Nose of red cherry and black cherry, briar, sage, and spring flowers, same on the palate, medium/big body, showing very well tonight, tasty, mellow, smooth, time to drink up, and a medium/long, flavorful finish, photo of Silver Oak Ornaments on this year's Christmas Tree.
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Silver Oak Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2008 カリフォルニアのカベルネソーヴィニヨンの最高峰の一つ。 綺麗なエッジが、良く熟成されていることを認識させてくれる。 スケール感も大きく余韻も長い。 味のバランス感覚にフランスらしさも感じるが、根幹に感じる明るい果実味にはやはりアメリカらしさを強く感じる。 (2000年後半という時代性もあるかも) One of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in California. The clean edges of this wine make you realize that it has aged well. It has a great sense of scale and a long finish. The balance of the flavor has a French feel to it, but the bright fruitiness at the core of the wine is strongly American. (This may be due to the fact that it was made in the latter half of the year 2000.)
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Beautiful nose of dark fruit and vanilla oak Currants and blueberries predominate Surprisingly still has some tannins and very nice acid fruit balance at this age Medium finish length
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Nose of red cherry and black cherry, bell pepper and briar, same on the palate, medium/big body, at it's best or slightly on downside, herbal notes on both the palate and finish was a pleasant complexity/surprise, and a medium/long finish.
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Silky, low tannins. Potentially a little past its prime. The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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I had low expectations thinking I held onto this bottle too long but was quite pleasantly surprised it was still fruit still a little bit of tanning and just a wonderful combination of the two not sure if it was way past its peak and would’ve been better sooner but quite pleased now
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A friend had this stored properly since he bought it upon release and gave it to me. Drank over 2 days. Color and nose were still good but it lacked freshness. Of course it was 14 years old and from a good (not great vintage), but it drank older. If it was 2007 it would have been much better. We had it with beef brisket and it pared nicely. Tannins were very soft and finish was short. Flavors were still integrated nicely and it was smooth and balanced, but depth was lacking. IMHO it is past it's prime and certainly not worth spending the money it's bringing now. It tastes like an average $20 cab at this point.
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Corked- had to pour it down the drain! This is the 2nd Silver Oak i had to pour down the drain. The people at S/O were kind enough to replace the last one, but this is frustrating. I was trying to compare the 97 to the 06, but i couldn't. Arrrggghhh!
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Well aged and drinking well. Tepid nose, but what is there is deep fruit. Full palate with dark blue and red fruit, pine, and a little mineral. The secondary flavors really help this wine with depth and make it more interesting. The finish is a bit muddled and there is some structure here, but is feels quite soft. Drink now or in the next couple years.
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This was the last silver oak in my cellar. When i first got the wine bug in the 1990’s, this was the top of the line and very hard to get in nj. My allocation at the local wine store was only two bottles!
The 06 opened slowly and was a bit tight, and i was worried that it was past its prime. I had decanted it before dinner, and eventually showed a lot of fruit, bright red cherry, blackberry and a hint of oak. Very smooth with a round mouthfeel.
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Drinking just OK at this point. I generally agree with the overall CT score, perhaps a little lower. The color was still good and as expected, but the richness seemed long gone, perhaps even a bit flat. Finish now or in the next year or so.
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Paired with Triple Crèam French Cheese and grilled steak, worked well together, nose of red but mostly black cherry fruit, touch of bell pepper and briar, same on the palate, medium/big body, nearly at its best, got better as the dinner went on, nearly at it's best, tasty, mouth filling fruit, great with the pairings, touch of soft tannin on the mid palate which slowly faded during the dinner, and a medium/long finish.
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Even at its current age, I think this wine needs more time. Still good tannins and a bit too much oak. It should mellow and get better over the next five years.
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First of this vintage for us. Surprised that it was still a bit “young”, with some grip of tannins still there. Might even improve a bit with more age(?). Agree it drinks better with food (drank half the bottle with dinner, and the rest over 2 hours following). Strawberry and raspberry nose (another surprise) with the classic SO touches of oak and vanilla. Darker fruit on the palate. Good acidity, so when you drink it, have some meat and cheese, or a nice streak or pasta dinner for this to be at its best.
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More subdued at this point. Not much fruit on the nose but opened with minerality. Not a fruit bomb at all, well structured but needs food as its rather unfussy on its own.
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A: Deep Ruby N: Dust, violet, cassis, raspberry, green pepper, pencil shavings, tobacco, coconut and vanilla, medium (+) intensity and developing P: Dry, medium (+) tannin, body and intensity. Medium alcohol and acidity, medium (+) finish. C: I thought this was a new world Cab Franc but no, its a Cab Sav.A robust $70/bottle. Outstanding Quality wine. I would drink up in the next 4/5 years. Scored 89. Not as massive as other NW Cabs i have been having lately
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Tasted blind. Bright, medium (+) ruby, with a garnet hue on the rim. The nose is clean, intense, with aromas of black currant, graphite, cigar box, coconut, spice and vanilla. The nose is developing and showing a fair bit of new American oak. The palate is dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) but polished tannins and medium alcohol (13.3%). The palate is consistent with the nose, with a little more ripe but tart black and red fruit coming through. This is a very balanced Cabernet, with medium (+) body, flavor intensity and length. It is in a really good place now and - thanks to its cooler climate roots and structure - seems more youthful than 11 years of age. It has plenty of life left.
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Napa winery visits - Hall Rutherford, Staglin, Silver Oak: Sample at the winery. Drinking in a good place. Aromas of violets. Elegant and supple on the palate, with black fruit, cedar, tobacco. some secondary mushroom and soy. Tannins are softening.
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Opened this one hour before a dinner party along side an '06 Nickel & Nickel (Vogt vineyard) and an '07 Chimney Rock Elevage. While several guests oohed and ahhed over the Silver Oak "cache", the goods did not deliver. Muted nose, short finish, and less distinctive fruit nuances than the others. It was enjoyable, but I was expecting more.
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At Silver Oak this morning, nose of red and black fruit, touch of bell pepper and sage, same on the palate, medium/big body, at it's best, very tasty, slightly herbal finish adds complexity, medium/long finish.
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Served at a dinner with friends and family at which we had a standing rib roast. An excellent Napa Cab that is nicely balanced and has some depth. Enjoyable.
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Definitely got better after a couple hours of decanting. We tasted incrementally every 30 minutes and it got better. After 10 years in the bottle, this wine needed time to open up. Good blackberry nose, spice, earth but a little dry. Smooth finish and elegant. A good wine. Expected more.
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A group of 6 blind-tasted this wine against a 2006 Corley State Lane Cabernet. The Corley was easily the group's favorite wine between the two.
The nose on the Silver Oak was very pleasant and fruit forward. However, on the palate the wine seemed thin and lacked any real mouth-feel. The finish also was very short. And contrary to previous reviews - I feel like the Silver Oak has already peaked and does not have the tannin structure/acidity to age any longer. Recommend drinking now.
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Decanted; no sediment. First pour one hour later. Ruby/garnet color, semi opaque. Quite muted nose of berries, but not much else. Those who rave about this wine must just want to swig it without smelling first. Medium bodied red fruit on the palate, but nothing special about it. The fruit is balanced by good acids and tannins, but the finish is fairly short. Why anyone would pay $60/bottle (The CT average) for this wine is beyond me. At $15, it might make sense. This wine is not going to further improve with age, so drink up over the next 2-3 years.
Sadly, I could not decant it for long enough (was at a restaurant). The wine was very unbalanced during the first 45-50 mins or so, and then improved markedly. Initially, a ton of acid and oak, and not much more. Eventually the wine became rounder and more balanced, with some delicious red and blue fruits emerging on both the palate and the nose, and the tannins and acidity becoming more balanced and integrated. Not a great bottle (worse than the one I opened two days ago). Would probably not buy again. A rather generic (and unsuccessful, at that) CA cab.
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Nice wine. Getting there, but should still improve with a few more years in the cellar. Tannins are still there, although becoming finer. No bricking. Dill, thyme, mint, and mushrooms. Oak just a tad intrusive. Plenty of cherry and red fruits after it breathed for a while. Decanted for 30 mins, but should have decanted for an hour.
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My first Silver Oak experience. This wine is a star compared to the 2013 orin swift Mecury head. I'm glad I have another bottle because this is drinking very well right now. Crimson in color and still clear at at the edge. Defined tannins coming though suggesting this wine hasn't peaked yet. Great legs. I get the dill and vanilla on the palate. Pretty unique. Not cheap...but not a ripoff. Excited to try the 2010 as well as the 2009 and 2010 Napa.
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Nose of raspberry, red currant, and sage, more of the same on the palate, easy drinking, lots of complexity, delicious with cheese, good acid, medium body and medium/long finish.
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Received this cab as a gift several years ago and cellared until now. Dark garnet in color with strong tannins. Thoroughly enjoyed the robust dark cherry notes with our steak dinner. Glad we didn't wait longer since I could detect the slightest breakdown in structure.
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By the glass, Zins in Cedar rapids. Frankly disappointing, just not a lot to get excited about. A bit too much alcohol, port like dark fruit but not a ton of it. Drying
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This is a nice cab, but I would have expected more complexity because of reputation. Granted, I've never had the Napa Cab. The wine looks dark ruby colored and it has a bright, strawberry and cranberry nose. Texture is round to silky and medium legs, no sediment. Cherry, Vanilla, and nutmeg are most noticeable. I don't get the strong oak that some are referring to. This is on the lighter end of full body with a medium finish. nice balance of acid.
