Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House

Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House

Son Alec and d-in-law Viviana hosted a festive holiday open house so I brought from our cellar two special bottles - birthyear vintage wines of Silver Oak, labels. Tonight was a fitting occasion for a birthyear vintage bottle for Alec and Viv since this is their first holiday in their new home and as a family with their baby daughter. 

Every wine lover, and even casual wine folks know Silver Oak. I'd call it a cult wine since it has such a large devoted following but it has such broad appeal that I don't think cult does it justice. 

Ray Duncan founded Silver Oak with Justin Meyer in 1972, it’s now owned and operated by Ray’s sons, David and Tim. Silver Oak is famous for their Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons that aged in oak before release introducing many to the effect and impact it has on a quality California Cabernet. Silver Oak have large 40000 case production and do a remarkable job managing their signature Oak profile, much like Caymus and some others. 

Silver Oak became notable for aging their wines exclusively in American oak, determining that it is best suited and most applicable to achieving the flavor profile that has become synonymous with the brand. Silver Oak have a reputation for producing exceptional, food-friendly wines that are both drinkable upon release and worthy of cellaring for decades to come.

We had the unique pleasure of visiting and touring the Cooper's Oak Winery and OAK Cooperage, source of their distinctive American Oak barrels during our Missouri Wine Experience last year.  

Silver Oak's flagship winery and vineyards are in the center of Napa Valley. They also operate vineyard properties, winemaking facilities, tasting rooms and s cooperage in Sonoma County, Alexander Valley.

Silver Oak are unique among most large production Napa and Sonoma producers in that they focus primarily on the production of just one wine from each appellation: Silver Oak Napa Valley and Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignons.

Robert Parker writes in Wine Advocate: "One of America's favorite Cabernet Sauvignon producers, Silver Oak Cellars produces over 40,000 cases of their Alexander Valley and Napa Valley cuvees. As I have said so many times in the past, it is hard to dislike a Silver Oak Cabernet as they are ripe, deliciously well-oaked, soft, plump, multi-layered, and silky."

We served Silver Oak birthyear vintage bottles at their gala Covid restricted minimized wedding celebration dinner.I featured that festive celebration dinner and wine flight in these pages in this blogpost, Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration.

We then served Alec's birthyear vintage Silver Oak special single vineyard select Bonny's Vineyard Cabernet from a large format six-liter bottle at their wedding celebration weekend a year later, featured in this blogpost, Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration. 

We served a special large format (six liter Imperials) birthyear bottle of Silver Oak (Bonny's Vineyard) for that gala event. We also served Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard from the 1982 vintage at our eldest son Ryan's wedding, as well as several other birthyear special wines.  The single vineyard designated label is very rare given the exclusivity of small production from the 2 acre vineyard. 

This has become the custom in our family celebrations, we served a couple of large format six liter bottles of wine from our kids' birthyear vintage from our cellar. We did so at each of their weddings

I've written often about our cellar and our collection of verticals, horizontals, big large format bottles and birthyear vintages. And I've written about 'signature' producers featured in that collection - Silver Oak is one of those signature producers. Our affinity and reverence for this producer and their wines spans decades, and memorable family events and celebrations. According to our Cellartracker records, our Silver Oak cellar holdings still consists of 49 bottles and 2 pending in 23 spanning different vintages/labels) wines, including large format magnums of each of the four kids' birthyears, and another remaining six liter bottle of Bonny's vineyard like the one we served at their wedding welcome reception.

Alec and Viv served up a broad selection of cheeses, charcuterie, bruschetta, shrimp cocktail and dips - a great showcase accompaniment to these aged wines. They also served a selection of sparkling wine, white and red wines including Stag's Leap Artemis, Orin Swift Saldo. 

Tonight, these wines actually showed better than that earlier tasting, likely due to bottle variations or provenance of aging over two decades since they were acquired at auction over that period of time.

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 Alexander Valley 1991

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

Both of these aged bottles, at 31 and 32 years were well preserved with perfect labels, foils, and importantly, ideal fill levels half way in the neck, reduced less about 3/8 inches from being perfect fill, and near perfect corks. 

