2004 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Silver Oak's long-awaited 2004 Cabernet blends small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet and Petite Verdot, for a complex, savory wine that is still developing and has many years ahead of it. Right now the wine is the color of royal velvet and it's alluring bouquet is wonderfully exotic, displaying notes of Damson plum, rose, soy, spice and black olive. Sumptuous on the attack, the fruit is lifted by spice and supple, integrated tannins. According to K&L's Mike Jordan: "Silver Oak has been synonymous with California Cabernet for years. The 2004 Napa is a beautiful effort, with a nose of lush plum fruit with a hint of spice, chocolate and vanilla.This wine is big and bright on the palate with fine grained tannins and a long finish.This wine isn't a long term wine, drinking now and holding for another 5-7 years. I think this vintage is one of the best from Silver Oak since the 1994." 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Good deep red. Black cherry, plum syrup and lead pencil on the nose, with a lightly roasted character and a meaty nuance. Quite pliant on the palate, with a much more velvety mouthfeel than the Alexander Valley offering and more mid-palate stuffing to support its toothcoating tannins. Here the wine's herbal element lifts the fruit. Not exactly fat but nicely sweet. Finishes with very good breadth and length." (May/June '09)