Enjoyed with a steak after decanting. Surprisingly much more enjoyable even for sipping than a 2018 Switchback Ridge Merlot that my wife and I usually enjoy sipping!
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Subtle an easy drinking but not a ton going on. Had it out of a magnum. Few hours of oxygen before I dove in. Simple but good. No need to bad mouth a wine that is easy to drink
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Large format and decanted. Drank over the 6 hour span the wine was brilliant. Greater character and improved finished. Loads of currant, chocolate, hints of vanilla, silky tannis and velvet finish. Was very enjoyable!
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Immediately out of the bottle shows its age, but with time it opens up and shows its full potential. Smoke, balanced tannins, dark fruit. A classic napa cab.
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Opened and poured but decanting would’ve benefit RE this wine as an hour in glass really allowed it to develop. Initially it’s aromas gave away 22 year old wine that might be on the way out, but some air livened it up and turned into a classic Alexander cab with dusty tannins, ripe plum and cassis, cedar, and cigar box. Decent finish. Well recommended and I’m glad I have a couole more.
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Nose of black cherry, and bell pepper, same on the plate, medium body, tasty, showing it's age tonight, my last bottle-traded 2 of the 2007 for 4 of the 1998, time to drink up, and a long, flavorful finish.
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Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from 1998, 1999, and 2000 (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Tasting three vintages-1998, 1999, and 2000, nose of black cherry, bell pepper, mocha, and earth, great nose, same on the plate, medium body, very tasty, just as tasty and good as the nose, mature Cabernet ready to enjoy, time to drink over the next three years, and a long, flavorful finish. My #1.
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Found 2 bottles in the cellar. Expected it to be flat based on other reviews, but it opened up nicely with good aroma and body. Still think he 98 may have a few good years
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Held up very well against a Margaux from same year. Still lots of fire power . Dark fruit, leather and chocolate. Very popular with the guests. The magnum bottle finished fast.
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Bought several bottles from Vinfolio a few months back and this wine always stops people in there tracks when they taste it. Wine is excellent with lots of mocha, chocolate and coffee. Very soft and smooth. Its outstanding. I would get more if I could.
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Had this wine with Filet Mignon with a red wine reduction/shallot sauce. The tannins had largely disappeared, so it was nicely smooth but still full bodied.
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From 750: Tasting very young and tannic. The California fruit, though, is more than enough to hold it in balance. Intense nose, palate, and finish. Just entering it's plane of maturity. Suggest holding to allow tannins to soften, and oak to better integrate. Very good now, but will overwhelm subtle dishes.
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We are working through our collection of these going back to '94. I am pleased with how well they are holding up. This was PnP and the nose jumped out of the bottle immediately. Excellent floral nose and still good color in the glass. Medium bodied with a good balance between fruit and herbal flavors. Lingering finish. Overall a very satisfying wine.
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Just had my last bottle of the '98 Alexander Valley. It's been two years since I drank my second-to-last bottle, and there have been some changes. This is still an excellent cab, and with appropriate cellaring this is a fine wine to drink. It is still a very smooth cab, and very drinkable. It showed more fruit than 2 years ago. It is not showing a lot of tannin's - which I happen to like. If you have any of the '98 left in your collection, drink it now, and enjoy an excellent, smooth California cab at its prime.
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Very smooth and a bit light on the tannins. I have had better bottles of this wine, so this one may have been past it's prime. It had lost a lot of the usual fruit.
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Soft sweet blackberry pie, blueberry muffin;integrated oak, tannins lightly present, enjoyable but with slight sweet impression probably from ripe fruit and oak. Medium low finish.
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Dark rubyin color, decanted 2 hours and i was conerned that it was either past its prime, or that the vintage was weak. While Silver Oak may not have represent the quality it once did, the wine opened up nicly, long, smooth finish.
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Tasting of 3 vintages of Silver Oak. This was #1 on my list, with a nose of well aged cabernet fruit, black cherry, mocha, bell pepper, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, well balanced, good complexity, medium body but delicious, at it's peak, long, flavorful finish.
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Drank the wine a little late. It was my fault, but nots great just average The wine looks Crimson colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like and Gooseberry. It tastes like and Sherry. The body is Medium. The wine is textured Leathery. The wine finishes Medium.
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Earthy plum with Christmas spice notes and pie crust; nice medium body with a touch of sweetness, easy to drink, soft leather, still fairly rich, and a little bit hot in the finish. Still very nice, especially if you're a Cal Cab fan. Most 1998's I've had this year have shown pretty well despite ratings.
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Despite being an uber cliche wine among wanna-be wine snobs, this actually proved to be interesting for the geeks too. 1998 was an off year for Napa and in this case, resulted in a wine that wasn't overly big ripe fruits, but rather dark berry, cedarwood, and all expressed with more cooler-weather-like characteristics. A freshness of currants.
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From 3L. A bit lighter bodied. The nose on this wine was fairly muted but it did show some lovely blackberry and tabacco notes. I would say that this really is in the drink window. The body was light and a bit too thin for my taste.
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Solid. Half-expected this to be on the decline, but color was good with no sign of bricking. No oxidizing flavors either. Well-aged California cab without the powerful fruit of its youth. A lot of tobacco and cedar on the initial attack, with some cherry on the finish. Still some tannins left, but I wouldn't expect this to get any better. Elegant with a nice mouthfeel. Great pair with 1/3 lb sirloin burgers and fried potatoes.
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Right off the bat, plenty of oak. A little creamy texture, sweet cassis. My glass finished in the sink. No nuances at all. I simply don't care about wines like this.