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Fruit has faded quite a bit and left an over oaked and one dimensional wine. Blueberry fruit palate that does not hold up to the sweet vanilla and fat texture of the wine. There is no tension. There is some depth with hints of forest floor starting to develop, but there is not enough fruit and tannins to harmonize with. I am a fan of Silver Oak, but this would have been much better a few years ago. Drink now if you have them.
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This one started off slow, but opened up after about 30 mintues. Very silky, and well-balanced, fruit on the back end. Short Finish, what you would expect from Silver Oak. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. Low acidity. A great wine to enjoy by the fire pit with friends...this one could use about 1 - 2 more years in the bottle.
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New World Blind Tasting Group $40+ (Bin 75): Very dark crimson with lighter crimson rim; lots of vanilla, dill, American oak, surprised by amount of red fruit, currant, cherry, ripe, licorice, balm; tart, some grip, lots of currant, wood tannin, some green pepper with lots of air, decent structure and balance; this would be so much better if they used a better cooper.
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Consumed a magnum @ La Paella with HJ and S. Very solid Cabernet with sweet oak and ripe fruit flavor. Smell got sweeter and sweeter through the night. Not particularly complex, but very balanced and integrated with a nice grippy finish. I really enjoyed it.
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It is a classic, somewhat generic, California cab. Lots of oak, smooth, and balanced. This is a good, reproducible style, but at times it gets boring. However, for a wine of this style, it is quite good and enjoyable.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant and prune with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Always a great bottle of Cab. Full of oak and soft on the palate.
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- Purple color and aromas of black currant. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - Delicious
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Good cab, but not great. Subtle black fruit, lots of cocoa and earth/mushroom. However, enjoyed with great friends and the first bottle that was decanted did not taste as good as the second bottle which we popped and poured.
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Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, red cherry, and earth, more of the same on the palate, easy drinking, at its peak, medium body and medium/long finish.
Very nice New World Cab showed after 60min decanting, drinking better and better throughout the night. Off the gate I'd give it an 88 - still a wound up and fruit forward. After 30 min this really became approachable. 60 min later I was a converted fan! Drinking well now, but 1-3 yrs likely rewarding
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Tasted at the winery with Kathy. Lovely nose of mocha java coffee, blackberry, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, needs cellar time, medium/long finish.
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No doubt about it this is Silver Oak the second you open up the bottle. Vanilla and smooth oak engulf the room almost immediately. Wine was a bit unbalanced as I tried a half glass after I opened it but then double decanted for six hours and it leapt right out of the glass. It will probably only get better with time but with proper decanting you can drink now. Enjoy!!
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Really disappointing night one: Flat, and almost flavorless. Really opened up the second night, and redeemed itself. I'd never drink another bottle without at least 4 hours of decanting.
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I prefer the Napa version as it is a bit more balanced, but this is still very consistent. Notes of cassis, raspberry, and a hint of oak. A bit of heat on the back, but velvety tannins make for nice finish.
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Pop it for an hour or so before serving. Attractive color and delicate aroma. Fruit forward, but very tannic with high level of acidity. Feel a little bit disintegrated. Maybe it needs bit more time.
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Drank slowly over one hour or so. Had with gorgonzola and hard cheeses. Not sure why some are negative on this as I found it to be coming into it's own for the vintage. SO is not my usual taste but it was incredible with upscale bison burgers on a Monday night : ) . Don't hate - appreciate!
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Tasted today at Silver Oak with Sam. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, drinking great today. Thank you Tom L for the taste, medium/long finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years.
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I am not a big fan of Silver Oak Alexander valley. I love Napa cabs, but this does not do anything for me(consistent with other bottles) It's either past it's prime, I didn't give it enough air, or just not that good. I'll go with the third choice. It tastes tannic, a little sour, and the fruit is hidden. I think the higher ratings must be influenced by the name.
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Lovely nose of blackberry, black cherry soda, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, opened one night ago, refrigerated overnight, shows more open on the nose and palate, decant for 5 hours if drinking this year, medium finish.
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Napa Valley Wine and Food Excursion 2013; 9/30/2013-10/5/2013 (Napa Valley, California): This deep ruby/red (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) wine, aged entirely in American oak, shows a moderately intense nose of dark plums, lavender potpourri, tobacco and eucalyptus. The palate is round, medium-bodied, lightly tannic and has flavors which mirror the nose. The alcohol (listed as 13.3%) is nicely integrated. Solid in the middle and concluding long, this is an enjoyable Cabernet which should hold up well over the next five years. Drink now-2018.
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I believe I waited a bit too long to drink this wine. Although still within the drink window, a bit late for me. It was good but not great. I was expecting a more robust full body.
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Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, chocolate, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, two years to its peak, medium finish. Lovely to drink, I would drink it over the next six years.
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A classic Napa Cabernet. Great aroma and legs to die for. Probably old have lasted another five to eight years. Some tastes of dill and a bit of earthiness succumbed to the base of red fruit and dried figs. Tasted side by side with the 2005 Alexander Valley. Close second.
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This wine has actually improved since my last bottle a year ago. Age has muted and melded flavors and it's quite nice now. Subtle. Might have a short period before it's past its prime, but good now.
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Oaky, syrupy, cough medicine tones. Not my style of wine. If you like Caymus you should like this wine(Although not as over the top). Low score more due to my palate as the wine is "well made" if not a bit contrived.
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Tasted at Silver oak today twice. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, medium finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years. I would drink it sooner rather than later.
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Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, opened one night ago, refrigerated overnight, shows more open on the nose and palate, decant for 5 hours if drinking this year, medium finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years.
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I wasn't convinced by this wine. Nice nose. But sharp tannins on the palate. Long astringent finish due to tannins. I'd hold onto this for another couple of years to see if it smooths out.
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Lots of fruit early one with dry, dusty tannins. Still has some backbone, so it may improve with another year or two. Got the sense of too much oak after an hour. Less complex than some other tonight...
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Needed about 2.5 hours to really settle the tannins that are still strongly present. It was nice and full of typical Cali cab flavors, but lacked the complexity and depth I had hoped for.
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Very nice wine. Vanilla, chocolate, strong "almost ripe" berries, some oak. Nicely complex, but not quite as much as expected. The tanins are well balanced. Was still young. (Silver Oak's web site says drinkable through 2031 with proper cellaring.) Overall, a very good bottle of wine, but would be better with another 5 years.
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This wine, a favorite of many of our friends, was pulled from the cellar on Christmas Eve and was Vinturi-decanted. The robe is deep red and the nose shows moderately intense aromas of dark plums, spice box, tobacco and (of course) oak. The palate is round, medium-bodied, lightly tannic and dominated by the "spice box" element from the nose. The alcohol (listed as 13.3%) is well-integrated, the middle solid and the finish long (and spicy). Drink this one on a cold winter's night. Under those circumstances, it may merit a higher score. Drink now-12/20.
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Day 1 hard tannins cover lush oak and fruit. Drinkable after running through a Vinturi. Day 2 fruit has come on strong but the wine still had a hard edge that tended to drop the joy factor. 5 + 13+ 12+5
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Popped and poured from cellar temp. Garnet in color, nose of oak, some chocolate. Wine is slightly acidic (relative to california standards) with plush tannins. Fairly round mouthfeel but everything takes a backseat to the very slightly bitter and dense oak structure. I never had this before and I sat on it for almost two years for the right opportunity, and other than the high price to quality it's not bad. It is not quite as monolithic as I expected (less fruit extraction--no reverse osmosis?) and it has a somewhat unique profile, at least more than I expected.
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aromas of leather and dark chocolate, taste of ripe red fruit and prune. smooth and complex texture right out of the bottle. medium body and long finish. Elegant.
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Absolutely adore this wine. Oak on the nose immediately. Good oak. Missouri Oak. Unapologetic American oak. Mild tannins. Decent finish. Sipping sans food. Absolutely adorable. Many years left in the bottle, but glad I pulled the cork tonight.
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Nose: Dried Dark Fruit notes, Sweet Cedar Oak and Olive Tapenade. Palate: Light/Med bodied with a velvety tannin construction and a LOT of green notes of olive, sage and other herbs. The fruit takes a bit of a backseat with a dried characteristic. Some sweetness, but the black fruits are mostly dried plum and blackberry fruit leather. Finish: Strong oak and sage notes.
Reminded me of a mid priced bordeaux from a ripe vintage.
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Had the wine with rare, grilled rib eye steak, corn on the cob and spinach salad. I chose this wine because I expected big things (90+) to go along with my birthday steak and was a bit disappointed. The wine was a nice bluish purple, plum color. Nose was nice with mixed notes of chocolate and oak underlying the basic California cab aromas. Taste was sweeter than I expected with lots of fruit but no layers of the fruit flavors. There was a lot of chocolate; the oak was mild and the tannin was soft and smooth. Finish was nice but as we drank more there was little bit of green astringent bite that came out. A good cab, no doubt, but not worth the $50+ that my friend who gave it to me had to pay; I could have bought several different bottles of equally well made and equal or better quality cabs for 1/3 the price.
Very nice nose of dried currant, mint, and even saffron. Silky mouthfeel with soft tannins. Medium-bodied fruit flavors somewhat overpowered by the oak.
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Purchased a case a few years back. Last year this bottle had too much oak on it for my tastes. Now I find it wonderful. Though approachable right after opening, an hour or so makes a significant improvement. It could benefit from more cellaring. But the vintage is drinking just fine by me right now. Excellent wine.
