-laws at dinner out on the patio. Barbeque pork steaks, baked potato and blue cheese salad. A nice balance with the acidity of the wine. I've always favored the Alexander Valley over the Napa from this producer with is opposite of my usual stance on cab's from these 2 regions. This wine shows nicely right now but I think it has 10 good years of bottle age left in it. I have 5 more from this vintage and I think I'll let the others lay down for another couple years before I try this again.
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2/28/2015 - Bauman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full bodied smooth velvety finish.
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2/20/2015 - Forklifts11 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice and refined. Typical Silver Oak quality.
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2/15/2015 - Ken G wrote: 92 Points
Good wine. Standard Silver Oak flavor. Could stand to decant for awhile. We did a blind taste test against the Camus and the crowd preferred the more fruit forward Camus. About the same price. Silver Oak has more acid and would stand up to a heavy steak better I think. A good wine to impress your friends with.
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1/3/2015 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice. Well balanced with the distinctive Silver Oak taste. Long finish
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12/29/2014 - Pwpayne wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at Dad's. Decent wine. Not much complexity. Not the best QPR.
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12/26/2014 - rpenn77 wrote: 92 Points
Cedar and spice with soft tannins.
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12/25/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 87 Points
Christmas in Ocean City last wine of the evening. This one had some tough competition - an 05 St Emilion and an 05 Lascombes Margaux..
Nice enough, standard Silver Oak of dark fruits, vanilla, mint/eucalyptus.
Fruit doesn't seem to have the depth you would expect. Not bad, consistent with prior notes. Approachable now, should improve over next couple years, tannins still pretty big.
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12/24/2014 - Kaizah Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pull the cork and it's good to go. Super consistent and friendly wine for all.
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12/20/2014 - bkmt Likes this wine: 88 Points
PnP. I enjoyed this and a little more fruit forward than I expected. I suppose it's time to drink the other remaining bottles. Although dark fruit was present, red fruit was too which threw me off a bit. A nice lingering finish.
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11/27/2014 - jljones wrote: 87 Points
Overall lack of acidity made the fruit seem muddled, however pairing with a high acid dish worked very well.
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11/22/2014 - vinelines wrote:
Opening this gift bottle tonight in honor of our daughter's 21st birthday!
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10/25/2014 - sammy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Leather and light cherry nose. Dry pallet. Oak and smooth flavors. Lightly sweet but with tannins.
A very good wine, but overpriced for its quality.
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10/3/2014 - Anthony Zullo wrote:
Lisa drank with sister in law
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9/12/2014 - Wine Sparty wrote: 86 Points
Decanted for about 3 hours. This was just uninteresting...not necessarily bad from a taste perspective, but the "plain-ness" of it made it bad. Had some green aroma and taste to it, without having much fruit coming through, nor any secondary aromas or flavors.
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9/2/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very Nice
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8/23/2014 - Treibemj wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 3+ hours. Opened up a little over course of drinking, but still young. Oak a little more integrated than I remember from past vintages, but still fairly pronounced. You either love or hate it.....I tend to enjoy. Hold a little longer if you can.
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8/11/2014 - vintagedds Likes this wine: 91 Points
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, raspberry, cherry, dust, light toast, cedar and oak. It tastes like cherry, plum, cedar, vanilla, black pepper and chocolate. The body is light/medium. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity. The wine will only improve with a few more years of cellaring.
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8/3/2014 - Jreese wrote: 89 Points
Maybe could use a few more years in the cellar. Decanted for an hour. It had a nice dark fruit nose but did not deliver that big new world, powerful fruit expected and as compared to other silver oak wines. It's a good wine just not great.
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8/1/2014 - Swajln Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice wine, not too complex. Solid nose, structure, & finish.
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7/12/2014 - adnielsen wrote: 90 Points
@ the tasting room.
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7/11/2014 - ColluraJ Does not like this wine: 74 Points
Medium red color. Aromatic with some age. Dry with a light body. Crisp acidity. Medium tannins. Fair balance. Moderate flavors. Very thin wine. Mediocre.
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7/3/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Typical Silver Oak. Big with bold finish.
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6/7/2014 - rmcnees wrote: 91 Points
This release shows that distinctive wood oakiness which certainly predominates in this young wine, somewhat overshadowing the dark berry fruits, spice and vanilla. It shows firm tannin structure backbone that promises for long life but which needs time to settle and allow the fruits to emerge and fully reveal themselves.
http://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/06/cal-cab-release-tasting-caymus-40th.html
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5/27/2014 - Iceman611 wrote: 92 Points
Very nice with burgers and Brussels sprouts. Better than last year.
