1996 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/10/2023)
Remember back in the day when Silver Oak was something to be sought after? Then several years later it became the object of derision. Turns out the wines were pretty well made, if on the (more than) decidedly oaky side. Twenty-seven years since release, and this has mellowed into a suave yet still oaky wine. It’s pretty good if you can accept the wood treatment. Tannins are resolved, there’s still some berry fruit, and it’s got a layer of vanilla cream that would make Ina Garten howl in jealousy. Serve with rich food, as it tames the obvious elements of the wine, and eases the guilt of the global deforestation required to create it.
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p.s. this is a refugee from my late father’s cellar…why he had not yet opened it (or its numerous siblings) is beyond comprehension.
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I remember my brother flying in around 95-96 for the release day and having to get up at some ungodly hour to be in line for the library releases. Also to have me purchase my allowance for him as well.
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“Derision.”
Yep.
The mean kid clique climbed in.
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I was a huge fan of Silver Oak, pre 1994. They were incredible wines at good prices. Around 1994, they lost many of their best vineyards and their style , IMHO made a huge change going to a style that I didn’t care for, and never purchased again.
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What was the style change?
I would suspect the overall Napa change that started in the mid-1990s. Silver Oak was not some outlier in that trend.
That said, other than the signature oakiness (which the wines always had) this was not in any way overdone. The flavors did not show any stewed or other dramatically overripe character.
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Silver Oak was an early trophy to chase in my wine collecting (while still in college). I managed to get on the list and squirrelled away a few bottles of Bonny’s before the vineyard designate was discontinued but eventually sold them all off, as they were worth too much for me to be able to drink them. Fun trip down memory lane.
Cheers,
fred
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Only ever had one bottle of the Bonny’s.
My dad’s stash seems to be 50/50 Napa and Alexander Valley.
As I recall, they lost many of their prime vineyard sources. There was a winemaker change sometime in there as well, but I don’t recall how close it was. The style changed to a richer, opulent style. They continued using American Oak as they always did.
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They lost the vineyard for the Bonny’s Cabernet post-1991 vintage, but I don’t recall any other major vineyard shifts until the late 1990s. They had a winemaker join around 1994/1995 to work alongside Justin through the end of the 1990s.
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Mea culpa
I would be interesting to do a side by side of a Napa and an AV, especially of the same vintage. I’ve never really heard anyone do a comparison of the two, and it would be especially interesting with mature bottles.
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I suspect I will eventually do that.
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I think I have a few 90s or 91s of each. Let’s make this happen!
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SUPER steak wine back in the day! Loved SO in the late 80’s early 90’s vintages…that American oak was definitely distinctive, yet there was a killer creamy silkiness to the wines I adored. Change in winemaker, some vineyard sites, and probably the most significant was the ramped up production after 1994…trading quality for quantity($$$) …making them the preeminent steak house wine of the time. Caymus followed there after. 1992 Napa was my favorite…still have one bottle left, as well as the last vintage of 1991 Bonny’s.
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Silver Oak was fine within the American oak style and not overripe/overdone as you indicated (my experience was probably from late 1970s through 1990s). I preferred the Alexander Valley.
-Al
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The production ramp up took place over several years, and with acquisition of vineyard land.
I wasn’t able to try those earlier wines after they were released, but a 1980 Alexander i opened a couple years ago was awesome! Beat out a 1980 Mouton 
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