Tenth time tasted since 2013, and last bottle. Very similar to the old Silver Oak "Alexander Valley" wines of the Justin Meyer era in the '70's. Typical sweet American oak, cassis and black cherry nose, with flavors to match. Soft, round, medium-full body, nicely balanced. Long, sweet aftertaste. There is some amber at the edges now, it's more translucent, and the fruit starts to fade after a couple of hours. Slipping past its prime, definitely time to drink up. Ric
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There has been significant bottle variation but this was clearly the best, very similar to the old Silver Oak "Alexander Valley" wines of the Justin Meyer era in the '70's. Typical sweet American oak, cassis and black cherry nose, with flavors to match. Soft, round, medium-full body, nicely balanced. Long, sweet aftertaste. Fully mature, time to drink. If all the bottles were like this one I'd buy more, but too much variation. Ric
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Dark garnet, completely opaque. Initially a sweet American oak nose like the old Silver Oaks, but then just became more one-dimensional dark fruit style. Soft and round, dark cherries, cassis, medium long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, and there seems to be bottle variation...the last one was very reminiscent of old Silver Oaks, but this was very nice but more one-dimensional and generic. I have a few left and will drink them short-term. What was in the glass tonight was not worth $50, but the previous bottle was. Ric
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Dark garnet, completely opaque. Sweet oaky cassis nose, with slight coconut, reminiscent of the Silver Oaks of old. The aroma opened even more over two hours. Great flavors, soft and round, dark cherries, cassis, American oak, nice long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, but it's $50 compared to $140, so it's close enough for that price difference. This wine is perfectly drinkable now. It may gain slightly in complexity, but probably not much. It should hold easily for 3-5 years. Ric
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Garnet, opaque. Herbal-cassis aroma typical of cabernet. Hint of sweet oak, but not as pronounced as the Silver Oaks of the '70's from Justin Meyer (and I'm old enough to remember both Justin and his wines!). Still, an excellent, very drinkable wine, with excellent fruit and balance. Very drinkable and enjoyable now, but it should easily last another five or more years. Ric
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Nice nose of dark fruit, cedar and vanilla. Big cherry fruits with same cedar and vanilla notes on the nice long dry finish. Still young but plenty of fruit to enjoy now.
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Dark garnet, completely opaque. Sweet oaky cassis nose, with slight anise, reminiscent of the Silver Oaks of old. The aroma opened even more over two hours. It didn't open further...because it was gone! Great flavors, dark cherries, cassis, American oak, nice long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, but it's $50 compared to $140, so it's close enough for that price difference. This wine is perfectly drinkable now. It may gain slightly in complexity, but probably not much. It should hold easily for 3-5 years. Ric
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Fairly pronounced cassis with sweet American Oak aroma, typical of Silver Oaks of the '70s and '80s. Dark, opaque color. Medium-full body, excellent complex cabernet flavors perfectly integrated with acid and tannin. Very long aftertaste. This is like going back to the Justin Meyer Silver Oaks. It's perfectly drinkable but should easily last and maybe improve for at least five years. Ric
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2010 Meyer Family Cellars Oakville Spitfire Cabernet is a small production wine from Matt and Karen Meyer. The wine pours with a beautiful, translucent, deep purple hue. On the nose, it offers up a gorgeous perfume of boysenberries, plum, vanilla and spice. On the palate – it is surprisingly open-knit in structure, providing a broad mid-palate of plum and dark cherry, again with hints of cinnamon and clove and perhaps a little cured meat minerality on the finish. Tannins are present but not obstructive. This is an incredibly quaffable and approachable mid-weight wine that should be enjoyed now and any time over the next three years. The nose however offered more than the palate delivered. @bruisedpalate
A new cabernet from Meyer Family, sourced from Oakville fruit and aged for two years in American oak. Apparently trying to go back to Silver Oak's old style from Justin's time, when the supple fruit and sweet vanillin of American oak made it a cult wine of the era. Deep color, opaque. That old Silver oak aroma is there, developed in the glass over a couple of hours and even more the next night. Supple cassis and oak flavors, medium-full body. Tannin is noticeable but not obtrusive. Nice sweet long American oak aftertaste. This may be the reincarnation of the Silver Oak "Napa" of yore, hopefully. Because of the tannin, I'd give it another year or two to soften, but no harm enjoying it now after sufficient breathing. At $45, much more reasonable than their Bonny's or the current Silver Oaks.
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11/19/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tenth time tasted since 2013, and last bottle. Very similar to the old Silver Oak "Alexander Valley" wines of the Justin Meyer era in the '70's. Typical sweet American oak, cassis and black cherry nose, with flavors to match. Soft, round, medium-full body, nicely balanced. Long, sweet aftertaste. There is some amber at the edges now, it's more translucent, and the fruit starts to fade after a couple of hours. Slipping past its prime, definitely time to drink up.