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We let the bottle sit open for 75 minutes and then ran each glass through a Venturi -- ruby red in color with appropriate hues on the edges; powerful tastes of fruit with a smooth, velvety mouth feel and a finish of approximately 30 seconds. Bought at Silver Oak this fall with the intention of having with Christmas dinner, sentiment and memory made have made the wine more memorable than any of the wine's actual qualities. But, considering the questionable vintage, this was an excellent wine.
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After about 90 minutes of decanting this wine was very good. Exactly what a mid-priced, fruity CA cab should taste like. All 3 bottles were solid, though probably close to starting to fade.
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Took a bottle of the 98 Alexander valley out of the basement the other day to have for our anniversary. What a treat! Despite the fact that the grapes were on the vines 12 years ago, this wine was fantastic. Opened it up. Let it breath for a little bit. It definitely is a full bodied Cab. Very smooth. Nice smoky taste, not overpowering, with a hint of berry in the finish. Excellent choice!
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Don't know if we got lucky or not but the wine still had power, and SO taste. Vanilla, smoke, jammy. Maybe adequate storage helped. Everyone enjoyed this last bottle of 98.
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Was a bit concerned after reading notes about this wine being past its prime. Had for dinner with friends and decanted 45 mins primarily for sediment to settle. The wine was hit (with cab lovers) and thoroughly enjoyed by all! Hints of cedar on the nose. Very smooth and delicious.
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The Alexander valley is just such a poor performer over long storage periods. Both the 97 and the 98 were well past it's prime even though it was kept in prisitine conditions.
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The cult following of this wine continues to be justified. The '98 was enjoyed with lamb, risotto and an amazing sunset at the beach with good friends.
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I tend to be a fan of the Silver Oak Alexander Valley because of the subtle flavors vs. the S.O. Napa Valley. This bottle had hints of vanilla and caramel, with a barely discernable mint aftertaste. Some tannins remaining, proportional to the other elements of the wine. I definitely see how people describe the dark fruit. However, the wine is over the hill. This one was purchased directly from the winery and stored for about a year at 59 degrees F. Probably was at its peak two years ago or more.
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This wine showed as past prime in my cellar tracker notes. I opened it and decanted, but we paired it with a traditional New England Turkey Dinner. In tasting before the meal, I got rish mouth coating black fruit and plums. However when I started dinner, the joy was gone. I assumed that the wine had fallen apart because of age and being decanted so long, But know I suspect that it just paired poorly with the food choice!
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Smelled light of cherries and heavy on alcohol. Definately unexpected - almost smelled like vodka. Tannins were smooth, but the taste was very bland and had no finish at all. I can confirm the other posts on this wine in that it is probably past its prime and was quite a let down.
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Deep garnet color. Initially, spice, toasted oak, vanilla, and cherry flavors with soft tannins. After breathing, the sweet raspberry and strawberry scent became much more predominant.
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This was actually a lot better than I expected it to be. Ate with a Porterhouse and went perfect with it. A hint of barnyard on the nose but lots of dark fruit, espresso and earth pushing thru on this one. I was very suprised it was a Silver Oak as there was very little actual oak to it, not nearly as much as previous SO bottles I have tried.
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Decanted for 5 hours. Wine is just about done. Still some black fruit left and remains fairly tight. Not my favorite SO experience. Just ok combined with some burgers. Mixed opinions from my guests. Will need to drink up the other couple of bottles.
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Interesting to read the varied scores on this one. Nice deep garnet color with a strong nose of licorice, earth and dark fruit; full bodied with thick tannins; plum and mocha with a spicy note; what a finish! Better than other SO bottles I've had.
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Went up against a 05 Craig and a 03 Stag's Leap and Silver Oak was the clear winner.Beautiful garnet color, fabulous flavors of mocha,currant,blackberry,plum and floral notes. The tannins come through and overal a rich and focused wine that is pur joy to drink. Finish was rich, and lingering and still concentrated yet refined..
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Garnet red color. Coriander, rosemary, pepper and vanilla scent. Full body, smooth, velvety, refined, currant, toasty oak and mocha flavor with nice tannins. Bordeaux like style with better aromas.
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Perfect right now. Nice smooth finish. My wife's favorite wine .... Was excellent with grilled tenderloin, fingerling potatoes and ceasar salad. Drank the who bottle between the two of us - like it was water ...
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Smells of whiskey mash, when swirled, turns to dried apricots/plums. A hint of mineral on the top. Light color, good legs. Nice structure initially, finsh started okay, then stopped short (Costanza stop short)
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As others noted, really decant this wine and let it breathe at least an hour. It started out really tight with cigar and leather nose. Getting a bit brown around the edge. It does open up and have some classic Calif Cab profile. Nice with red meat. My opinion is to drink this now before it goes too much further.
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The inconsistency of this vintage (based on my reading of the CT notes) is quite something. We opened and poured immediately and were greeted with a herbal explosion on the bouquet as well as on the palate. After about 45 minutes it had dissolved and became a very nice, although light, AV cabernet. I wish I had a few more bottles to compare over the next few years. The tannins were fully integrated but I think this will age well if properly stored..
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Drank over two nights, first night was flat and not very enjoyable. Surprisingly, this bottle came alive over night, not saying it was great but much better. Would consider decanting for a few hours.
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The bouquet was absolutely amazing... you could just sit and inhale this for hours. Unfortunately when it hit the mouth, it just didn't measure up. We've had much better Silver Oaks... this is the only '98 we tried, but from looking at other reviews, it looks like it's on par with most other people's experience. Not very complex at all, and a strong taste of alcohol. Rough finish.