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Im a huge cabernet fan and always wanted to try a Silver Oak. I decided to splurge on day because I think there is something to be said to try a wine you always wanted to taste. Smelled really nice when I opened the bottle. Nice fruit and I personally thought it smelled buttery. Let it open up for about 2 hours and when i tasted it the taste didnt live up to the way it smelled. I couldnt justify spendind $60 on this wine again. just tasted boring. at least now i can say i tried it. cheers.
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Weekend at Zuli's; 2/16/2012-2/19/2012 (St. Catharines, Ontario): Decanted for 2 hours. Dark purple in color, eucalyptus on the nose, along with vanilla, ripened plums and black cherry fruit. A nice, velvety mouthfeel, full bodied, youthfully teeth-staining tannins, black cherry and mocha flavors. Oak was overdone for my taste. Fruit forward, decent Cali Cab, was a bit of an outlier since the weekend tasting consisted of older Italian Barolos etc. A stark contrast from this ripe styled Cali fruit to the more tart/sour fruit of cooler climate wines.
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An intense nose of cherry, vanilla, and maybe a slight smokey/tobacco hint. Quite oaky on the pallette, although I haven't had too many oaked wines to compare with. I also noticed hint of cedar, chocolate, and dark cherry I think, although found it hard to pin point specifics on tasting. I enjoyed this cabernet on Valentines day which also probably improved the overall experience. Smooth on the finish without too much acidity.
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Dark fruit with hints of earth and tobacco, but with a heavy oak overlay. Decent wine, but oak is a bit too predominant. On the positive side, alcohol is not excessive (reported at 13.3% and this seems in the ballpark).
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Needed to open up and breathe but developed nicely after 10 minutes. Black currant, black cherry, cedar, tobacco. Full body with long finish. Great structure, well rounded. Rich and flavorful. 2006 was a great year.
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Wow! Decanted for 3.5 hours. After 1.5 hours--marginal..at 2hrs-better, getting close to 90, at 3.5 hours this is a great wine, Let It Sit! Be Patient after you open it.
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The only reason I don't give this wine a better rating every year is cause its primarily oak, but that's a given, and don't get me wrong, I love this wine. I think its always great, year in and year out. Very easy drinking and just forward with everything that it represents. It is very over priced though as usual. $65.
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Smell of sweet blackberries. Wonderful structure, with firm tannins, reasonable alcohol and acidity. Flavors of vanilla, oak, crushed berries, a little dusty earth. Profile more like a left bank Bordeaux. Not jammy at all.
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nothing special about this wine at all. after it opened up it had nice body but nothing made me want this bottle again. For the money a ton of other options that spanks this one in my book.
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Maybe it's just the licorice, but this, along with all the silver oak I've had has tasted unbalanced and acidic. There's just something "off". In fact, I've never actually had a "good" glass of silver oak, so I'm beginning to this it's all just hype.
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Dark purple garnet hue. This wine has been decanted for over 48 hours, opened up beautiful fruit over the past 2 days with black cherry, black currant and blackberry aromas mingled with mocha, graphite, cedar, chocolate and vanilla extract in a bouquet of Asian herbs and sweet oak. Full-body. Blackberry, cherry, crème de cassis, dark plum on the attack with a great structure of silky tannin on the mid-palate (tannin was harsh when first opened, and smoothed out over the course of decanting). Medium-long finish, drying at first, but fruit comes in to balance with cherry, cassis, ripe strawberry, finishing with coffee, cedar and vanilla. Wine with beautiful fruit and great structure. Definitely lay it down for a few years. Minimum of 4 hours decanting recommended.
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Well, maybe bottle to bottle this is just inconsistent?... Plush bright vivid cherry. Candied strawberry, lots of pretty floral accents. Really light styling but still nice and plush - a voluptuous palate. Finish is solid. Good wine. Fruit and flowers with a touch of white pepper.
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Oak, oak an more oak even after decanting for 1 hour. Oak monster was still there on day 2. I've had better $10 cabs than this. Sad to see what the new owners have done to this winery.
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in cellar with friends, G&K brought. P&P. should have decanted. seemed very tight and rather acidic at first. Much improvement with time in the glass. layers of fruit and tobacco, big meaty mouthfeel. Enjoyed this but could use more age/air.
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I am a fan of Silver Oak, still trying to decide if the Alexander Valley is a better buy than the more classic Napa Valley, decanted for 2 hours, lovey classic Silver Oak nose of berries, oak and some chocolate, pure velvet long finish, just great.........complex BIG wine, this 2006 was everyting I would expect from Silver Oak, no big diff for me between Alex Valley and Napa - love this wine and at the $55/bottle I paid, it is in my Top 10 California Cabs
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Just opened a bottle from my cellar to drink with my husband. Great nose at first. I did not decant this but consumed immediately. Dark chocolate, black cherry on the nose. Dry but very smooth. Great wine.
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This was very smooth, but almost a bit medicinal and not as round as previous years. Perhaps a handful of years will help mellow it out. Still very good, just not Outstanding at this point.
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I am usually a fan and supporter of Silver Oak AV, but this particular bottle just didn't do it. It had many nice qualities, but they were mostly outdone by the in your face oak.
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Tasted this at the winery in Napa Valley. Strong oak flavors at the onset that gently mellows down at the mid-to-end palate that finishes quite long. Flavors of dark cherry, oak, tobacco, earth. It's very clear that Silver Oak doesn't like to be drunk below 5 years. The sweet spot starts about 7 years and up. As it turns out, in spite of the low scores being thrown at them, I've become a fan, and have been following their vintages since 2002.
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Delicious! Deep purple color. Slow, viscous legs. Classic cherry on the nose. Plums, cedar, oak, and tobacco flavors. Moderate-to-bold welcome; spicy finish near the front (sides) of the tongue. This is what I love in a cabernet. Well worth the investment, in my opinion...
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Lots of French oak flavors. A little unbalanced and perhaps too much wood for the fruit. Currant. Dark cherry. Med – med plus concentration. Lots of tannins and wood spices lead over the fruit. A lot shorter finish than you would think. Med-med plus length. Tannic and not ready to drink at all.
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47th Birthday for Chris with Kim and Traci (Our House): Decanted for 6 hours. Excellent jammy fruit nose which subsided a bit after the decant. Decent overall CS but heavy on the oak treatment which the decant wasn't able to resolve at this point in time. Still young. The structure is there to age a bit so I'll let the other rest for 3-4 more years.
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All American Tasting (Binny's on Grand): Boo! I tasted this open minded. Nope. Rustic and dirty austere personality. A little harsh on the back end. Very dry tannins. Didn't enjoy this. Probably the worst wine of the tasting in fact.
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Wanted to conduct a blind tasting with family of Silver Oak Alexander Valley vs Silver Oak Napa Valley (2005). Decanted both for one hour. Napa nose was more vivid with berries and oak. Very similiar mouth feel but Napa finish was longer and smoother. Over the course of the evening everyone agreed the Napa was better but that both were good wines. Now the question is, is the Napa worth $30 more per bottle ?
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Dark maroon in color. Vanilla nose with cherry and plum. Very smooth on the palate. Vanilla, cola, cherry, some blue fruits as well. Perhaps a little over oaked to allow some of the more subtle flavors to emerge. Nothing wrong with the wine, but perhaps there are better values in this price range?
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(Drank at Pappadeaux.) A solid Cab that, in my view, the pros have unfairly maligned. It is what it is, but, hey, the blackberry, coffee, cassis, and jumped-up oregano and spice are really quite enjoyable. It's an obvious wine with some obvious wood, but it was delicious with a pepper-crusted New York strip. (NB: It took about an hour to open up.)
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A bit harsh when first opened - started developing a bit after two hours in he decanter - near the end showed signs of subtle plum and dark cherry once the tannins subsided. This will be a slow maturing wine that will be enjoyed for many years. Solid B+ for now but with A+ potential
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Drinkable now, but should improve with age. Lovely cab. sauv.that starts with an enticing beautiful oak and dark fruit nose. The mouth feel is smooth and inviting. Taste explodes with cocoa, ripe dark cherries, blackberries, well rounded with tannins, a bit bold at this time. Long lovely finish of fruit and tannins.
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Opened, vinturi'd and decanted for an hour. Deep red, opaque. Lots of sweet oak on the nose with a little cassis and cherry. Velvety in the mouth, rich. Didn't show a lot of Alexander valley vegital notes, but that may be covered by the oak. Well-balanced, long finish.
This was much, much better than the '05.
Drink through 2020.
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Opened bottle for 5hrs. plus. Weird nose at first but eventually blew off. Green vegetable and balck cherry on the nose. In the mouth cedary and smooth with very big tannins and a velvety finish. Got better the longer it sat in the glass. Really enjoyed this wine for the 35.00 I paid but not worth its retail of 70.00.
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The wine had a difficult noise. The taste was sour cherry, blackberry and black currant, big black pepper and herbal tea. It finished with some overwhelming oak tannins. It seem very unbalanced as the big black pepper overwhelmed the fruit and the herbal tea gave it a bite of medicine after taste, with huge dryness from the tannins. I felt it was a B-.
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12/30/2023 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nose of red cherry and black cherry, briar, sage, and spring flowers, same on the palate, medium/big body, showing very well tonight, tasty, mellow, smooth, time to drink up, and a medium/long, flavorful finish, photo of Silver Oak Ornaments on this year's Christmas Tree.
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9/10/2023 - houstonjeff@hotmail.com Likes this wine: 86 Points
Past it's prime. Lots of tertiary notes.