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5/26/2014 - agrohs wrote: 94 Points
nearly as good as the '08!!
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5/23/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today with Kathy. Nose of rich blackberry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, tasty and rich, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish.
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5/12/2014 - stubbie999 wrote:
Tasted blind. Meh. Well made Cabernet, but nothing very interesting here. Followed over the course of the evening, gained a little weight after an hour or so.
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5/6/2014 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
Dark ruby with purple core. Expressive nose of dark fruit, oak and eucalyptus. On the palate medium bodied and fresh with soft tannins, very nice and no jammy at all. Great with food. This is quite modern but very well done. The oak is a bit too prominent though for a higher score but that may just be my taste. 92-93
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5/1/2014 - Higginsjim12 wrote:
With wbs. Really good
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4/26/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak. nose of rich black cherry fruit and chocolate, more of the same on the palate, hints of baker's chocolate and chalky clay soil, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish, decant for two hours and enjoy.
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4/13/2014 - K88888C wrote: 92 Points
Long finish,
Leather, pepper and strong oak barrel.
More years in the bottle will yield even better enjpyment. Good to drink now but better with another year in the bottle.
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4/8/2014 - clayfu wrote:
Impressions from a weekend in Napa Valley Day 2 (Napa Valley): Drinking well right now, copious amounts of purple fruit, sweet and ripe. Soft tannins and a bit of interesting texture from the oak with a mixture of acid makes it an easy drink.
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3/30/2014 - ecola Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big and upfront aromas of ripe red and black fruit on initial pour into a decanter. Let it sit an hour or so in the decanter. Feels very tight on the palate. Needs more bottle time. Goes to sleep on the midpalate, but comes back to life on the finish. Showing vanilla bean, toasted cedar, and red cherry. Bright acidity and gripping tannins on the finish. Has the potential to develop over the next 4-5 years.
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3/27/2014 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 90 Points
Pepper and graphite on the nose. Raspberry, dark fruit, pepper, and graphite on the palate followed by vanilla and oak on the finish. Firm tannins, and a very lengthy finish. Slightly above average for the price point.
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3/27/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of blackberry and cherry fruit with a hint of earth, more of the same on the palate, mouthful of chocolate, spice and everything nice, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish. Improving gracefully.
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3/26/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 90 Points
This seems to be a very consistent 90 pointer for me, as with most Silver Oaks the mouthfeel is excellent, just lacks a bit in the complexity.
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3/24/2014 - jpreston1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened up nicely over ~1 hour after decanting. That said, this wine still could use some additional time in the cellar to get the tannins where they should be. Nice balance with light oak notes on the finish, we really enjoyed this wine paired with steak and seasoned potatoes. 90+
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3/24/2014 - brianspross wrote: 91 Points
$49.99. This was a very good bottle. It was very smooth. At this price point I would try something else.
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3/22/2014 - Bauman wrote: 91 Points
Very smooth cabernet great with surf and turf. Hints of fruit with dry aftertaste
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3/20/2014 - rkosd wrote: 92 Points
Great Alex cab. Beautiful fruit, medium finish, smooth and sexy mouthfeel. Tannins are light. I agree with other notes that this wine opens up wonderfully after 45minutes. Would've loved to see it develop more but we drank it all! Best served at 62 degrees due to its elegance and finesse. Would buy again for special occasion pop n pour.
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3/15/2014 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Taste with Rich at FHE.
Finesse. Great. Creamy acid. Solid finish.
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3/12/2014 - Bauman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very good cabernet for the lower end silver oak.
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3/11/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak. Dark ruby color. Very elegant nose of dark berries (black cherries), some red berries, baking spices and some flowers. Similar flavors on the palate. Medium-bodied with medium acidity and medium tannin, all nicely integrated. Good length. A pretty and elegant Cabernet from Alexander Valley. I haven't had Silver Oak in a few years but I still like the style.
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3/7/2014 - affordableCollector wrote: 89 Points
dark red, purple, in color. dark fruit, earth, spice, on the nose. spice, earth, blackberry, currants, olives, on the palate. high acid, high tannins, on the finish.
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3/5/2014 - Vitis Maximus wrote: 89 Points
Not bad, which is to say not great but a definite improvement over the last 10 years. I got this as a gift as I had not bought a bottle of SO since the '01 vintage. This wine (both the AV and NV) became such a let down that I just moved on. The '09 had decent fruit and soft finish but limited nose and depth. An improvement after many lackluster vintages but not enough to get me back on he buy train. Drink with a decant now as I don't think this wine has the backbone to cellar.