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The release party at Silver Oak in Alexander Valley is an event not to miss. The setting is beautiful with rolling vineyard knolls tucked into the west side of the valley just a short drive from Geyserville. This year the weather was warm going to hot in the afternoon. Fortunately Silver Oak treats us to indoor tastings in a large cool room. We always try to find the server that gives a reasonable pour given that it's a party not a tasting counter. Levi treated us well. The food was mediocre this year, so thank goodness the new release of 2003 wine was delicious.
As part of the party, the winery was "treating" us to two library tastings - both were awful. They served a '98 and an '87. I also posted a tasting note for the '87. The '98 was not a good wine on release and it has gone down hill ever since. Tart tannins reminding me of dill with a thin finish best describe this disaster. Silver Oak should have bulked out '98 so the the Trader Joe's clientel could get more volume of cab that should be served on ice, or not at all.
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I had this on it's orignal release and did not care for it. My friend poured out her glass. I had it again at age 9 at the winery as a "re-release". There was quite a crowd when they first started pouring it, but that quickly dissapated and no one went back for seconds. It was flat and lifeless. It had not got better.
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My comments are consistent with others. Good, but not what you expect from SO. None of the usual big, bold finish that one can usually expect. I have the '01 and it is significantly better than this.
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Very weak on the palate. Dissapointing for a Silver Oak. Although looking at the rest of the reviews, it looks to be the norm for this vintage rather then the exception.
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Disappointed. A very lackluster effort by SO this time around. The wine had lost much of its structure by this point and had no focus in the tannins or any of the big Napa fruit. It was just overaked CA cab. Too bad as I really like the SO Alexander Valleys (and the Napa too!). The more recent vintages I've found to be quite nice. Avoid this one if possible.
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Color still good but slighted faded. Nose was strong with cherry, red currant, and oak. Disappointing on the palate, weak on attack, with muted flavors same as the nose.
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I drank this wine when it was released and was much more impressed. This wine has become softer around the edges, but has lost most of its fruit and the body is becoming weak. Still has some flavor of dill, currant, casis and oak. Not what I expect from a Silver Oak and am glad that I drank this now rather than letting it age. Hopefully, the other vintages will hold up better.
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Having read what others have said my expectations weren't high. Tasting this blind I would have said it was a perfectly fine lighter bodied cab. That it's a silver oak makes it disappointing. (and as I seem to remember the $50+ price tag of course). Community tasting notes are a great thing. Reading others tasting notes prompted me to open this wine now. I'd have probably sat on it another couple of years otherwise probably to it's detriment
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Wow, what a disappointment. Light, diluted, low fruit, tanic short and harsh finish. That pretty well sums it up. I remember that it was half decent on release, but it's just nose dived since. After an hour of being open, you get some green twiggy elements in the mouth. I don't see this getting any better.
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Thanks to the other CT tasters who alerted us to the weakness of this wine. It was soft, watery and insubstantial. Completely unable to stand up to the steak it was served with. If you own this, you might want to serve it as a light appetizer (or give it away). Not a testimonial to the Silver Oak brand.
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At Sullivan’s. When the rating gets to be a number like this, and all of the flavors charge through your nostrils--it’s just a great bottle. At this point the saying “life is too short to drink bad wine” makes a lot of sense. (90+++)
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Very little on the nose, and not much fruit in the mouth. Light tannins, heavy on the dill. Bleh. Glad I didn't spring for this, received it as a gift.
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A surprisingly light cabernet by Silver Oak standards, though the oak and tannins were noticable. It was fine with our steaks, but it was nothing special and definitely not as balanced as the 2000 Napa Honig we also drank tonight.
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Charles and I opened a bottle of this wine as I had just delivered a full case of 8 vintages of Silver Oak Alexander Valley to him and his friend. We all enjoyed the wine as it was fruit forward, tasty, and easy to drink, especially with the 'dim sum" his wife served. I remember the price of the 12 bottle case was $300 and everyone was happy.
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A friend of mine helped me put a new compressor in one of my three wine cellars. So, after installing the new unit, I opened this wine to show him what the 1998 Napa vintage was like six years later. Nose of coffee, bell pepper, black cherry and a hint of chocolate, more of the same on the palate, tasty on a hot, summer day, medium body with a long finish. He left with another bottle to enjoy with his wife.
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Today, I bought a three liter bottle for $125 and also received a standard size bottle at the winery. I drove home and opened the smaller bottle and was amazed as it was mostly mature, nearly at it's peak with black cherry, mocha, and a touch of green bell pepper, more of the same on the palate, tasty, went well with grilled burgers, medium body, and a long, flavorful finish.
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Slight amber at the rim. A light to medium bodied style, with notes of leather, black cherries, and cola to go along with the usual prodigious oak. Smoother tannins than I expected. Much better than the 1996, but not as good as the 1997. The fruit began to fade after about 2-3 hours -- drink up.
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3/30/2024 - Kasba Likes this wine:
Cork was soft but wine was fantastic with our wagyu steak. Surprised us.
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2/3/2024 - Good2drink Likes this wine: 92 Points
Enjoyed with a steak after decanting. Surprisingly much more enjoyable even for sipping than a 2018 Switchback Ridge Merlot that my wife and I usually enjoy sipping!
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2/3/2024 - Raywilliams420 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Subtle an easy drinking but not a ton going on. Had it out of a magnum. Few hours of oxygen before I dove in. Simple but good. No need to bad mouth a wine that is easy to drink
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2/9/2022 - billcow Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Dull and lacking in structure. Not much character for a 20+ year old CA cab. Rather forgettable and one dimensional
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1/23/2022 - Dealingsqft Likes this wine: 93 Points
Large format and decanted. Drank over the 6 hour span the wine was brilliant. Greater character and improved finished. Loads of currant, chocolate, hints of vanilla, silky tannis and velvet finish. Was very enjoyable!