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7/22/2023 - guruguru Likes this wine: 90 Points
Silver Oak Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2008
カリフォルニアのカベルネソーヴィニヨンの最高峰の一つ。
綺麗なエッジが、良く熟成されていることを認識させてくれる。
スケール感も大きく余韻も長い。
味のバランス感覚にフランスらしさも感じるが、根幹に感じる明るい果実味にはやはりアメリカらしさを強く感じる。
(2000年後半という時代性もあるかも)
One of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in California.
The clean edges of this wine make you realize that it has aged well.
It has a great sense of scale and a long finish.
The balance of the flavor has a French feel to it, but the bright fruitiness at the core of the wine is strongly American.
(This may be due to the fact that it was made in the latter half of the year 2000.)
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5/26/2023 - rcasaw wrote: 93 Points
great shape for age...big fruit nose good balance
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3/5/2023 - KaupCava Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful nose of dark fruit and vanilla oak
Currants and blueberries predominate
Surprisingly still has some tannins and very nice acid fruit balance at this age
Medium finish length
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12/17/2022 - Jim B Likes this wine: 86 Points
I let it go too long. Drinkable but lost most of its character.
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5/8/2022 - Brahning Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still bright. Enjoyed it very much. Nice tobacco, caramel, and plum.
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5/7/2022 - Mfondell wrote:
Mother’s Day 2022 celebration with Pam
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11/25/2021 - Cfreedogg wrote:
Still decanting
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8/3/2021 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of red cherry and black cherry, bell pepper and briar, same on the palate, medium/big body, at it's best or slightly on downside, herbal notes on both the palate and finish was a pleasant complexity/surprise, and a medium/long finish.
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3/28/2021 - stbraunt Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Past its prime. Decanted for 3 hours and still flat.
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3/23/2021 - Scott5501 wrote:
Silky, low tannins. Potentially a little past its prime.
The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle.
The body is medium. The wine has silky texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has low acidity.
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8/30/2020 - Heywood_ja Likes this wine: 88 Points
I had low expectations thinking I held onto this bottle too long but was quite pleasantly surprised it was still fruit still a little bit of tanning and just a wonderful combination of the two not sure if it was way past its peak and would’ve been better sooner but quite pleased now
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8/15/2020 - wcf1946 wrote: 85 Points
A friend had this stored properly since he bought it upon release and gave it to me. Drank over 2 days. Color and nose were still good but it lacked freshness. Of course it was 14 years old and from a good (not great vintage), but it drank older. If it was 2007 it would have been much better. We had it with beef brisket and it pared nicely. Tannins were very soft and finish was short. Flavors were still integrated nicely and it was smooth and balanced, but depth was lacking. IMHO it is past it's prime and certainly not worth spending the money it's bringing now. It tastes like an average $20 cab at this point.
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7/16/2020 - winemaker Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasty. Enjoyed with grilled lamb.
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6/27/2020 - Babakh wrote:
Awesome.
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6/27/2020 - Babakh wrote:
Awesome
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4/23/2020 - leachriscellar wrote: 92 Points
Strong dark color w/Cocoa at the edge. Layered stone fruits & dried cherry scents. Traditional silver oak flavors with tannins still going.
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4/17/2020 - geaston wrote: 75 Points
Well past prime
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4/16/2020 - Gr8penut Does not like this wine: 50 Points
Corked- had to pour it down the drain! This is the 2nd Silver Oak i had to pour down the drain. The people at S/O were kind enough to replace the last one, but this is frustrating. I was trying to compare the 97 to the 06, but i couldn't. Arrrggghhh!
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4/1/2020 - WinesnobZA wrote: 95 Points
Another great flawless Cabernet with a silky yet bold finish. Will definitely purchase many more in the years to come.
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3/28/2020 - Pjzlotnik Likes this wine: 90 Points
smooth bold musty bold nose wiith dark berry flavors
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2/23/2020 - Grenik Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well aged and drinking well. Tepid nose, but what is there is deep fruit. Full palate with dark blue and red fruit, pine, and a little mineral. The secondary flavors really help this wine with depth and make it more interesting. The finish is a bit muddled and there is some structure here, but is feels quite soft. Drink now or in the next couple years.
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12/27/2019 - kiawah1 wrote: 91 Points
Drinking very well after 1 hour decant. Cork still strong but it's time to drink up.
The wine looks garnet colored.
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10/13/2019 - garye wrote: 92 Points
Crumbling cork, but wine was great with a one hour decant
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9/29/2019 - JJB007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
decanted for two hours and it was perfect
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9/25/2019 - Backdoctor wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Took a while to open up and show some fruit. Still an enjoyable wine but towards end of it's life.
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5/19/2019 - elevation02 wrote: 93 Points
What an amazing bottle of wine. Purchased it in Florida in 2011...wow! Drink up though, tannins are done. Opened up beautifully on the decant. Bravo!!
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5/18/2019 - Turd Ferguson Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork was crumbling..
Decanted for 30+ minutes.
Subtle flavors - paired well with our Italian dinner.
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3/17/2019 - Risky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great wine still. Decanted a few hours. Not as bold as it was probably intended to be. Flavors came out when paired with Gouda cheese
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2/20/2019 - chuckos77 wrote: 87 Points
Thought it was going past it’s prime
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2/3/2019 - Rramey Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still good fruit and soft on the finish. Cork was bad though.
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12/28/2018 - jrhonda160 wrote:
Bottle was bad, cork wet
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12/4/2018 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was the last silver oak in my cellar. When i first got the wine bug in the 1990’s, this was the top of the line and very hard to get in nj. My allocation at the local wine store was only two bottles!
The 06 opened slowly and was a bit tight, and i was worried that it was past its prime. I had decanted it before dinner, and eventually showed a lot of fruit, bright red cherry, blackberry and a hint of oak. Very smooth with a round mouthfeel.
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11/22/2018 - SKAHN2 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I don’t see thus getting any better with more time. Balanced, smooth tannins, and medium bodied.
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11/18/2018 - scarce10 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still drinking great. Inky, dry finish with a dusty essence. Really enjoyed and tasted great right out of the bottle.
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8/5/2018 - Kbutton Likes this wine: 92 Points
Properly cellared - beautiful right now, though I wouldn’t wait much longer!
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6/26/2018 - moega wrote: 88 Points
Drinking just OK at this point. I generally agree with the overall CT score, perhaps a little lower. The color was still good and as expected, but the richness seemed long gone, perhaps even a bit flat. Finish now or in the next year or so.
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5/22/2018 - Smiths22 wrote: 93 Points
Perfect! Drink it now!!
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4/28/2018 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Paired with Triple Crèam French Cheese and grilled steak, worked well together, nose of red but mostly black cherry fruit, touch of bell pepper and briar, same on the palate, medium/big body, nearly at its best, got better as the dinner went on, nearly at it's best, tasty, mouth filling fruit, great with the pairings, touch of soft tannin on the mid palate which slowly faded during the dinner, and a medium/long finish.
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3/31/2018 - Wineaux67 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Even at its current age, I think this wine needs more time. Still good tannins and a bit too much oak. It should mellow and get better over the next five years.
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2/19/2018 - FGS Likes this wine: 90 Points
First of this vintage for us. Surprised that it was still a bit “young”, with some grip of tannins still there. Might even improve a bit with more age(?). Agree it drinks better with food (drank half the bottle with dinner, and the rest over 2 hours following). Strawberry and raspberry nose (another surprise) with the classic SO touches of oak and vanilla. Darker fruit on the palate. Good acidity, so when you drink it, have some meat and cheese, or a nice streak or pasta dinner for this to be at its best.
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1/2/2018 - ChickenNoodle Likes this wine: 89 Points
More subdued at this point. Not much fruit on the nose but opened with minerality. Not a fruit bomb at all, well structured but needs food as its rather unfussy on its own.
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12/25/2017 - Jsdaxe Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice, long decant. Went well with Wellington and then chocolate.
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12/24/2017 - hailcesare Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful and lively bouquet. Long finish and perfect age. I let it breathe for 1 hr in bottle.
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11/5/2017 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 91 Points
Classic silver oak - oaky with a little funk at opening. Opened in the glass, good structure and lots of fruit
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10/7/2017 - Heynetty Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted Blind
A: Deep Ruby
N: Dust, violet, cassis, raspberry, green pepper, pencil shavings, tobacco, coconut and vanilla, medium (+) intensity and developing
P: Dry, medium (+) tannin, body and intensity. Medium alcohol and acidity, medium (+) finish.
C: I thought this was a new world Cab Franc but no, its a Cab Sav.A robust $70/bottle. Outstanding Quality wine. I would drink up in the next 4/5 years. Scored 89. Not as massive as other NW Cabs i have been having lately
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9/27/2017 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Bright, medium (+) ruby, with a garnet hue on the rim. The nose is clean, intense, with aromas of black currant, graphite, cigar box, coconut, spice and vanilla. The nose is developing and showing a fair bit of new American oak. The palate is dry, with medium acidity, medium (+) but polished tannins and medium alcohol (13.3%). The palate is consistent with the nose, with a little more ripe but tart black and red fruit coming through. This is a very balanced Cabernet, with medium (+) body, flavor intensity and length. It is in a really good place now and - thanks to its cooler climate roots and structure - seems more youthful than 11 years of age. It has plenty of life left.
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5/1/2017 - AEROSMITH wrote: 92 Points
perfect cab
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2/28/2017 - ohne_musik wrote: 90 Points
Napa winery visits - Hall Rutherford, Staglin, Silver Oak: Sample at the winery. Drinking in a good place. Aromas of violets. Elegant and supple on the palate, with black fruit, cedar, tobacco. some secondary mushroom and soy. Tannins are softening.
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2/24/2017 - IrishDerby wrote: 85 Points
Overwhelming oak for my taste. Like drinking cedar infused wine. Other aging notes of tobacco leaf and pepper.
