Michelle Connely

9.4

Consumed 12/2024. Bc Rich flavors, creamy texture, and mouthwatering acidity.  — 7 months ago

A-Aron

9.1

Dry, light acidity, berries and dark fruit. Rich and with some depth for a Pinot Noir. — 8 months ago

James Naphen

9.2

**Wine Review: 2008 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Opened November 2024)**

The 2008 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, opened today, showcases an impressive balance and complexity, affirming its status as a finely aged wine. Its deep ruby hue remains vibrant, with exceptional clarity that invites exploration.

On the nose, ripe aromas of blackberry syrup and dark fruits are prominent, complemented by elegant notes of dried ginger and a subtle floral undertone. These aromas suggest both maturity and freshness, creating a captivating bouquet.

The palate offers a bold, full-bodied experience, featuring flavors of graphite and pencil lead that add intrigue and depth. The oak is beautifully integrated, enhancing the wine's harmony without overshadowing the fruit. The tannins, while still present, are soft and smooth, allowing the wine’s fruity core to take center stage.

Despite its 16 years of aging, this wine retains a youthful vibrancy, with its primary fruit flavors shining through. The finish is balanced and moderate in intensity, leaving a lasting impression of refinement.

Enjoyed today, this wine is a testament to the careful craftsmanship of Silver Oak. While it has clearly benefited from its time in the cellar, it remains dynamic and will continue to develop nuances for years to come. — 9 months ago

with Melissa

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was surprisingly open & expressive with rich dark fruits, sweet on the palate, savory spice, meat, pepper mineral & violet — 10 months ago

Peter Isacksen

8.9

Had it outside last night with Indian food and a sunset. Super smooth and rich but not overpowering. Just goes down easy...
I was very happy with this wine, hit every note. — 5 years ago

Marco Rodriguez

9.0

Bold wine. Earthy, tabbaco, smoke and spice. Good tannins and light acidity at end. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Night 1 of the Fall WNH event in San Antonio. What a killer start to the extended weekend, all courtesy to Shawn and Jennifer for hosting! Tonight was Italian wines.

Another in the running for WOTN. Maple and rich! Cherry and vanilla tobacco on the nose with herbal spice and a strawberry tart finish. Young and acidic! There is a very underripe red fruit dominant profile here. Crazy how young it tastes for 23yrs old. Bravo @Shawn R ! — 7 years ago

with Mike, David and 5 others

Andrea Watt

9.1

Smooth, rich cherry and smoke. — 7 years ago

Mick Foy

10

As good as it gets for my taste. Big dark full bodied red with rich flavor and smooth finish. — 9 years ago

Michael Regan

9.0

Great Syrah . Dark rich flavor of blackberry , smooth , and low acidity — 10 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

No formal notes . Pretty deep Amber , copper colour . Intense marmalade , saffron , creme caramel . Rich on the palate with rich marmalade , saffron notes . Good acidity , but rich. Good length . This is drinkable now and shows quite an advanced colour , though due to its richness will probably carry on delivering for another 20 years , perhaps longer .

This was a rather fascinating evening put together by our incredibly generous host. All 2007 reds were served blind in two flights: 1st Mouton, Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc , La Mission Haut Brion then Latour , Lafite , Petrus and Margaux . Overall the wines showed well , and were mostly enjoyable to drink now , though there is no rush . This somewhat maligned vintage can give a lot of enjoyment in the right environment, I certainly wouldn’t hold back from opening or purchasing any of these wines . They mostly show good density of fruit , personality and elegance , with good freshness. These are not powerful wines , and at times perhaps the fruit can be a little cooler or greener but I was pleasantly surprised by the way they performed , just goes to show you should never write off a vintage without trying the wines ! — 7 months ago

Silver Eyes

9.2

Great, super-drinkable meritage. Holds on to the rich character of the petite sirah, but nicely balanced with the grenache for a more versatile wine. — 9 months ago

Mark

8.9

Rich jammy flavor. Good finish. I really enjoyed this wine. Very good value for the price. — 9 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Rich with citrus, apple & brioche — 10 months ago

George Moore

9.9

Very complex and bold with notes of cherries and caramel. Great for a special occasion — 5 years ago

Greg Gosselin

9.1

2017 is fab. Great QPR. Intense with backbone. Give it a few more years. it doesn’t get much better at this price-point. — 5 years ago