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8/28/2021 - cblume Likes this wine: 90 Points
Immediately out of the bottle shows its age, but with time it opens up and shows its full potential. Smoke, balanced tannins, dark fruit. A classic napa cab.
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10/27/2020 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and poured but decanting would’ve benefit RE this wine as an hour in glass really allowed it to develop. Initially it’s aromas gave away 22 year old wine that might be on the way out, but some air livened it up and turned into a classic Alexander cab with dusty tannins, ripe plum and cassis, cedar, and cigar box. Decent finish. Well recommended and I’m glad I have a couole more.
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7/7/2020 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of black cherry, and bell pepper, same on the plate, medium body, tasty, showing it's age tonight, my last bottle-traded 2 of the 2007 for 4 of the 1998, time to drink up, and a long, flavorful finish.
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11/28/2019 - I1bearup Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark and younger then expected. Still big with just enough finish to hold it together. Not bad.
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5/31/2019 - MRend Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice finish.. lovely evening to drink such a fine bottle of wine
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8/12/2018 - bring me my wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still holding up but losing its punch. Decanted 3+ hours.
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6/18/2018 - jgresham wrote: flawed
Corked
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3/7/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from 1998, 1999, and 2000 (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Tasting three vintages-1998, 1999, and 2000, nose of black cherry, bell pepper, mocha, and earth, great nose, same on the plate, medium body, very tasty, just as tasty and good as the nose, mature Cabernet ready to enjoy, time to drink over the next three years, and a long, flavorful finish. My #1.
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11/22/2017 - RussK wrote: 91 Points
Russk. Ken's Wizards Tasting at The Yacht Club. My 3rd WOTN. In balance. Am Oak. Smelled Spanish.
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8/26/2016 - leadpencil Likes this wine: 92 Points
Medium bodied. Black cherry, cassis, hint of bell pepper
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5/8/2016 - ktvineyard2014 wrote:
Still good in 2016
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12/28/2015 - mattbobp wrote:
Na
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12/25/2015 - Mystique Likes this wine: 82 Points
Found 2 bottles in the cellar. Expected it to be flat based on other reviews, but it opened up nicely with good aroma and body. Still think he 98 may have a few good years
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3/14/2015 - Kaerhoeg Likes this wine: 90 Points
Held up very well against a Margaux from same year. Still lots of fire power . Dark fruit, leather and chocolate. Very popular with the guests. The magnum bottle finished fast.
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5/7/2014 - Jpbbos Likes this wine: 90 Points
just found 10 bottles in my cellar and was surprised by how well this wine has held up.
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4/30/2014 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bought several bottles from Vinfolio a few months back and this wine always stops people in there tracks when they taste it. Wine is excellent with lots of mocha, chocolate and coffee. Very soft and smooth. Its outstanding. I would get more if I could.
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4/18/2014 - JJB007 wrote:
i gave to John bardis for the Colin Powell dinner
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4/3/2014 - synopsis222 Likes this wine:
Had this a long time ago. All I remember was that it was good.
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2/14/2014 - JWDykes wrote:
Over the hill!
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2/13/2014 - bryan0827 wrote: 86 Points
Past it's prime. Very smooth, but little fruit left.
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11/15/2013 - Tartiflette wrote: 90 Points
In a very goo state right now. The rough tannins are all gone, and the rest is in a good balance.
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11/8/2013 - xtype wrote: 90 Points
Mine was not tannic at all. very smooth and very little oak, unlike the current or younger releases. This one is good to go now.
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11/2/2013 - kwgardner wrote: 91 Points
Had this wine with Filet Mignon with a red wine reduction/shallot sauce. The tannins had largely disappeared, so it was nicely smooth but still full bodied.
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9/10/2013 - melzar wrote: 90 Points
From 750: Tasting very young and tannic. The California fruit, though, is more than enough to hold it in balance. Intense nose, palate, and finish. Just entering it's plane of maturity. Suggest holding to allow tannins to soften, and oak to better integrate. Very good now, but will overwhelm subtle dishes.
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3/24/2013 - TwoSmoochies Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazingly well preserved with a great balance of fruit and tannins
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1/19/2013 - ifishtoo Likes this wine: 92 Points
We are working through our collection of these going back to '94. I am pleased with how well they are holding up. This was PnP and the nose jumped out of the bottle immediately. Excellent floral nose and still good color in the glass. Medium bodied with a good balance between fruit and herbal flavors. Lingering finish. Overall a very satisfying wine.
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1/7/2013 - creek55 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine was musty to taste at first; over time it opened up nicely.
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12/18/2012 - dfleck wrote:
Past it's prime. It was barely ok with food, but by itself, couldn't stand up. Should have drank it 2 years ago.
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9/13/2012 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank alongside 1999 Silver Oak Napa Valley (no notes). Very smooth and mellow fruit. Not much time left.
See more detail at
http://maximumsatisfaction.tumblr.com/post/31482086286
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9/3/2012 - jmottern wrote: flawed
Bottle was past its prime.
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6/18/2012 - Fünfer wrote: 90 Points
Just had my last bottle of the '98 Alexander Valley. It's been two years since I drank my second-to-last bottle, and there have been some changes. This is still an excellent cab, and with appropriate cellaring this is a fine wine to drink. It is still a very smooth cab, and very drinkable. It showed more fruit than 2 years ago. It is not showing a lot of tannin's - which I happen to like. If you have any of the '98 left in your collection, drink it now, and enjoy an excellent, smooth California cab at its prime.
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5/28/2012 - dtirsell wrote: 88 Points
Herby, tomato nose, solid fruit, flat finish but still a fine cab. Good time to drink.
