1999 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet
1998 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet
Wine Wednesday with my friends and co-workers is typically fair or medium-priced wine. Tonight’s wine was special (ok, pricey). It was the 1998 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the 1999 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I hoped to get the same year but no such luck.
The wines were different and fantastic. Expectations were high, given the price.
The 1998 Napa Cab reminded me of a carnival — there was cotton candy, apples, fresh hay on the nose. Initially, there was a lot of tannin in the long finish but after 2 hours, the tannins mellowed considerably. We were put off by the rust brown tint in the color once poured. Was it past its peak? No, it was delicious.
The 1999 Alexander Cab was floral and fruity — intense berries, especially. Velvety smooth. Its color was deep garnet, the quintessential wine color.
Both wines were full bodied with long finishes. Quite a special night.
From the winery:
1998 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The 1998 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a dark ruby color. It has a nose of blackberry, nutmeg and chocolate. This wine is elegant on the palate and bursting with blackberry fruit and has an extremely long finish with chewy tannins. This Cabernet will continue to improve until 2020 given proper cellaring.
Composition: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
1999 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
1999 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
The 1999 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully balanced wine with a garnet color and a complex nose of cassis, ripe figs, rose petals and Asian spices. It has a lovely, fruity attack, a luscious mid-palate and an incredibly long, lingering finish. It will continue to improve to 2026 given proper cellaring.
Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