Brendan Baker

9.3

Rich, green apple, stone fruit, brioche 🤤 — 6 years ago

Peter Marks

Master of Wine, Educator Constellation Brands

9.7

Amazingly rich, bread dough, toasted almonds. Just about as rich as great Champagne can get. Complex, creamy and lasts forever. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. 6 years on lees; 6 g/L dosage — 7 years ago

Nicole Schilling

9.0

Smooth but bold and fruity. — 8 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.3

Blackberry jam and black pepper, with a memorable, spicy finish. Rich and savory, this oozes flavor. Massive QPR. Stock up. It won't last long. — 9 years ago

Nick Wolfe

9.5

This is astonishing. Beautiful and powerful with a smoky, oaky, black-fruity, spicy nose that won't quit. Palate is rich with loads of fruit, sweet vanilla oak, and a port-like quality. This wine has monastrell's blueberry, black fruit, iron tincture, and beef blood signature. Skip the steak and pair this with savory for foods for a fantastic contrast. Finish is long and playfully tasty. — 11 years ago

Alexandre Czesnat

8.9

BlackBerry, Oak, Tobbaco aromas, chocolate, a bold Cabernet Sauvignon with really good quality — 7 months ago

Jeffrey Trezek

9.5

One of the faves for Shiraz. Big, bold, yet easy to drink. Punchy with black and red fruits, not to tannic. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

#AgedWineTuesday

Pale lemon in color.

Light nose of citrus fruits, minerals and light yeast.

Medium-bodied with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, brioche, earth, light yeast, minerals, spices and herbs.

Long finish with limes and herbs.

This is a very tasty Champagne, albeit still young. Elegant and rich with nice complexity. Crisp and refreshing.

Didn't love it right out of the bottle, and needed 45 minutes of airtime to open up properly, so be patient.

I've had a few different vintages of this Champagne, and always enjoyed it.

Needs 5 years to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.

A blend of 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir. Aged for 8 years on its lees.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$275. — 9 months ago

Ming L

9.0

Dismissed by many as too jammy or too ripe, I’ve always thought this is the fun bottling. This ‘21 is no exception. Beneath the slightly over extracted ripe dark fruits lies quite complex aromas and flavors of figs, sweet spices, dark chocolate, smoke meat, and hint of balsamic. Rich palate but not overbearing. In a good vintage like ‘21, this can benefit for 5-8 years of bottle age.
My guilty pleasure. — 9 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Medium lemon colour . Lovely lemon, buttered pastry nose , still so fresh and lively . Mineral with a honeysuckle note , touch of blanched almond . On the palate quite rich and complex , with high acidity and mineral , honied , brioche notes , still quite fresh though with lots of creamy lemon hints. Long mineral tinged finish . Lovely now and over the next 5-10 years . — 10 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When in doubt, a sure bet is a well aged, good vintage Heitz. @Eric Shanks

I intended to grab an 06 but, mistakenly grabbed an 07. I’ve not had one of my 06’s yet...next weekend.

The one thing I do every time I open one of my ten year or older Heitz Napa Cabernet’s is smile & think, this was sub $35 at Costco. It’s the wine feeling/definition of stealing candy from babies.

The nose is a beautiful harmony of fruit, earth and florals. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, dark spices with violets palate heat, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay, understated herbs & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, some sage & bay leaf, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is splendid. The long, ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well crafted balance of fruit & earth is delicious and persists endlessly with a dark spice on the long set.

The body is; delightful, ripe, rich, lush & full. The structure, tension, length and balance are woven in a perfect tapestry. This 07 has another 10-15 years easily. The tannins are rounded, smooth but, still have a dark, chewy, tarriness with baby teeth. The beauty of the vintage is on full display. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied ; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is perfect. The finish is; rich, ripe, ruby, candied, well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and long sets into velvety, round tannins and mid dark spices.

Photos of; the winery, tasting patio, old basket press and wide shot of the winery & Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Nick Stinnett

9.1

Smooth and rich with a great finish. — 9 years ago

Serg

9.6

Exceptional wine. Nicely balanced with deep rich taste with a smooth finish. Perfect time to have it. — 10 years ago

with Theresa

Nadine M

9.9

Rich berry fruit with layers of Christmas spices and tobacco. Pretty damn close to perfection! — 12 years ago