Ric
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10/28/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 95 Points
There has been significant bottle variation but this was clearly the best, very similar to the old Silver Oak "Alexander Valley" wines of the Justin Meyer era in the '70's. Typical sweet American oak, cassis and black cherry nose, with flavors to match. Soft, round, medium-full body, nicely balanced. Long, sweet aftertaste. Fully mature, time to drink. If all the bottles were like this one I'd buy more, but too much variation.
Ric
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6/18/2020 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 90 Points
Soft and round, medium body. Pleasant cabernet aromas and cassis flavors, elegant. Not as rich as the old Silver Oaks. Very nice, but overpriced.
Ric
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12/20/2018 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 91 Points
Soft and round, medium body. Pleasant cabernet aromas and cassis flavors, elegant. Not as rich as the old Silver Oaks. Very nice, but overpriced.
Ric
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12/8/2017 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark garnet, completely opaque. Initially a sweet American oak nose like the old Silver Oaks, but then just became more one-dimensional dark fruit style. Soft and round, dark cherries, cassis, medium long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, and there seems to be bottle variation...the last one was very reminiscent of old Silver Oaks, but this was very nice but more one-dimensional and generic. I have a few left and will drink them short-term. What was in the glass tonight was not worth $50, but the previous bottle was.
Ric
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11/14/2017 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark garnet, completely opaque. Sweet oaky cassis nose, with slight coconut, reminiscent of the Silver Oaks of old. The aroma opened even more over two hours. Great flavors, soft and round, dark cherries, cassis, American oak, nice long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, but it's $50 compared to $140, so it's close enough for that price difference. This wine is perfectly drinkable now. It may gain slightly in complexity, but probably not much. It should hold easily for 3-5 years.
Ric
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11/28/2015 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
We pnp'd - the nose was dark fruits and cedar, the palate was dark berries, plums, wood and a touch of vanilla. A long smooth finish.
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5/5/2015 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet, opaque. Herbal-cassis aroma typical of cabernet. Hint of sweet oak, but not as pronounced as the Silver Oaks of the '70's from Justin Meyer (and I'm old enough to remember both Justin and his wines!). Still, an excellent, very drinkable wine, with excellent fruit and balance. Very drinkable and enjoyable now, but it should easily last another five or more years.
Ric
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3/10/2015 - Ceo wrote: 92 Points
Still good!
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10/19/2014 - SCMeyer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice nose of dark fruit, cedar and vanilla. Big cherry fruits with same cedar and vanilla notes on the nice long dry finish. Still young but plenty of fruit to enjoy now.
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4/14/2014 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark garnet, completely opaque. Sweet oaky cassis nose, with slight anise, reminiscent of the Silver Oaks of old. The aroma opened even more over two hours. It didn't open further...because it was gone! Great flavors, dark cherries, cassis, American oak, nice long aftertaste. This is not as profound or complex as Bonny's, but it's $50 compared to $140, so it's close enough for that price difference. This wine is perfectly drinkable now. It may gain slightly in complexity, but probably not much. It should hold easily for 3-5 years.
Ric
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10/2/2013 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fairly pronounced cassis with sweet American Oak aroma, typical of Silver Oaks of the '70s and '80s. Dark, opaque color. Medium-full body, excellent complex cabernet flavors perfectly integrated with acid and tannin. Very long aftertaste. This is like going back to the Justin Meyer Silver Oaks. It's perfectly drinkable but should easily last and maybe improve for at least five years.
Ric
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5/13/2013 - Ceo wrote: 92 Points
Very nice wine. Nice change of pace with the low alcohol precentage. I will look for more.
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4/30/2013 - BruisedGrape wrote: 89 Points
2010 Meyer Family Cellars Oakville Spitfire Cabernet is a small production wine from Matt and Karen Meyer. The wine pours with a beautiful, translucent, deep purple hue. On the nose, it offers up a gorgeous perfume of boysenberries, plum, vanilla and spice. On the palate – it is surprisingly open-knit in structure, providing a broad mid-palate of plum and dark cherry, again with hints of cinnamon and clove and perhaps a little cured meat minerality on the finish. Tannins are present but not obstructive. This is an incredibly quaffable and approachable mid-weight wine that should be enjoyed now and any time over the next three years. The nose however offered more than the palate delivered. @bruisedpalate
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3/22/2013 - Ex-Ray wrote: 95 Points
A new cabernet from Meyer Family, sourced from Oakville fruit and aged for two years in American oak. Apparently trying to go back to Silver Oak's old style from Justin's time, when the supple fruit and sweet vanillin of American oak made it a cult wine of the era. Deep color, opaque. That old Silver oak aroma is there, developed in the glass over a couple of hours and even more the next night. Supple cassis and oak flavors, medium-full body. Tannin is noticeable but not obtrusive. Nice sweet long American oak aftertaste. This may be the reincarnation of the Silver Oak "Napa" of yore, hopefully. Because of the tannin, I'd give it another year or two to soften, but no harm enjoying it now after sufficient breathing. At $45, much more reasonable than their Bonny's or the current Silver Oaks.
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