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12/26/2016 - mischwine wrote: 92 Points
elegant - think I drank at the right time....wonderful depth, nice Oak fron the start, very nice...
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12/5/2016 - Vailman wrote: 89 Points
Opened this one hour before a dinner party along side an '06 Nickel & Nickel (Vogt vineyard) and an '07 Chimney Rock Elevage. While several guests oohed and ahhed over the Silver Oak "cache", the goods did not deliver. Muted nose, short finish, and less distinctive fruit nuances than the others. It was enjoyable, but I was expecting more.
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11/28/2016 - Clrv wrote: 90 Points
In a great spot now. Drink now or within a year.
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10/16/2016 - jbroch Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sadly, the last bottle of this vintage. Well balanced. Nice refined with muted fruit. Excellent with home-made gnocchi bolognese.
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9/24/2016 - Rossdhu House Likes this wine: 92 Points
Slightly after peak but very smooth all around, a VG from Silver Oak
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9/2/2016 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
At Silver Oak this morning, nose of red and black fruit, touch of bell pepper and sage, same on the palate, medium/big body, at it's best, very tasty, slightly herbal finish adds complexity, medium/long finish.
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6/6/2016 - jbehrendt Likes this wine: 91 Points
Served at a dinner with friends and family at which we had a standing rib roast. An excellent Napa Cab that is nicely balanced and has some depth. Enjoyable.
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6/1/2016 - Backdoctor wrote: 91 Points
Ready to drink now. Very old world with fruit fading
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4/28/2016 - Snowryeder Does not like this wine: 89 Points
Very smooth but fruit almost fading.
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4/10/2016 - Wineson Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine has smoothed out very nicely over the past 3 years. Very pleasant.
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2/13/2016 - Jtfinch wrote: 90 Points
Definitely got better after a couple hours of decanting. We tasted incrementally every 30 minutes and it got better. After 10 years in the bottle, this wine needed time to open up. Good blackberry nose, spice, earth but a little dry. Smooth finish and elegant. A good wine. Expected more.
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2/1/2016 - kuhawk88 wrote: 86 Points
A group of 6 blind-tasted this wine against a 2006 Corley State Lane Cabernet. The Corley was easily the group's favorite wine between the two.
The nose on the Silver Oak was very pleasant and fruit forward. However, on the palate the wine seemed thin and lacked any real mouth-feel. The finish also was very short. And contrary to previous reviews - I feel like the Silver Oak has already peaked and does not have the tannin structure/acidity to age any longer. Recommend drinking now.
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12/27/2015 - RasmusWegener wrote: 86 Points
not our favorite
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12/18/2015 - dalemosier Likes this wine: 91 Points
tasted with 2005 Meerlust, 2007 Hewitt: This was #2. Hewitt #1 by far. Ready to drink now. Excellent wine.
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11/20/2015 - wculpepper Likes this wine: 84 Points
Decanted; no sediment. First pour one hour later. Ruby/garnet color, semi opaque. Quite muted nose of berries, but not much else. Those who rave about this wine must just want to swig it without smelling first. Medium bodied red fruit on the palate, but nothing special about it. The fruit is balanced by good acids and tannins, but the finish is fairly short. Why anyone would pay $60/bottle (The CT average) for this wine is beyond me. At $15, it might make sense. This wine is not going to further improve with age, so drink up over the next 2-3 years.
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11/6/2015 - bravo.solares wrote: 90 Points
Sadly, I could not decant it for long enough (was at a restaurant). The wine was very unbalanced during the first 45-50 mins or so, and then improved markedly. Initially, a ton of acid and oak, and not much more. Eventually the wine became rounder and more balanced, with some delicious red and blue fruits emerging on both the palate and the nose, and the tannins and acidity becoming more balanced and integrated. Not a great bottle (worse than the one I opened two days ago). Would probably not buy again. A rather generic (and unsuccessful, at that) CA cab.
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11/4/2015 - bravo.solares Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine. Getting there, but should still improve with a few more years in the cellar. Tannins are still there, although becoming finer. No bricking. Dill, thyme, mint, and mushrooms. Oak just a tad intrusive. Plenty of cherry and red fruits after it breathed for a while. Decanted for 30 mins, but should have decanted for an hour.
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10/3/2015 - awaxenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent open now if you have decant for about a half hour. Wow such an oaky flavor with a hint of some tobacco it was very good for a silver oak.
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10/2/2015 - CabIPA wrote: 92 Points
My first Silver Oak experience. This wine is a star compared to the 2013 orin swift Mecury head. I'm glad I have another bottle because this is drinking very well right now. Crimson in color and still clear at at the edge. Defined tannins coming though suggesting this wine hasn't peaked yet. Great legs. I get the dill and vanilla on the palate. Pretty unique. Not cheap...but not a ripoff. Excited to try the 2010 as well as the 2009 and 2010 Napa.
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9/16/2015 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose of raspberry, red currant, and sage, more of the same on the palate, easy drinking, lots of complexity, delicious with cheese, good acid, medium body and medium/long finish.
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9/7/2015 - Wino Laurie Likes this wine: 91 Points
Received this cab as a gift several years ago and cellared until now. Dark garnet in color with strong tannins. Thoroughly enjoyed the robust dark cherry notes with our steak dinner. Glad we didn't wait longer since I could detect the slightest breakdown in structure.
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7/1/2015 - BrunelloBob wrote: 88 Points
By the glass, Zins in Cedar rapids. Frankly disappointing, just not a lot to get excited about. A bit too much alcohol, port like dark fruit but not a ton of it. Drying
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5/6/2015 - Stevethebeav Likes this wine: 89 Points
This is a nice cab, but I would have expected more complexity because of reputation. Granted, I've never had the Napa Cab. The wine looks dark ruby colored and it has a bright, strawberry and cranberry nose. Texture is round to silky and medium legs, no sediment. Cherry, Vanilla, and nutmeg are most noticeable. I don't get the strong oak that some are referring to. This is on the lighter end of full body with a medium finish. nice balance of acid.
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5/3/2015 - Grenik wrote: 87 Points
Fruit has faded quite a bit and left an over oaked and one dimensional wine. Blueberry fruit palate that does not hold up to the sweet vanilla and fat texture of the wine. There is no tension. There is some depth with hints of forest floor starting to develop, but there is not enough fruit and tannins to harmonize with. I am a fan of Silver Oak, but this would have been much better a few years ago. Drink now if you have them.
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4/25/2015 - wmccone54 wrote: 91 Points
Austin Food and Wine Festival:,Drinking very well; one of the better wines today. Smooth, approachable, resolved tannins.
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4/25/2015 - DavidK14 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This one started off slow, but opened up after about 30 mintues. Very silky, and well-balanced, fruit on the back end. Short Finish, what you would expect from Silver Oak.
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. Low acidity. A great wine to enjoy by the fire pit with friends...this one could use about 1 - 2 more years in the bottle.
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3/13/2015 - Rezy13 wrote:
New World Blind Tasting Group $40+ (Bin 75): Very dark crimson with lighter crimson rim; lots of vanilla, dill, American oak, surprised by amount of red fruit, currant, cherry, ripe, licorice, balm; tart, some grip, lots of currant, wood tannin, some green pepper with lots of air, decent structure and balance; this would be so much better if they used a better cooper.
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3/11/2015 - premiercruclasse wrote: 92 Points
Consumed a magnum @ La Paella with HJ and S. Very solid Cabernet with sweet oak and ripe fruit flavor. Smell got sweeter and sweeter through the night. Not particularly complex, but very balanced and integrated with a nice grippy finish. I really enjoyed it.
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3/9/2015 - jbehrendt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Paired with tenderloin steak, risotto and broccoli for my birthday dinner. Nicely complex. Nice balance.
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2/28/2015 - Clrv wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well right now. Not terribly complex but nice.
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2/14/2015 - DaveNC wrote: 73 Points
Oaky, dry. Did not like it.
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2/14/2015 - DDD wrote:
Gave to Andy Arensberg and wife for wedding present
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12/26/2014 - RichardsFLX Does not like this wine:
Not my thing. Lots of warm spice and cocoa and very fruity. So much oak. The vanilla flavor makes this taste tropical.
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12/24/2014 - msuazo9 wrote: 89 Points
delish !!
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12/24/2014 - JimmyR Likes this wine: 93 Points
excellent
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12/9/2014 - Grenik Likes this wine: 90 Points
It is a classic, somewhat generic, California cab. Lots of oak, smooth, and balanced. This is a good, reproducible style, but at times it gets boring. However, for a wine of this style, it is quite good and enjoyable.
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12/7/2014 - Marc S wrote: 89 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant and prune with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Always a great bottle of Cab. Full of oak and soft on the palate.
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11/28/2014 - hebatty wrote:
- Purple color and aromas of black currant. It's balanced and has flavours of black currant with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - Delicious
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11/27/2014 - Redrunners wrote: 89 Points
Solid wine, although still a little tannic after 90 minutes in the decanter.
The Napa version is usually better.
cherry, raspberry and some oak.
Was an enjoyable wine, but much better choices for the cost.
This was a gift - wouldn't buy this myself given the mediocre QPR.
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10/13/2014 - chrisco wrote: 86 Points
Expecting more robust. Drinkable.
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9/28/2014 - newkid17 wrote: 87 Points
Good cab, but not great. Subtle black fruit, lots of cocoa and earth/mushroom. However, enjoyed with great friends and the first bottle that was decanted did not taste as good as the second bottle which we popped and poured.
