1997 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 1x750ml

Vinous 90

(includes 5% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot) Deep ruby-red, with faint amber at the rim. Deeply pitched aromas of currant, tobacco, mocha, bitter chocolate, game, oak char and cigar box; strong element of sweet roasted wood. Sweeter and richer than the Alexander Valley bottling; has more mid-palate stuffing to buffer its firm spine of acidity. Just a whiff of herbs in the mouth. Finishes quite long, with broad tannins reaching the teeth. Complex and satisfying. [Stephen Tanzer, 05/01/2002]

Robert Parker 94

The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa looks to be one of the finest wines made by the winemaking team of proprietor Justin Meyer and winemaker/viticulturist Daniel Baron. The 1997 Napa is an impressive effort. A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine has a flamboyant nose of fruitcake, licorice, Asian spice, black currants, and toasty wood. Deep, opulent, viscous, intense, chewy, and thick, it is a classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon made in an all-American oak lovers’ style. It should drink well for 12-15 years. (Not yet released) Tel. (800) 273-8809; fax (707) 944-2817 [Robert M. Parker, Jr., 23/12/2000]

Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015