Producer's notes on this release: "The 1990 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep tawny color at its core with light rust edges. The fading coconut characteristic is complemented by molasses and freshly sawn redwood and rose petals. It has a light entry but is soft and inviting with medium depth and cedar flavors on the mid-palate. It has a focused and somewhat tapering finish of raspberry, proving to be an elegant and balanced wine with solid back-end structure. Decanting may be necessary due to light sediment. Enjoy now."

Winemaker Notes: "The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense ruby-red color and has the classic Silver Oak nose of cassis, blackberry jam, violets, chocolate, roasted coffee and ginger. This wine is full and rich in the mouth with a very long, slightly tannic finish."

Robert Parker gave this release 93 points writing in Robert Parker's Wine Advocate back in 1994, "The 1990 Napa Cabernet exhibits a Graves-like bouquet of tobacco, cassis, minerals, and spice. Chewy and full-bodied, with stunning extraction of fruit, this velvety wine should drink well for 12-15 years."

While past its prime, apex of its drinking window, this will not improve any further with aging, but is holding its own and will likely remain at this level of its drinking window for a couple more years.

Consistent with previous tasting of this label back in June of '19. Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, this had bright ruby garnet color, very slight bricking at the rim, with the black cherry and black berry fruits having given way to the predominant signature nose and flavor of infused sweet oak layer for which the brand is known and famous.

The black cherry and black berry fruit was subdued, somewhat Bordeaux like with accent by notes of spice, black tea and tobacco leaf with tangy acidity and soft moderate tannins on the lingering tangy finish.

This was more complex and concentrated but more subdued than the bright more tangy acidic bright expressive 1991.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=20741

https://www.silveroak.com/

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

Producer note; "The 1991 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense, rich, crimson hue with slight bricking. The aromatics are complex and very interesting with notes of sandalwood, caramel, black pepper, cedar and strawberry fruit. It has a moderate entry, with espresso bean flavors and a finish buttressed by fresh acidity. On the finish, leather and Roquefort linger on the palate. Decanting recommended due to light sediment. Enjoy now."

Winemaker Notes: "The 1991 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a youthful glow, with an opaque crimson hue and no signs of bricking. It offers aromas of blackberry compote and sandalwood. It is a full-bodied wine upon entry, but is dominated by ample acidity and coffee flavors on the mid-palate. The finish has moderate length, lively tannins and flavors consistent with the mid-palate. Decanting suggested."

This label release was awarded 92 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and 91 points by Wine Spectator, one of  their *Highly Recommended, Top 100 Wines of 1995*.

This bottle was pleasantly dramatically different than that last tasting in 2019 of this label release, when it showed diminution from aging, past its prime and nearing the end of its drinking window. Tonight, this exceeded expectations, showing life remaining in its drinking window with little if any diminution from aging.

Dark ruby color, medium full bodied, bright full expressive tangy dark plum, cherry and black currant fruits with herbs, spics and notes of sweet oak on the acidic long finish.

 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=25548 

https://silveroak.com/  

@SilverOak

Birthyear vintage Silver Oak Bonny's, Figeac for father-son dinner

Birthyear vintage wines for father-son (s) dinner - Silver Oak Bonny's, Château-Figeac

With family and wives out for the day or traveling, son's Ryan and Alec came over for Friday night beef roast stew dinner. With several reasons to celebrate, Ryan pulled from our cellar two birthyear vintage bottles we've been holding for such an occasion. 

At thirty-nine years, both bottles needed to be consumed and both showed amazing resilience in holding on, still being approachable, even in their advanced age approaching their fourth decade. 

Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1982

This is the sole remaining bottle, held out from a case of this label that we served at Ryan and Michelle's wedding celebration dinner back in 2006. We also served large format five and six liter bottles of Silver Oak at their wedding rehearsal dinner. Just recently we also served a six-liter bottle of this label at son Alec's and wife Vivianna's wedding celebration festivities. 

We recently participated in a software vendor partnership executive briefing hosted by Ryan's company in collaboration with Silver Oak. I had the opportunity to share these Silver Oak special occasion experiences with the gathered group. 