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3/4/2014 - mdp.blue Likes this wine: 90 Points
I'll buy and hold for a few years. Good value if one can obtain at a discount. Balanced but young. Soft tannins. Could develop into a more complex cab after aging? High potential.
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3/3/2014 - Justin tt wrote: 89 Points
Needs to age for another 5 or 10 years.
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2/17/2014 - ev3rthesame Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had a previous bottle and gave it an 88 as it was absolutely flavorless. I also didn't decant it, but had it with steak.
Drank another 2009 (6 months apart) decanted it and it was superb. The finish was long, and the flavors played around on the palate which was missing in the last bottle. Leads me to believe I had a bad bottle before. I would definitely purchase this bottle again and it is not too far off now of the Napa Valley Silver Oak now where I may think twice about coughing up the extra 50 bucks for at this point.
Excellent and great with food!
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2/14/2014 - morrisck wrote: 91 Points
Not sure how this gets below a 90 to some. Good solid lighter cab here. Get a hint of floral with the blackberry on nose. Starts off smooth with the light berry which builds to a velvety middle of light dirt and blackberry. Finish is abbreviated but holds an oaky linger. Not complex no. But solid to tasting yes. Decanted for 5 hours to open up.
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2/13/2014 - AKegler wrote:
Black cherry and tobacco on the nose. Black cherry, currant, with an oak finish.
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2/10/2014 - Georgenenni wrote: 94 Points
A great wine, almost better alone to enjoy full chewiness of character. Tight on opening but better over the hours. Great fruit and balance. Massive fruit bomb.
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2/1/2014 - topherert wrote: 89 Points
Very vegetative notes. Not a lot of tannins or deep cab structure. Some dried fruit on the end but overall a miss again. Silver oak has lost something.
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1/19/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak. nose of rich black cherry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, hints of baker's chocolate and chalk, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish, 3 years to peak.
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1/11/2014 - DuVinMD Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet, after an hour in the decanter, the nose is expansive, fruity yet showing early signs of complexity and surprisingly fresh with light aromas of toasted french oak. What impressed me most of this wine was the firm, yet velvety texture of the tannins on the attach. The wine is then in full balance in the mid palate and develops a medium length finish with aromas of coffee and sweet cassis. Overall, I would say it is a fine example of a 'lighter styled' California cab with the fresh acidity with alcohol around 13% but unfortunately the bottle does not display it(?!?). More traditional in style and I like that. It was perfect with the BBQ steaks. It was a long time I had not had such a good cab from California.
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1/4/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of rich blackberry fruit and dust, more of the same on the palate, hints of chocolate and chalk, medium/big body, and a medium/long finish.
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1/4/2014 - IAmVintage wrote: 89 Points
Spontaneous dinner outing at Cafe Lafayette. Without wine in hand and with their very reasonable $ markup we went with this bottle in a moment of nostalgic curiosity. Fans of the breed back in the 80-90's we jumped off the Silver Oak bandwagon in 2000's as it became far too easy to find better quality at better value. Sadly this bottle proved nothing has changed. It surely will improve in 5+ years, yet being the softer more approachable offering from Silver Oak, the Alexander Valley is typically friendlier for youthful (before its time) PnP restaurant consumption. In any case, the bottomlinw - all the basic properties of typical non-exceptional California Cabernet, nothing more, nothing less.
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12/29/2013 - Cgallivan wrote: 92 Points
Typical Silver Oak, well made, medium body, great fruit! Will likely be much better in 3-5.
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12/27/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Nose of rich black cherry/berry fruit, and chalk, more of the same on the palate, some mocha chocolate present today, medium/big body, medium/long finish.
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12/20/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD Likes this wine: 91 Points
Just a classic Cab. Loads of oak on the nose and on the palate. This is still very young but will be very nice if you can hold onto it for a decade or longer. Loads of black fruit. Some cigar or tobacco and firm gripping tannins. Nice finish.
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12/17/2013 - Iceman611 wrote: 91 Points
Might have been an off night for me or the wine isn't ready to drink yet.
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12/13/2013 - Didman wrote: 92 Points
Excellent nose, deep rich color and good cabernet flavors. A fine wine.
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11/27/2013 - Yack Man wrote: 88 Points
I agree 100 percent with KVM, overpriced! If it was 25-30 bucks be happy.