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4/21/2012 - The Raven wrote: 88 Points
Very smooth and a bit light on the tannins. I have had better bottles of this wine, so this one may have been past it's prime. It had lost a lot of the usual fruit.
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2/21/2012 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Soft sweet blackberry pie, blueberry muffin;integrated oak, tannins lightly present, enjoyable but with slight sweet impression probably from ripe fruit and oak. Medium low finish.
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2/13/2012 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark rubyin color, decanted 2 hours and i was conerned that it was either past its prime, or that the vintage was weak. While Silver Oak may not have represent the quality it once did, the wine opened up nicly, long, smooth finish.
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12/31/2011 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 94 Points
Tasting of 3 vintages of Silver Oak. This was #1 on my list, with a nose of well aged cabernet fruit, black cherry, mocha, bell pepper, and forest floor, more of the same on the palate, well balanced, good complexity, medium body but delicious, at it's peak, long, flavorful finish.
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12/30/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 90 Points
classic silver oak taste
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12/28/2011 - norsktorsk wrote: 90 Points
Not bad at all.
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12/17/2011 - bluetaxi wrote: 88 Points
Fantastic. No appearance of being past its prime.
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12/15/2011 - Lacool Does not like this wine: 70 Points
Drank the wine a little late. It was my fault, but nots great just average
The wine looks Crimson colored.
The legs are Slow.
It smells like and Gooseberry.
It tastes like and Sherry.
The body is Medium.
The wine is textured Leathery.
The wine finishes Medium.
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11/19/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 96 Points
extraorinary
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10/24/2011 - bvanbower wrote: 89 Points
Berries and oak in a pleasant, somewhat mild version of Silver Oak. Last of a case. Was the right time to drink it.
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10/20/2011 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Earthy plum with Christmas spice notes and pie crust; nice medium body with a touch of sweetness, easy to drink, soft leather, still fairly rich, and a little bit hot in the finish. Still very nice, especially if you're a Cal Cab fan. Most 1998's I've had this year have shown pretty well despite ratings.
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10/9/2011 - WineBec wrote:
Despite being an uber cliche wine among wanna-be wine snobs, this actually proved to be interesting for the geeks too. 1998 was an off year for Napa and in this case, resulted in a wine that wasn't overly big ripe fruits, but rather dark berry, cedarwood, and all expressed with more cooler-weather-like characteristics. A freshness of currants.
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9/26/2011 - dtirsell wrote: 88 Points
Flat out of the bottle, waited for 60 minutes to pour. Should have decanted.
This definitely needs time to open up.
Classic Silver Oak olive and walnut notes returned at the bottom of the bottle.
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8/6/2011 - Cmil1 wrote:
- Brick color and aromas of raspberry, black currant and blackberry and has flavours of walnut and rose.
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7/10/2011 - shiel wrote: 87 Points
fruit just about gone. Drink up.
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6/30/2011 - fdub wrote: 90 Points
From 3L. A bit lighter bodied. The nose on this wine was fairly muted but it did show some lovely blackberry and tabacco notes. I would say that this really is in the drink window. The body was light and a bit too thin for my taste.
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6/16/2011 - JGinMO wrote: 89 Points
Tasted at wine tasting. Really felt over the hill, even compared to some mid-80s from Dunn, Steltzner, Opus. fruit was flat, and no tanins to balance
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3/8/2011 - Gunman Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid. Half-expected this to be on the decline, but color was good with no sign of bricking. No oxidizing flavors either. Well-aged California cab without the powerful fruit of its youth. A lot of tobacco and cedar on the initial attack, with some cherry on the finish. Still some tannins left, but I wouldn't expect this to get any better. Elegant with a nice mouthfeel. Great pair with 1/3 lb sirloin burgers and fried potatoes.
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2/12/2011 - french16 wrote:
Right off the bat, plenty of oak. A little creamy texture, sweet cassis. My glass finished in the sink. No nuances at all.
I simply don't care about wines like this.
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2/7/2011 - dcasper wrote: 89 Points
a great wine! decanted about 45 minutes and it led to a great finish that was well balanced.
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1/16/2011 - Brett wrote: 89 Points
Nice bottle of wine.
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1/8/2011 - JJB007 wrote: 95 Points
was very good
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12/29/2010 - scottmedsker wrote: 89 Points
We let the bottle sit open for 75 minutes and then ran each glass through a Venturi -- ruby red in color with appropriate hues on the edges; powerful tastes of fruit with a smooth, velvety mouth feel and a finish of approximately 30 seconds. Bought at Silver Oak this fall with the intention of having with Christmas dinner, sentiment and memory made have made the wine more memorable than any of the wine's actual qualities. But, considering the questionable vintage, this was an excellent wine.
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12/5/2010 - tturner2b wrote: 90 Points
After about 90 minutes of decanting this wine was very good. Exactly what a mid-priced, fruity CA cab should taste like. All 3 bottles were solid, though probably close to starting to fade.
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11/26/2010 - onelobos wrote: 90 Points
Very typical of this producer. Heavy and rich in the mouth, with wonderful fruit accents.
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11/5/2010 - jsiegel wrote: 92 Points
Started a little funky, but after a little while in the glass, it became quite good.
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10/13/2010 - Fünfer wrote: 93 Points
Took a bottle of the 98 Alexander valley out of the basement the other day to have for our anniversary. What a treat! Despite the fact that the grapes were on the vines 12 years ago, this wine was fantastic. Opened it up. Let it breath for a little bit. It definitely is a full bodied Cab. Very smooth. Nice smoky taste, not overpowering, with a hint of berry in the finish. Excellent choice!