Lastly, our visit to the Silver Oak Cooperage where they produce their specially crafted Missouri Oak barrels was a highlight of our Missouri Wine Experience month before last. 

I chronicled Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard in detail in the Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration blogpost mentioned above. The single vineyard designated wine was from the vineyard named for Silver Oak co-founder, Bonny Meyer, planted by Silver Oak founders Bonny and Justin Meyer in 1974 on a gravelly, four-acre plot in the Oakville district of Napa Valley. It was a much-heralded bottling for Silver Oak over the course of two decades, and the vineyard is now bottled under its own label by the Meyers. 

The fill level, lower neck, foil, label and cork were all in excellent condition, amazingly in top condition, appropriate for the age, testament to the provenance of our cellar conditions. The cork was tight and firm; Ryan used an ahso two pronged cork puller but exclaimed it would've come out intact with a traditional cork screw.

We decanted this as there was a fair amount of sediment in the bottle and an initial bit of musky dusty earthiness that burned off over the course of an hour. Dark ruby, ever so slightly brickish colored, medium bodied,  silky smooth and polished, holding together amazingly well for its age, vibrant black berry and black cherry fruits with notes of creosote, cigar box and hints of cassis, and what the winemaker refers to as notes of rhubarb. 

RM 90 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=135872

https://silveroak.com/

https://twitter.com/SilverOak

Château-Figeac Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classe 1982

For father-son dinner with son Ryan we opened from the cellar two of his birthyear vintage bottles, the Silver Oak and this Château-Figeac. I remember acquiring this wine at auction of TCWC - The Chicago Wine Company, back in the 90's. I still have the records from that purchase and note it was one of the highest prices I had ever paid for a wine, including the First Growth Bordeaux I acquired during the period and previously. 

This was one of the top ranked Bordeaux labels I acquired in large format bottles for my kids' birthyear vintages back upon or soon after release. 

I recall taking this label when we visited Ryan at college to take BYOB for a special dinner.

Château-Figeac has long been recognized and acknowledged as one of the top Bordeaux wines with the great ageing potential, gaining a highly flavourful and succulent complexity over the years, but one that could also be enjoyed just as much in its youth as after several decades. 

Château-Figeac is the flagship estate of a family that has a long history committed to promoting and advancing the region’s prestige and reputation, The estate, located in the heart of the Saint-Émilion appellation covers 133 acres, nearly a quarter of which is left unplanted to preserve a high-quality living environment and an overall natural balance. 

The principles of Château-Figeac have played an active part in the life of the City of Saint-Émilion and of the Bordeaux region, from the time of Élie de Carle, “knight of the vines”, in the 18th century to most recently, the current proprietor, Thierry Manoncourt and his descendants.

While the oldest vines date back to 1921, the average age of the vines in the nearly 100 acre vineyard is 35 years. In recent years, 35% of the vineyard has been replanted while conserving its specific character, following a detailed study of the soil, climate and vegetation. 

Château-Figeac’s vinegrowing terroir is a geological exception in the appellation, with three quartz and flint gravel outcrops, several metres deep, and blue clay subsoil, forming a patchwork of plots that are planted with the three grape varieties which give the wine its core identity - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Critics notes summarized - The wine is highlighted by its aromas that reflect the lightness of the soil, its floral bouquet, infused fruit and graphite presenting a bright vitality. The two-thirds of Cabernet in the blend provides a structured backbone and firm body, rolling out a long, vibrant backbone with pure mineral notes on the finish. 

The whole is perfectly enfolded in lush, satin tannins in the style of the highest of high fashion. With time, the wine develops flavours of tobacco-leaf with hints of black truffle, while retaining incomparable freshness of fruit. A glimpse of perfection …

Château-Figeac’s exceptional vinegrowing terroir is the basis for the wines of Château-Figeac and their character and distinctive style from the unique combination of exceptional and complex soils (three Gunzian gravel outcrops, blue clay at depth, a patchwork of plots), several microclimates and an unusual mix of grape varieties dominated by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to complement the primary Merlot in the blend. 