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9/14/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, red cherry, and earth, more of the same on the palate, easy drinking, at its peak, medium body and medium/long finish.
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7/20/2014 - spencermerrell@gmail.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice New World Cab showed after 60min decanting, drinking better and better throughout the night. Off the gate I'd give it an 88 - still a wound up and fruit forward. After 30 min this really became approachable. 60 min later I was a converted fan! Drinking well now, but 1-3 yrs likely rewarding
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7/12/2014 - adnielsen wrote: 87 Points
@ the tasting room.
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6/15/2014 - ACR16719 Likes this wine: 98 Points
terrific. Big wine
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5/23/2014 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery with Kathy. Lovely nose of mocha java coffee, blackberry, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, needs cellar time, medium/long finish.
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3/18/2014 - cspence1981 wrote: 93 Points
No doubt about it this is Silver Oak the second you open up the bottle. Vanilla and smooth oak engulf the room almost immediately. Wine was a bit unbalanced as I tried a half glass after I opened it but then double decanted for six hours and it leapt right out of the glass. It will probably only get better with time but with proper decanting you can drink now. Enjoy!!
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3/2/2014 - Chip37 Likes this wine:
tastes like a blend
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2/1/2014 - bklynfoodie Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big hit at a dinner party; no one wanted the bottle to end. Garnet color; aroma of nutmeg and dark chocolate. Rich mouthfeel and a long finish.
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1/24/2014 - RobertB321 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Barnyard aroma dominates. Some bitterness on the initial taste. Mid palate is silky. Long lasting flavor. A little acidic imbalance.
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1/20/2014 - milesskorpen wrote: 86 Points
Really disappointing night one: Flat, and almost flavorless. Really opened up the second night, and redeemed itself. I'd never drink another bottle without at least 4 hours of decanting.
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12/26/2013 - jfarley3 wrote: 90 Points
I prefer the Napa version as it is a bit more balanced, but this is still very consistent. Notes of cassis, raspberry, and a hint of oak. A bit of heat on the back, but velvety tannins make for nice finish.
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12/26/2013 - EricLi wrote: 88 Points
Pop it for an hour or so before serving. Attractive color and delicate aroma. Fruit forward, but very tannic with high level of acidity. Feel a little bit disintegrated. Maybe it needs bit more time.
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12/25/2013 - mwneil wrote: 85 Points
Tannic wine that opened up slowly and showed some fruit. Drank with steak at Christmas dinner. Nothing special.
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12/16/2013 - Mark Brandon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank slowly over one hour or so. Had with gorgonzola and hard cheeses. Not sure why some are negative on this as I found it to be coming into it's own for the vintage. SO is not my usual taste but it was incredible with upscale bison burgers on a Monday night : ) . Don't hate - appreciate!
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12/15/2013 - jfurey21 wrote: 88 Points
Took quite a bit of time to open up. Not my style, but some pretty decent blackberry fruit. hard to get through the oaky tannins though
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12/6/2013 - MXL wrote:
Arvid party 2013.
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12/5/2013 - andrewjwiley Likes this wine: 88 Points
A good wine, not a great wine. Did enjoy the bottle, but don't believe it needs any more time in the bottle.
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12/2/2013 - Bauman Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is an excellent wine great to sip and enjoy the aroma.
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11/27/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted today at Silver Oak with Sam. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, drinking great today. Thank you Tom L for the taste, medium/long finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years.
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11/17/2013 - michigan dogs Does not like this wine: 83 Points
I am not a big fan of Silver Oak Alexander valley. I love Napa cabs, but this does not do anything for me(consistent with other bottles) It's either past it's prime, I didn't give it enough air, or just not that good. I'll go with the third choice. It tastes tannic, a little sour, and the fruit is hidden. I think the higher ratings must be influenced by the name.
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11/4/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely nose of blackberry, black cherry soda, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, opened one night ago, refrigerated overnight, shows more open on the nose and palate, decant for 5 hours if drinking this year, medium finish.
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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 deep ruby/red (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) wine, aged entirely in American oak, shows a moderately intense nose of dark plums, lavender potpourri, tobacco and eucalyptus. The palate is round, medium-bodied, lightly tannic and has flavors which mirror the nose. The alcohol (listed as 13.3%) is nicely integrated. Solid in the middle and concluding long, this is an enjoyable Cabernet which should hold up well over the next five years. Drink now-2018.
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9/24/2013 - Frank_A_M wrote: 88 Points
I believe I waited a bit too long to drink this wine. Although still within the drink window, a bit late for me. It was good but not great. I was expecting a more robust full body.
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9/18/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted at Silver Oak today. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, chocolate, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, two years to its peak, medium finish. Lovely to drink, I would drink it over the next six years.
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8/17/2013 - Bottledrainer wrote: 92 Points
A classic Napa Cabernet. Great aroma and legs to die for. Probably old have lasted another five to eight years. Some tastes of dill and a bit of earthiness succumbed to the base of red fruit and dried figs. Tasted side by side with the 2005 Alexander Valley. Close second.
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8/10/2013 - Rezy13 wrote:
Saturday Night Get Together Non-Blind (Bin 75): Dark and dense with light purple rim; nose of blackberry, vanilla, and graphite; dark, dense and rich on the palate.
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7/21/2013 - Vino Monkeys wrote: 90 Points
This wine has actually improved since my last bottle a year ago. Age has muted and melded flavors and it's quite nice now. Subtle. Might have a short period before it's past its prime, but good now.
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7/7/2013 - jasonkle wrote: 91 Points
drinking pretty good right now
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7/7/2013 - scorrea Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Oaky, syrupy, cough medicine tones. Not my style of wine. If you like Caymus you should like this wine(Although not as over the top). Low score more due to my palate as the wine is "well made" if not a bit contrived.
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6/12/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasted at Silver oak today twice. Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, medium finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years. I would drink it sooner rather than later.
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6/8/2013 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lovely nose of dark fruit with hints of blackberry, allspice, and earth, more of the same on the palate, medium/big body, opened one night ago, refrigerated overnight, shows more open on the nose and palate, decant for 5 hours if drinking this year, medium finish. Lovely, will improve for 4 more years.
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6/2/2013 - Wineson Likes this wine: 88 Points
I wasn't convinced by this wine. Nice nose. But sharp tannins on the palate. Long astringent finish due to tannins. I'd hold onto this for another couple of years to see if it smooths out.
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5/11/2013 - ocfriday Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for an hour, worth the wait - wine is balanced, good fruit and a refined finish. Not sure it will get much better with any more aging.
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5/11/2013 - crsprout wrote: 90 Points
Lots of fruit early one with dry, dusty tannins. Still has some backbone, so it may improve with another year or two. Got the sense of too much oak after an hour. Less complex than some other tonight...
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3/24/2013 - folsomarndt wrote: 90 Points
Enjoyable and nice balance, but not up to the same level as some prior vintages.
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3/15/2013 - James.michael.watrous wrote: 89 Points
Thin, but well balanced once it opens up. Not worth the money, but enjoyable.
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3/11/2013 - Spl232 wrote: 86 Points
Needed about 2.5 hours to really settle the tannins that are still strongly present. It was nice and full of typical Cali cab flavors, but lacked the complexity and depth I had hoped for.
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3/2/2013 - comlaw wrote: 87 Points
Lighter and less flavor than previous years. Could benefit from more aging, but still not up to norm. Not a good value.
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1/2/2013 - hr3 wrote: 89 Points
this is really an overrated bottle of wine. I really struggled to find much there.
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1/1/2013 - kmicho Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice wine. Vanilla, chocolate, strong "almost ripe" berries, some oak. Nicely complex, but not quite as much as expected. The tanins are well balanced. Was still young. (Silver Oak's web site says drinkable through 2031 with proper cellaring.) Overall, a very good bottle of wine, but would be better with another 5 years.
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12/29/2012 - ljones wrote: 87 Points
Heavy dill and cedar notes. Needs lots more bottle time, but could improve.
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12/24/2012 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 89 Points
This wine, a favorite of many of our friends, was pulled from the cellar on Christmas Eve and was Vinturi-decanted. The robe is deep red and the nose shows moderately intense aromas of dark plums, spice box, tobacco and (of course) oak. The palate is round, medium-bodied, lightly tannic and dominated by the "spice box" element from the nose. The alcohol (listed as 13.3%) is well-integrated, the middle solid and the finish long (and spicy). Drink this one on a cold winter's night. Under those circumstances, it may merit a higher score. Drink now-12/20.
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11/24/2012 - VoteferPedro wrote: 85 Points
Day 1 hard tannins cover lush oak and fruit. Drinkable after running through a Vinturi.
Day 2 fruit has come on strong but the wine still had a hard edge that tended to drop the joy factor. 5 + 13+ 12+5
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11/3/2012 - Noahc wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured from cellar temp. Garnet in color, nose of oak, some chocolate. Wine is slightly acidic (relative to california standards) with plush tannins. Fairly round mouthfeel but everything takes a backseat to the very slightly bitter and dense oak structure. I never had this before and I sat on it for almost two years for the right opportunity, and other than the high price to quality it's not bad. It is not quite as monolithic as I expected (less fruit extraction--no reverse osmosis?) and it has a somewhat unique profile, at least more than I expected.
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10/31/2012 - Sabishop wrote: 90 Points
Earthy and nice chocolatey nose. Nice slight berry an tannins on the first sip. Still should have a few years left to age, but nice now.
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10/13/2012 - Pknut wrote:
Coconut and sweet oak on the nose, sweet palate. A complete pass for me. Sag Harbor weekend with the Edgemont guys.