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9/13/2010 - bellabo wrote: 90 Points
Don't know if we got lucky or not but the wine still had power, and SO taste. Vanilla, smoke, jammy. Maybe adequate storage helped. Everyone enjoyed this last bottle of 98.
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7/15/2010 - cawinesnob Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was a bit concerned after reading notes about this wine being past its prime. Had for dinner with friends and decanted 45 mins primarily for sediment to settle. The wine was hit (with cab lovers) and thoroughly enjoyed by all! Hints of cedar on the nose. Very smooth and delicious.
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6/17/2010 - Frank_A_M wrote: 89 Points
Full body, bold, enjoyable but not quit as good as the 1999 vintage.
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5/27/2010 - cabrnay wrote: 65 Points
The Alexander valley is just such a poor performer over long storage periods. Both the 97 and the 98 were well past it's prime even though it was kept in prisitine conditions.
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5/8/2010 - goodvine wrote:
The cult following of this wine continues to be justified. The '98 was enjoyed with lamb, risotto and an amazing sunset at the beach with good friends.
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4/30/2010 - parsetdx wrote: 90 Points
Yes, it's on the older side, but I would not say over the hill at all. Past it's prime, probably, but still very enjoyable.
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4/24/2010 - JustOneMore wrote: 82 Points
I tend to be a fan of the Silver Oak Alexander Valley because of the subtle flavors vs. the S.O. Napa Valley. This bottle had hints of vanilla and caramel, with a barely discernable mint aftertaste. Some tannins remaining, proportional to the other elements of the wine. I definitely see how people describe the dark fruit. However, the wine is over the hill. This one was purchased directly from the winery and stored for about a year at 59 degrees F. Probably was at its peak two years ago or more.
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4/18/2010 - RoccoSydney wrote: 88 Points
A bit light, but generally quite nice. Fruity, raspberry mixed with with smoke
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4/18/2010 - fandj wrote: 90 Points
Not over the hill at all-delicious!
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4/15/2010 - billjohnson wrote: 88 Points
complexity survives, very tannic with strong black current overtones.
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3/16/2010 - pmcquillen wrote: 81 Points
Gone.
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2/3/2010 - Old Amarone wrote: 88 Points
This wine showed as past prime in my cellar tracker notes. I opened it and decanted, but we paired it with a traditional New England Turkey Dinner. In tasting before the meal, I got rish mouth coating black fruit and plums. However when I started dinner, the joy was gone. I assumed that the wine had fallen apart because of age and being decanted so long, But know I suspect that it just paired poorly with the food choice!
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2/1/2010 - Grinch wrote: 87 Points
Past peak with flavors of cranberry
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12/25/2009 - tubeman wrote: 88 Points
Very smooth. Has lost some of its trademark "bite", but still enjoyable.
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12/13/2009 - joerazore wrote: 89 Points
very good bottle but not as special as I had hoped
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11/23/2009 - sonakul_t wrote: 87 Points
Enjoyable drink but nothing special. Probably at its best now.
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11/21/2009 - headdocs wrote: 84 Points
It took a while to open, even after decanting. This wine is past its prime and is "good" at best.
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11/15/2009 - Ranman wrote: 86 Points
Smelled light of cherries and heavy on alcohol. Definately unexpected - almost smelled like vodka. Tannins were smooth, but the taste was very bland and had no finish at all. I can confirm the other posts on this wine in that it is probably past its prime and was quite a let down.
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10/15/2009 - bin905 wrote: 90 Points
Deep garnet color. Initially, spice, toasted oak, vanilla, and cherry flavors with soft tannins. After breathing, the sweet raspberry and strawberry scent became much more predominant.
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10/1/2009 - mchrist wrote: 86 Points
Agree with comment below - drink or gift. Lacked nose and body. Good bottle to just drink watching the game or doing whatever.
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7/13/2009 - twelch wrote: 90 Points
This was actually a lot better than I expected it to be. Ate with a Porterhouse and went perfect with it. A hint of barnyard on the nose but lots of dark fruit, espresso and earth pushing thru on this one. I was very suprised it was a Silver Oak as there was very little actual oak to it, not nearly as much as previous SO bottles I have tried.
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7/11/2009 - NytOwl666 wrote: 83 Points
Decanted for 5 hours. Wine is just about done. Still some black fruit left and remains fairly tight. Not my favorite SO experience. Just ok combined with some burgers. Mixed opinions from my guests. Will need to drink up the other couple of bottles.
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7/5/2009 - noir wrote: 91 Points
This needs to be decanted at least 4 hours
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6/21/2009 - skoch wrote: 90 Points
Interesting to read the varied scores on this one. Nice deep garnet color with a strong nose of licorice, earth and dark fruit; full bodied with thick tannins; plum and mocha with a spicy note; what a finish! Better than other SO bottles I've had.
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6/16/2009 - gmat5497 wrote: 85 Points
This wine is getting worse. No body. Just very bland. Really disappointed. Unfortunately i have two bottle left to drink. Ugh!!!!
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6/12/2009 - buckeye76 wrote: 90 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, BLACKBERRIES AND A TOUCH OF SPICE IN THE NOSE WITH DEEP BERRIES IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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6/9/2009 - cafeweston wrote: 88 Points
I enjoyed this, but it was not the Silver Oak I'm used to. On the doward end of it's lifespan so drink now!
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5/21/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
better than the previous bottle but not by much, drink yesterday
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5/11/2009 - Serge Birbrair wrote:
murky and with one foot in the grave. Drink or gift it.
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2/14/2009 - ToddR911 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1 1/2 hours. Still started kind of tight. Opened up with layers of black fruit. Well structured cab.
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1/3/2009 - jmh st louis wrote: 90 Points
started muted but opened into a nice blend of black fruit and espresso and licorice.