Thierry Manoncourt was the first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in significant proportions on the Right Bank.

Although the oldest vines date back to 1921, the average age of the vines in the nearly 41 hectare (100 acre) vineyard is 35 years. In recent years, 35% of the vineyard has been replanted while conserving its specific character, following a detailed study of the soil, climate and vegetation.

Château-Figeac Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classe 1982

This vintage release of this label was awarded 95 points by Decanter and John Gilman, 94 points by James Suckling and Rober Parker's Wine Advocate, and 92 points by Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.

At thirty nine years of age, this was showing its aging potential, still holding its own and being approachable, still within its drinking window. The fill level was a lower neck level, appropriate for this age. The label, foil and importantly, the cork were all in excellent condition - further evidence of the aging conditions of our cellar. In 2009 Robert Parker wrote, this 1982 appears to be fully mature, but it tasted the same a decade ago, and it should hold at this level for another 10-20 years.

We decanted and left to open and settle for an hour. The color was dark garnet  colored with red bricking and a bit of grey cloudiness starting to set in, medium full bodied, deep complex black cherry and plum fruits with notes of black olive, clove spice, smoke, tar, mushrooms, wet earth and truffles with hints of bitter dark chocolate with smooth tannins on a long finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=22601 

https://www.chateau-figeac.com/en/

https://twitter.com/Chateau_Figeac/

@Chateau_Figeac 

 

 

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

With daughter-in-law Vivianna out of town, Alec joined us for a taste of this Alexander Valley Cabernet that we opened for our beef roast dinner. From the 2007 vintage, at fourteen years, I thought this would be at an ideal age, at the apex of its drinking window. Wine Spectator rated the 2007 vintage 97 points, a top vintage, a "Textbook year; small crop, ideal ripening, wines defined by complexity and plush tannins". 

We found this lackluster and short of expectations, hopefully perhaps due to bottle variation or result of poor handling - too often bottles may be subject to excessive heat during shipping, or other undesirable conditions. Our records show we acquired this bottle back in 2012. In any event, this bottle was mediocre and reflected sentiments and experiences of several fellow Cellartrackers. 

This was a bit disappointing as we were reminiscing over our Silver Oak Cooperage experience of last month when we visited the Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri where the Silver Oak barrels are crafted from native Missouri white oak. It was a highlight of our Missouri Wine Experience.

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Silver Oak writes of this vintage release, "Our 2007 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a beautiful purple hue with very few signs of age. It displays a spicy freshness with violet nuances aromatically and enters the palate with a broad and dense dose of blackberry fruit. It remains full across the mid-palate and very structured, with strong tannins that will still need time to resolve. Given proper cellaring, this wine should improve through 2032."

11/5/2021 - Bodyfxr wrote: 87 points. Decanted and drank over the course of an evening and then the next night. This wine is past its prime and is on a down hill roll. The drinking window goes until next year. Fruit is flat and the secondary notes are out of balance with oak dominating the profile

5/15/2021 - Trolson wrote: 88 Points Disappointed. Lacked both nose and body. Maybe cellared too long.

 

Garnet colored, slightly opaque, medium bodied, somewhat flabby blackberry fruits with notes of spice, hints of green pepper and olive tapenade and slightly funky wet wood and earth which burned off after an hour, with tangy tannins on the moderate finish. 

 

We tried it again a couple evening later and the results were the same - acceptable modest sipping, but uninspiring. 

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1176173

https://silveroak.com/wines/2007-alexander-valley-cabernet-sauvignon/

https://twitter.com/SilverOak

@SilverOak 

 

 

 

Cooper's Oak Winery and OAK Cooperage

Cooper's Oak Winery and OAK Cooperage, Duncan Family of Silver Oak, Visit and Tour

Heading to Kansas City for a family wedding, we decided to take a couple of extra days to drive and tour the backroads and byways traversing the state of Missouri. Our intent was to experience Missouri wine, visit several Missouri wine producers, tour the estates and vineyards, and see the wine regions to learn and understand their terroir, all things that exemplify Missouri wines. 