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10/6/2012 - wmccone54 wrote: 90 Points
Meaty, mostly red fruits. Very expressive
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10/2/2012 - nick811 wrote: 88 Points
not much nose. earthy, bitterness body with tannic finish. quite dry...
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9/30/2012 - DCF wrote: 91 Points
aromas of leather and dark chocolate, taste of ripe red fruit and prune. smooth and complex texture right out of the bottle. medium body and long finish. Elegant.
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9/30/2012 - Murf130 wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely adore this wine. Oak on the nose immediately. Good oak. Missouri Oak. Unapologetic American oak. Mild tannins. Decent finish. Sipping sans food. Absolutely adorable. Many years left in the bottle, but glad I pulled the cork tonight.
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8/5/2012 - dcasper wrote: 89 Points
Quite good
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7/15/2012 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
Delusions and powerful
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7/13/2012 - RockinCabs wrote: 86 Points
Nose: Dried Dark Fruit notes, Sweet Cedar Oak and Olive Tapenade. Palate: Light/Med bodied with a velvety tannin construction and a LOT of green notes of olive, sage and other herbs. The fruit takes a bit of a backseat with a dried characteristic. Some sweetness, but the black fruits are mostly dried plum and blackberry fruit leather. Finish: Strong oak and sage notes.
Reminded me of a mid priced bordeaux from a ripe vintage.
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7/6/2012 - BHobbs wrote: 88 Points
I've been hearing about Silver Oak for years not sure what all the fuss is about. This would be a nice $20 bottle.
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6/9/2012 - NH WINO Does not like this wine: 75 Points
I just don't like this wine. Bitter, flat ending just blah. I have 6 more and may gift them.
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5/27/2012 - wtianseter wrote: 88 Points
Had the wine with rare, grilled rib eye steak, corn on the cob and spinach salad. I chose this wine because I expected big things (90+) to go along with my birthday steak and was a bit disappointed. The wine was a nice bluish purple, plum color. Nose was nice with mixed notes of chocolate and oak underlying the basic California cab aromas. Taste was sweeter than I expected with lots of fruit but no layers of the fruit flavors. There was a lot of chocolate; the oak was mild and the tannin was soft and smooth. Finish was nice but as we drank more there was little bit of green astringent bite that came out. A good cab, no doubt, but not worth the $50+ that my friend who gave it to me had to pay; I could have bought several different bottles of equally well made and equal or better quality cabs for 1/3 the price.
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5/20/2012 - dane.lighthart wrote: 91 Points
Medium bodied and delicious. Not overly tannic. Ate with steak.
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5/4/2012 - JayPKay wrote: 89 Points
Yup. Yum.
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4/23/2012 - bobpsi wrote: 88 Points
Moderate nose of plum, black cherry, cocoa, and herbs. Medium plus body of cassis, plum, licorice, and green pepper. Medium finish.
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4/20/2012 - KeithSurg wrote: 91 Points
Very nice nose of dried currant, mint, and even saffron. Silky mouthfeel with soft tannins. Medium-bodied fruit flavors somewhat overpowered by the oak.
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4/9/2012 - noshooz wrote: 86 Points
As a lot of others have noted, this wine is overpriced for what you get. It's no better than some Cali cabs at half the price. Silver OAK is right.
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4/7/2012 - LHDIETRICH@MSN.COM wrote:
Awesome after some time with Brian and Amy
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3/28/2012 - JayPKay wrote: 91 Points
Purchased a case a few years back. Last year this bottle had too much oak on it for my tastes. Now I find it wonderful. Though approachable right after opening, an hour or so makes a significant improvement. It could benefit from more cellaring. But the vintage is drinking just fine by me right now. Excellent wine.
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3/3/2012 - Thirsty1 wrote:
Opened this for guests
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2/25/2012 - Davegwyn@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Black cherry and tobacco.
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2/25/2012 - winepog wrote: 87 Points
Nice nose, some fruit there....then silky and supple, a bit disjointed on the finish...some bitterness..a moderate touch of tanins...
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2/21/2012 - The Lonz wrote: 85 Points
Im a huge cabernet fan and always wanted to try a Silver Oak. I decided to splurge on day because I think there is something to be said to try a wine you always wanted to taste. Smelled really nice when I opened the bottle. Nice fruit and I personally thought it smelled buttery. Let it open up for about 2 hours and when i tasted it the taste didnt live up to the way it smelled. I couldnt justify spendind $60 on this wine again. just tasted boring. at least now i can say i tried it. cheers.
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2/18/2012 - BK29 wrote: 89 Points
overpriced corporate plonk!
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2/17/2012 - drrobvino wrote: 88 Points
Weekend at Zuli's; 2/16/2012-2/19/2012 (St. Catharines, Ontario): Decanted for 2 hours. Dark purple in color, eucalyptus on the nose, along with vanilla, ripened plums and black cherry fruit. A nice, velvety mouthfeel, full bodied, youthfully teeth-staining tannins, black cherry and mocha flavors. Oak was overdone for my taste. Fruit forward, decent Cali Cab, was a bit of an outlier since the weekend tasting consisted of older Italian Barolos etc. A stark contrast from this ripe styled Cali fruit to the more tart/sour fruit of cooler climate wines.
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2/14/2012 - winetaste wrote: 91 Points
An intense nose of cherry, vanilla, and maybe a slight smokey/tobacco hint. Quite oaky on the pallette, although I haven't had too many oaked wines to compare with. I also noticed hint of cedar, chocolate, and dark cherry I think, although found it hard to pin point specifics on tasting. I enjoyed this cabernet on Valentines day which also probably improved the overall experience. Smooth on the finish without too much acidity.
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2/14/2012 - saturnaisland wrote: 88 Points
Dark fruit with hints of earth and tobacco, but with a heavy oak overlay. Decent wine, but oak is a bit too predominant. On the positive side, alcohol is not excessive (reported at 13.3% and this seems in the ballpark).
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1/23/2012 - adastra Likes this wine: 90 Points
Needed to open up and breathe but developed nicely after 10 minutes. Black currant, black cherry, cedar, tobacco. Full body with long finish. Great structure, well rounded. Rich and flavorful.
2006 was a great year.
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1/21/2012 - shawn.kenner wrote: 92 Points
Earthy nose with hints of tobacco and lead pencil. Taste was well balanced and spicy. Finish was smooth and long lasting. Very good wine.
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1/7/2012 - APatHB wrote: 93 Points
Wow! Decanted for 3.5 hours. After 1.5 hours--marginal..at 2hrs-better, getting close to 90, at 3.5 hours this is a great wine, Let It Sit! Be Patient after you open it.
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1/1/2012 - cambo04 wrote: 91 Points
The only reason I don't give this wine a better rating every year is cause its primarily oak, but that's a given, and don't get me wrong, I love this wine. I think its always great, year in and year out. Very easy drinking and just forward with everything that it represents. It is very over priced though as usual. $65.
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12/30/2011 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
Smell of sweet blackberries. Wonderful structure, with firm tannins, reasonable alcohol and acidity. Flavors of vanilla, oak, crushed berries, a little dusty earth. Profile more like a left bank Bordeaux. Not jammy at all.
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12/28/2011 - BigSchmove wrote: 84 Points
nothing special about this wine at all. after it opened up it had nice body but nothing made me want this bottle again. For the money a ton of other options that spanks this one in my book.
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12/26/2011 - ocfriday wrote: 91 Points
Very nice - classic Silver Oak, held up nice to a strong Christmas Prime Rib.
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12/21/2011 - Lmfjr wrote: 100 Points
Enjoyed w Eliza and chris
Flemings Christmas 2011
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12/10/2011 - randymac88 wrote: 89 Points
Maybe it's just the licorice, but this, along with all the silver oak I've had has tasted unbalanced and acidic. There's just something "off". In fact, I've never actually had a "good" glass of silver oak, so I'm beginning to this it's all just hype.
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12/10/2011 - Ombibulous wrote: 87 Points
Rich in both fruit and complexity. Quite tannic and full-bodied, with cedar and currant. Very good (86.5).
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12/4/2011 - kurtc wrote: 88 Points
A little disappointing for a name like Silver Oak. A little thin on the back end but still good.
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11/25/2011 - dxpian Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark purple garnet hue. This wine has been decanted for over 48 hours, opened up beautiful fruit over the past 2 days with black cherry, black currant and blackberry aromas mingled with mocha, graphite, cedar, chocolate and vanilla extract in a bouquet of Asian herbs and sweet oak. Full-body. Blackberry, cherry, crème de cassis, dark plum on the attack with a great structure of silky tannin on the mid-palate (tannin was harsh when first opened, and smoothed out over the course of decanting). Medium-long finish, drying at first, but fruit comes in to balance with cherry, cassis, ripe strawberry, finishing with coffee, cedar and vanilla. Wine with beautiful fruit and great structure. Definitely lay it down for a few years. Minimum of 4 hours decanting recommended.
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11/22/2011 - mike410 wrote: 88 Points
Decent wine. Nothing bad about it but nothing spectacular either.
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11/20/2011 - dwolf1087 wrote: 92 Points
Deep color, deep flavor. Floral aromas with flavors of oak and chocolate. Very nice.
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11/12/2011 - elbosco wrote: 85 Points
Harsh, metallic and going nowhere.
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11/6/2011 - hammie1234 wrote: 92 Points
Rich vanilla, oak... smooth and balanced.
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11/6/2011 - Redhawk-Jayhawk wrote: 90 Points
Perhaps a bit young, but good smokey berry flavor. Smooth easy finish, especially toward end of the bottle about an hour later.