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11/9/2013 - KVM wrote: 88 Points
Vanilla and caramel over shadowing the dark berrry fruit. Similar in the mouth; the berry fruit is sweet but not over ripe. Tangy and tannic finish. Maybe it will improve with age. As in previous experiences, I think this is pretty darn ordinary and therefore overpriced.
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11/1/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely nose of rich blackberry fruit, with hints of earth, dust, and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting creamy and rich today, best tasting of this wine by me and winery employees today, medium/big body, fabulous, if you got it-drink one now, medium/long finish. Tasted three times today from three different bottles, similar results.
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10/25/2013 - JPH104 wrote:
Vanilla and oak overpowering. Dense and good feel but needs a long time to mellow out.
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10/21/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 88 Points
At Capital Grill in NYC, paired with a Wagyu burger
Deep red/ruby color. Fragrant nose - dark fruits, vanilla, mint/eucalyptus - standard for a Silver Oak. Not as big on mid palate as other younger SO. Vanilla Oak and dark fruit on mid palate.
Approachable now, should improve over next couple years, tannins still pretty big. my guess is this is not a longer lived SO. very nice, not one of their best - i may be proven wrong as this ages
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10/10/2013 - Modiddley wrote: 86 Points
Fruity. Pete didn't like.
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10/2/2013 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 88 Points
Creamy grapey cream-sickle with waves of sweet vanilla oak. Balanced, medium finish. This isn't a desert wine but in some parts of Europe it might just be..... A nice example of what differentiates Cali-cabs from the real thing. Definitely not worth the $$$.
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9/30/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 88 Points
Napa Valley Wine and Food Excursion 2013; 9/30/2013-10/5/2013 (Napa Valley, California): This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 24 months in American oak (50% new, 50% once-used). Deep ruby and showing moderately intense aromas of wild berries, lavender, vanilla and eucalyptus, it follows with similar flavors in a round, full-bodied frame. The generous tannins are somewhat rustic, while the alcohol (listed as 13.9%) is well-integrated. Solid in the middle, it concludes with a medium-length, dry finish. Short-term cellaring will likely be helpful in softening the the tannic bite. Drink 2015-2023.
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9/18/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely rich berry fruit, very earthy, dust, and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting big and brooding, almost like it was shutting down, medium/big body, medium/long finish. Tasted from two different bottles, similar results.
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9/14/2013 - ev3rthesame Does not like this wine: 88 Points
For the price point of $69-$75 I was disappointed with the "thinness" and lack of complexity to this bottle of wine. I would say there are $20 bottles of wine that you can get from Geyserville that compete with the flavor make up of this wine. I aerated it and let it decant for an hour and it got a tab better where I was able to taste some oak, but it lasted but a millisecond on the palate. Pay the extra $30 and get the Napa Valley Silver Oak. It's a world of difference.
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9/7/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper, smoke and spice, more of the same on the palate, tasting wonderfully rich and full bodied today, should improve over the next three years, medium/big body, medium/long finish. Tasted twice, similar results.
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9/4/2013 - top_chef wrote: 91 Points
Super smooth, a little too drinkable :) and a bit thin. But deliciously balanced. Heavy, rich fruit.
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8/31/2013 - wine maestro wrote: 88 Points
Lisa's Summer Tasting Event
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8/10/2013 - JonnyG wrote: 91 Points
Just released. Better balance than I feared, but still overtly oaked and a bit thin. Not bad for the Alexander bottling.
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8/3/2013 - Justin Bray wrote:
Dark fruit and woody on the nose. Not ceder or oak though, more sandal woody. Dark currant on the palate, very dry. Needs some time. Aggressive tannins.
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7/13/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. This wine will be released on August 3.2013. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper and spice and vanilla, more of the same on the palate, slightly disjointed, needs two years to improve, medium/big body, shows richness, medium/long finish. Tasted twice, similar results.
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7/7/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. This wine will be released on August 3.2013. Lovely rich berry fruit, hints of green bell pepper and spice and vanilla, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, shows richness, medium/long finish.
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3/18/2013 - jreynolds3 wrote: 89 Points
Tasted side by side with '09 Cakebread Napa and this was consistently ranked #2.
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1/4/2013 - XYTD wrote:
Tasted at Silver Oak Winery, the Alexander Valley site. It was very young, high acidity - but we tasted it in early morning. The bottle had been just opened.
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1/12/2012 - suchilee wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding. Needed to breath a bit. Dry full bodied cab. Softened a bit over dinner. Great with the steak I had.
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