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12/13/2008 - gmat5497 wrote: 87 Points
Ugh. Just not what I expected. Very ordinary.
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9/14/2008 - terroir wrote: 92 Points
Went up against a 05 Craig and a 03 Stag's Leap and Silver Oak was the clear winner.Beautiful garnet color, fabulous flavors of mocha,currant,blackberry,plum and floral notes.
The tannins come through and overal a rich and focused wine that is pur joy to drink. Finish was rich, and lingering and still concentrated yet refined..
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6/21/2008 - ejca wrote:
very flat out of the bottle. After decanting, wine improved tremendously. Very good fruit and nice long finish.
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6/5/2008 - sgamiz wrote: 92 Points
From 1.5; a lot better that I expected.
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5/14/2008 - PapaBoomBoom wrote: 84 Points
Tasted like it was past its prime. No alchohol, no fruit, no tannins, very very flat. Disappointing
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3/30/2008 - bin905 wrote: 92 Points
Garnet red color. Coriander, rosemary, pepper and vanilla scent. Full body, smooth, velvety, refined, currant, toasty oak and mocha flavor with nice tannins. Bordeaux like style with better aromas.
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3/30/2008 - MichelBesner wrote: 89 Points
Perfect right now. Nice smooth finish. My wife's favorite wine .... Was excellent with grilled tenderloin, fingerling potatoes and ceasar salad. Drank the who bottle between the two of us - like it was water ...
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2/29/2008 - BrewWench wrote: 82 Points
Smells of whiskey mash, when swirled, turns to dried apricots/plums. A hint of mineral on the top. Light color, good legs. Nice structure initially, finsh started okay, then stopped short (Costanza stop short)
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2/18/2008 - CMorris wrote: 86 Points
Decanted 1 hr. Side x side with SO Napa may have played down this wine. Nice nose but fruit almost gone. Real disappointment.
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2/14/2008 - ChrisBman wrote: 87 Points
As others noted, really decant this wine and let it breathe at least an hour. It started out really tight with cigar and leather nose. Getting a bit brown around the edge. It does open up and have some classic Calif Cab profile. Nice with red meat. My opinion is to drink this now before it goes too much further.
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2/3/2008 - MichelBesner wrote: 88 Points
Very nice
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1/19/2008 - Cellar603 wrote: 95 Points
more bordeaux than cali. winner.
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1/6/2008 - MichelBesner wrote: 90 Points
My wife's favorite wine. Was excellent with steak and fries. Ready to drink know and enjoy every sip of it ...
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12/29/2007 - bin905 wrote: 91 Points
Spicy, oaky, smooth with soft tannins. Very well-balanced.
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12/21/2007 - MeMyself&I wrote: 89 Points
The inconsistency of this vintage (based on my reading of the CT notes) is quite something. We opened and poured immediately and were greeted with a herbal explosion on the bouquet as well as on the palate. After about 45 minutes it had dissolved and became a very nice, although light, AV cabernet. I wish I had a few more bottles to compare over the next few years. The tannins were fully integrated but I think this will age well if properly stored..
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11/17/2007 - ejca wrote:
Drank over two nights, first night was flat and not very enjoyable. Surprisingly, this bottle came alive over night, not saying it was great but much better. Would consider decanting for a few hours.
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11/3/2007 - Pat & Jen B wrote: 82 Points
The bouquet was absolutely amazing... you could just sit and inhale this for hours. Unfortunately when it hit the mouth, it just didn't measure up. We've had much better Silver Oaks... this is the only '98 we tried, but from looking at other reviews, it looks like it's on par with most other people's experience. Not very complex at all, and a strong taste of alcohol. Rough finish.
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10/20/2007 - JerryS wrote: 88 Points
Good nose, a little thin for a Silver Oak, OK finish. A little acid taste.
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10/16/2007 - Blade wrote: 82 Points
Past its prime; fruit all but gone initially & fades further over the course of one hour.
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8/9/2007 - odu83 wrote: 74 Points
The release party at Silver Oak in Alexander Valley is an event not to miss. The setting is beautiful with rolling vineyard knolls tucked into the west side of the valley just a short drive from Geyserville. This year the weather was warm going to hot in the afternoon. Fortunately Silver Oak treats us to indoor tastings in a large cool room. We always try to find the server that gives a reasonable pour given that it's a party not a tasting counter. Levi treated us well. The food was mediocre this year, so thank goodness the new release of 2003 wine was delicious.
As part of the party, the winery was "treating" us to two library tastings - both were awful. They served a '98 and an '87. I also posted a tasting note for the '87.
The '98 was not a good wine on release and it has gone down hill ever since. Tart tannins reminding me of dill with a thin finish best describe this disaster. Silver Oak should have bulked out '98 so the the Trader Joe's clientel could get more volume of cab that should be served on ice, or not at all.
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8/6/2007 - gjv115 wrote: 80 Points
I had this on it's orignal release and did not care for it. My friend poured out her glass. I had it again at age 9 at the winery as a "re-release". There was quite a crowd when they first started pouring it, but that quickly dissapated and no one went back for seconds. It was flat and lifeless. It had not got better.
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8/5/2007 - meyerskb wrote: 85 Points
My comments are consistent with others. Good, but not what you expect from SO. None of the usual big, bold finish that one can usually expect. I have the '01 and it is significantly better than this.
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7/7/2007 - slogan wrote: 84 Points
Had two bottles of this with tenderloin, and vegetable galette and roasted potatoes. It was nice, but fairly one dimensional. Not great, but not bad.
