Grapelive Wine of the Day

By Kerry Winslow

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2007 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley.
It has been decades since this Napa Cabernet has put in a showing this good, and I found myself really enjoying it much more than I could ever imagine and it made me recall some wonderful times I had drinking 1991, 1992 and 1994 vintages of this wine. For way too long Silver Oak has under-achieved and has been almost been forgotten by serious wine drinkers, well, I can honestly say they have re-found the magic and made a stunning wine. The last few Napa’s have been rathe weak efforts with lean flavors and bitter herbalness that I have found very unpleasing, even if few complain aloud, but behold the 2007 Napa and you’ll be a believers again, this is that much better, it will transform even the most hardened critic as it did me. The depth, length and solid structure all make this wine a thing of beauty and will allow further development and I think this might age just as well as those lovely early nineties wine did and have. The nose is full of dark essences, cassis, floral tones and bitter chocolate before a full palate of currants, blackberry and plum fruits with hints of tobacco, smoky vanilla, melted black licorice and cedar woodiness. A graphite element gives a touch of Bordeaux class, and while no one would confuse the terroirs it does have a firm tannic nature holding it together, like a fine Pauillac. This is a very well made Cabernet that gives every impression of being a classic Silver Oak and it left me wanting more and very impressed indeed, Daniel Barron and his team can be proud of this effort no question.
($100 Est. Due out Feb 2012) 94 Points, grapelive

Avail. at www.sfwtc.com 1-800-731-6222 (Pre Sale Pricing)

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