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11/1/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Well, maybe bottle to bottle this is just inconsistent?...
Plush bright vivid cherry. Candied strawberry, lots of pretty floral accents.
Really light styling but still nice and plush - a voluptuous palate.
Finish is solid. Good wine. Fruit and flowers with a touch of white pepper.
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10/27/2011 - cMan76 wrote: 80 Points
Oak, oak an more oak even after decanting for 1 hour. Oak monster was still there on day 2. I've had better $10 cabs than this. Sad to see what the new owners have done to this winery.
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10/17/2011 - ssimpsonjr wrote: 87 Points
More lighter weight red fruits than I expected, and muted and that. It really did not stand up to the Ribeye I had. Disappointing.
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10/16/2011 - Redhawk-Jayhawk wrote: 88 Points
Needs more time. Fruit was there but somewhat masked or muddled.
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10/14/2011 - jinks wrote: 91 Points
in cellar with friends, G&K brought. P&P. should have decanted. seemed very tight and rather acidic at first. Much improvement with time in the glass. layers of fruit and tobacco, big meaty mouthfeel. Enjoyed this but could use more age/air.
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10/4/2011 - GaryHOhio wrote: 90 Points
I am a fan of Silver Oak, still trying to decide if the Alexander Valley is a better buy than the more classic Napa Valley, decanted for 2 hours, lovey classic Silver Oak nose of berries, oak and some chocolate, pure velvet long finish, just great.........complex BIG wine, this 2006 was everyting I would expect from Silver Oak, no big diff for me between Alex Valley and Napa - love this wine and at the $55/bottle I paid, it is in my Top 10 California Cabs
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9/28/2011 - tucsonwino wrote: flawed
Corked and cooked as well. Down the drain it went. Too bad.
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9/23/2011 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 82 Points
Dark fruit, eucalyptus, herbal methanol component and spice. B-
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9/19/2011 - Sunminpark81 wrote: 90 Points
Just opened a bottle from my cellar to drink with my husband. Great nose at first. I did not decant this but consumed immediately. Dark chocolate, black cherry on the nose. Dry but very smooth. Great wine.
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8/19/2011 - JonGray wrote: 91 Points
nice smooth - rich and flavorful! celbrated FY11
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7/23/2011 - Mezz wrote: 90 Points
Currant and coffee strong tannins needs more time.
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7/17/2011 - CiXel wrote: 87 Points
This was very smooth, but almost a bit medicinal and not as round as previous years. Perhaps a handful of years will help mellow it out. Still very good, just not Outstanding at this point.
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7/17/2011 - ppearson9 wrote: 92 Points
Delicious as always after an hour decant. Can't understand people not liking this wine.
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7/13/2011 - BinVA wrote: 91 Points
Always a good and reliable bottle. Decanted for an hour and it was as smooooth as can be with nice fruit and low tannin.
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7/4/2011 - pkbackman wrote: 86 Points
I am usually a fan and supporter of Silver Oak AV, but this particular bottle just didn't do it. It had many nice qualities, but they were mostly outdone by the in your face oak.
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6/30/2011 - APatHB wrote: 93 Points
After a stressful day, we decanted and aerated this (2hrs). Excellent choice! Ranking in the top 5 for the year so far.
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6/23/2011 - kvswine wrote: 91 Points
The benchmark for Napa cabernets. This vintage is a bit thinner than previous years but still a remarkable wine beautifuly constructed
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6/4/2011 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted this at the winery in Napa Valley. Strong oak flavors at the onset that gently mellows down at the mid-to-end palate that finishes quite long. Flavors of dark cherry, oak, tobacco, earth. It's very clear that Silver Oak doesn't like to be drunk below 5 years. The sweet spot starts about 7 years and up. As it turns out, in spite of the low scores being thrown at them, I've become a fan, and have been following their vintages since 2002.
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5/22/2011 - Zuperdaave wrote: 95 Points
Delicious! Deep purple color. Slow, viscous legs. Classic cherry on the nose. Plums, cedar, oak, and tobacco flavors. Moderate-to-bold welcome; spicy finish near the front (sides) of the tongue. This is what I love in a cabernet. Well worth the investment, in my opinion...
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5/22/2011 - BrentsMom wrote:
error correction
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5/22/2011 - BrentsMom wrote:
delete entry error
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5/22/2011 - BrentsMom wrote:
delete bottle entry
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5/21/2011 - Blue6405 wrote: 87 Points
A little disappointing. Wine was a little flat. Decanted for 2 hours.
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5/16/2011 - DSaeedi wrote: 90 Points
Lots of French oak flavors. A little unbalanced and perhaps too much wood for the fruit. Currant. Dark cherry. Med – med plus concentration. Lots of tannins and wood spices lead over the fruit. A lot shorter finish than you would think. Med-med plus length. Tannic and not ready to drink at all.
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5/15/2011 - brigcampbell wrote:
47th Birthday for Chris with Kim and Traci (Our House): Decanted for 6 hours. Excellent jammy fruit nose which subsided a bit after the decant. Decent overall CS but heavy on the oak treatment which the decant wasn't able to resolve at this point in time. Still young. The structure is there to age a bit so I'll let the other rest for 3-4 more years.
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5/5/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 86 Points
All American Tasting (Binny's on Grand): Boo! I tasted this open minded. Nope. Rustic and dirty austere personality. A little harsh on the back end.
Very dry tannins. Didn't enjoy this. Probably the worst wine of the tasting in fact.
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4/23/2011 - GaryHOhio wrote: 85 Points
Wanted to conduct a blind tasting with family of Silver Oak Alexander Valley vs Silver Oak Napa Valley (2005). Decanted both for one hour. Napa nose was more vivid with berries and oak. Very similiar mouth feel but Napa finish was longer and smoother. Over the course of the evening everyone agreed the Napa was better but that both were good wines. Now the question is, is the Napa worth $30 more per bottle ?
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4/22/2011 - Porchino wrote: 88 Points
just not great
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4/18/2011 - Matteo's wrote: 89 Points
Started out well but didnt hold up through the evening. Not as big as I remember the past vintages...
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4/3/2011 - LSaleski wrote:
Great cinnamon notes, dark fruit / black currant low tannin. Drinkable out of the bottle.
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4/3/2011 - Grenik Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark maroon in color. Vanilla nose with cherry and plum. Very smooth on the palate. Vanilla, cola, cherry, some blue fruits as well. Perhaps a little over oaked to allow some of the more subtle flavors to emerge. Nothing wrong with the wine, but perhaps there are better values in this price range?
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2/24/2011 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
(Drank at Pappadeaux.) A solid Cab that, in my view, the pros have unfairly maligned. It is what it is, but, hey, the blackberry, coffee, cassis, and jumped-up oregano and spice are really quite enjoyable. It's an obvious wine with some obvious wood, but it was delicious with a pepper-crusted New York strip. (NB: It took about an hour to open up.)
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2/20/2011 - murphone wrote: 89 Points
A little disjointed for me between the fruit and tannins. Some green bell pepper notes. Has some potential better decanted for a bit.
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2/19/2011 - Jordan7T wrote: 88 Points
A bit harsh when first opened - started developing a bit after two hours in he decanter - near the end showed signs of subtle plum and dark cherry once the tannins subsided. This will be a slow maturing wine that will be enjoyed for many years. Solid B+ for now but with A+ potential
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2/11/2011 - Smjntbj wrote: 90 Points
Dark Cherry taste
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1/30/2011 - wehouck wrote: 92 Points
Drinkable now, but should improve with age. Lovely cab. sauv.that starts with an enticing beautiful oak and dark fruit nose. The mouth feel is smooth and inviting. Taste explodes with cocoa, ripe dark cherries, blackberries, well rounded with tannins, a bit bold at this time. Long lovely finish of fruit and tannins.
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1/21/2011 - THaas wrote: 89 Points
Opened, vinturi'd and decanted for an hour. Deep red, opaque. Lots of sweet oak on the nose with a little cassis and cherry. Velvety in the mouth, rich. Didn't show a lot of Alexander valley vegital notes, but that may be covered by the oak. Well-balanced, long finish.
This was much, much better than the '05.
Drink through 2020.
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1/10/2011 - Zuperdaave wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Mellow, easy drinking, fruit forward.
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12/26/2010 - drock25 wrote: 88 Points
oaky fruity napa cab
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12/24/2010 - CabIsKing wrote: 92 Points
Opened bottle for 5hrs. plus. Weird nose at first but eventually blew off. Green vegetable and balck cherry on the nose. In the mouth cedary and smooth with very big tannins and a velvety finish. Got better the longer it sat in the glass. Really enjoyed this wine for the 35.00 I paid but not worth its retail of 70.00.
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12/19/2010 - Porchino wrote: 90 Points
I'm not sure if the tannins are as discreet as hoped very smooth and chocolate aroma
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11/21/2010 - FredyKat wrote: 91 Points
Amazing
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11/18/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 88 Points
Too oaky and I don't say that often. Needs time to integrate.
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11/14/2010 - Rcorrao wrote: 91 Points
Unimpressed. Heavy tannins. Dry.
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11/10/2010 - Henab3 wrote:
at vinyard
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8/7/2010 - BigBoy_Sonoma wrote: 82 Points
The wine had a difficult noise. The taste was sour cherry, blackberry and black currant, big black pepper and herbal tea. It finished with some overwhelming oak tannins. It seem very unbalanced as the big black pepper overwhelmed the fruit and the herbal tea gave it a bite of medicine after taste, with huge dryness from the tannins. I felt it was a B-.
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5/30/2010 - Aefwaf wrote: 90 Points
Robinson pick
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