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6/23/2007 - yonster24 wrote: 85 Points
Very weak on the palate. Dissapointing for a Silver Oak. Although looking at the rest of the reviews, it looks to be the norm for this vintage rather then the exception.
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6/15/2007 - Erfenbacher wrote: 80 Points
Not good. Tasted like a bad table wine that sat out overnight.
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5/12/2007 - MetFan wrote: 87 Points
Enjoyable, but nothing special. Everything was muted (tannins, fruit etc.) I think this may be past its prime.
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5/10/2007 - sonakul_t wrote: 85 Points
Not such a good year for SO. 99 much better
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4/29/2007 - NW_HURLEY wrote: 84 Points
Past its prime, if this vintage ever really had one.
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12/11/2006 - nlc201 wrote:
Disappointed. A very lackluster effort by SO this time around. The wine had lost much of its structure by this point and had no focus in the tannins or any of the big Napa fruit. It was just overaked CA cab. Too bad as I really like the SO Alexander Valleys (and the Napa too!). The more recent vintages I've found to be quite nice. Avoid this one if possible.
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10/16/2006 - dwandrus wrote: 86 Points
Color still good but slighted faded. Nose was strong with cherry, red currant, and oak. Disappointing on the palate, weak on attack, with muted flavors same as the nose.
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10/8/2006 - thepeng1 wrote: 90 Points
Still tasting good to me. Beautiful nose.
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9/4/2006 - lstubbs wrote:
To Alaska Sept 2006
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8/30/2006 - hunts53 wrote: 85 Points
Nothing too special...
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8/8/2006 - dwandrus wrote: 88 Points
Faded
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8/1/2006 - matthen wrote: 84 Points
I drank this wine when it was released and was much more impressed. This wine has become softer around the edges, but has lost most of its fruit and the body is becoming weak. Still has some flavor of dill, currant, casis and oak. Not what I expect from a Silver Oak and am glad that I drank this now rather than letting it age. Hopefully, the other vintages will hold up better.
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2/21/2006 - rvalicenti wrote: 87 Points
Dark purple color. Rich and classic currant nose. Somewhat faded on palate.
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2/6/2006 - gmather wrote:
Drank at the Harts party. Strong oak, but nothing too memorable.
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12/10/2005 - Mark wrote: 83 Points
Consistent tasting notes as my previous. Overall a big disappointment. Mercifully, it was my last bottle.
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11/5/2005 - paulgar wrote: 85 Points
Having read what others have said my expectations weren't high. Tasting this blind I would have said it was a perfectly fine lighter bodied cab. That it's a silver oak makes it disappointing. (and as I seem to remember the $50+ price tag of course). Community tasting notes are a great thing. Reading others tasting notes prompted me to open this wine now. I'd have probably sat on it another couple of years otherwise probably to it's detriment
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6/10/2005 - Mark wrote: 83 Points
Wow, what a disappointment. Light, diluted, low fruit, tanic short and harsh finish. That pretty well sums it up. I remember that it was half decent on release, but it's just nose dived since. After an hour of being open, you get some green twiggy elements in the mouth. I don't see this getting any better.
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12/14/2004 - Topper wrote: 84 Points
Thanks to the other CT tasters who alerted us to the weakness of this wine. It was soft, watery and insubstantial. Completely unable to stand up to the steak it was served with. If you own this, you might want to serve it as a light appetizer (or give it away). Not a testimonial to the Silver Oak brand.
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12/3/2004 - Paul from the Oblong Table wrote: 90 Points
At Sullivan’s. When the rating gets to be a number like this, and all of the flavors charge through your nostrils--it’s just a great bottle. At this point the saying “life is too short to drink bad wine” makes a lot of sense. (90+++)
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11/27/2004 - Heron wrote:
Very little on the nose, and not much fruit in the mouth. Light tannins, heavy on the dill. Bleh. Glad I didn't spring for this, received it as a gift.
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10/16/2004 - Burgundy Al wrote: 84 Points
ERI Pre-Auction Wine Tasting (San Francisco CA): Wine tasting. Black cherry, black currant, and plenty of smoky oak. Moderate spice and length, somewhat bitter towards finish.
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8/15/2004 - PatLee wrote:
A surprisingly light cabernet by Silver Oak standards, though the oak and tannins were noticable. It was fine with our steaks, but it was nothing special and definitely not as balanced as the 2000 Napa Honig we also drank tonight.
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7/31/2004 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Charles and I opened a bottle of this wine as I had just delivered a full case of 8 vintages of Silver Oak Alexander Valley to him and his friend. We all enjoyed the wine as it was fruit forward, tasty, and easy to drink, especially with the 'dim sum" his wife served. I remember the price of the 12 bottle case was $300 and everyone was happy.
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7/30/2004 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
A friend of mine helped me put a new compressor in one of my three wine cellars. So, after installing the new unit, I opened this wine to show him what the 1998 Napa vintage was like six years later. Nose of coffee, bell pepper, black cherry and a hint of chocolate, more of the same on the palate, tasty on a hot, summer day, medium body with a long finish. He left with another bottle to enjoy with his wife.
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7/27/2004 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Today, I bought a three liter bottle for $125 and also received a standard size bottle at the winery. I drove home and opened the smaller bottle and was amazed as it was mostly mature, nearly at it's peak with black cherry, mocha, and a touch of green bell pepper, more of the same on the palate, tasty, went well with grilled burgers, medium body, and a long, flavorful finish.
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7/21/2004 - Siggy wrote: 87 Points
Slight amber at the rim. A light to medium bodied style, with notes of leather, black cherries, and cola to go along with the usual prodigious oak. Smoother tannins than I expected. Much better than the 1996, but not as good as the 1997. The fruit began to fade after about 2-3 hours -- drink up.
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