What we did not plan or anticipate, but what was one of the highlights of our entire trip, was a visit to, and tour of The Oak Cooperage in Higbee, Missouri. 

In retrospect, when one thinks of fine wines and the state of Missouri, what comes to mind, or should, is Missouri Oak, and its use in producing some of finest wine barrels for crafting and aging some of the finest wine labels from the world's best wine regions. 

We happened upon The Oak Cooperage (formerly known as A&K) passing through Higbee, Missouri. There, we met founder and artisan cooper Dale Kirby, who has produced handcrafted, American oak barrels for the wine, whiskey and bourbon industries since 1972. 

One of their largest and most prestigious customers, the well known Silver Oak, a leading Napa Valley producer of California Cabernet Sauvignon, purchased a 50 percent interest in the cooperage in 2000, after sourcing barrels from them for nearly 30 years. 

Silver Oak eventually acquired full ownership of the business in 2015, ensuring a continuous supply, based upon the philosophy of quality, excellence and continuous improvement in the time-honored craft of artisanal barrelmaking. The business was renamed OAK Cooperage, the confluence of the names, adding 'O' from Silver Oak, to the A and K of the original founders of the business.

Originally established as a keg business, the focus soon shifted to the production of 59-gallon American white oak wine barrels, sourced from the nearby forests of Central and Northern Missouri.

Building on the partnership with Silver Oak, they invested in sustainably forested Missouri timberland to maintain long-term barrel production. 

Silver Oak acquired full ownership, recognizing “an opportunity to maintain exacting barrel-making standards and secure a consistent supply of aged stave wood,” according to Tony LeBlanc, Silver Oak General Manager. “The flavors and textural components of American white oak from Central and Northern Missouri are the perfect balance of spice and vanilla flavors to complement the black fruit character of our wines.”

Silver Oak mural in the shop, handsigned by
Silver Oak founder, patriarch, Ray Duncan

OAK focuses on producing the highest quality classic 59-gallon American oak wine barrels for Silver Oak and other select producers. They also produce a small number of American and French Oak barrels for the whiskey and bourbon industries. Each barrel is handcrafted by a team of highly skilled, hard-working men and women who preserve and advance the time-honored craft of artisanal barrelmaking. The Higbee plant has several of the only fifty skilled coopers in the United States.

Finished barrels, the orderliness and conformity
of the bands an indication of quality
craftsmanship.

 

 

Dale now focuses on his other businesses, producing local sourced wines under the aptly named Cooper's Oak Winery label, Skullsplitter Distillery spirits, local philanthropies, and serving on the board of the regional electric cooperative. 

Dale Kirby's toolshop with extraordinary
extensive collection of handtools.

He was gracious with his time and took us on an extensive tour of the cooperage plant. Before we toured the plant he took us in his toolshop showing an amazing collection of hand tools used to produce barrels for decades (and centuries) before the mechanization with sophisticated automated power equipment. 

We then toured the plant and saw barrel assembly at each stage: a shipment of new oak arriving from a forestry/grower, the oak staves aging for three years outside so the rain can wash away the excess acids from the wood, the staves being cut and formed for barrel assembly, the initial stage assembled barrels being 'toasted' over an open flame for a precise amount of time according to the prescribed toast level (or char level in the case of whiskey/bourbon barrels), then the barrel being assembled and banded, then trimmed, finished and inspected.  

At each step, Dale had endless stories to tell and a joke or quip from a vast repertoire. 

 

The oak is aged for up to three years, ideally in the open to allow the elements
to wash away the acids in the wood. 

 

Founder and cooper, Dale Kirby, inspecting
the oak staves.

 

Partially assembled barrels staged to be 'toasted'. 

 

 

Toasting the wine barrels, charring in the case of whiskey
barrels, to exacting specifications, over open flames.

 

Rick and artisan cooper toasting the barrels.

 

See the video below of these processes ... 

Banding the barrel.

Trimming the barrel.

 

Finishing the barrels, testing and inspection.

Linda with Dale Kirby in barrel warehouse
and distribution center.

 
We then went back to the winery and distillery building and tasted the current offerings of Cooper's Oak wines, and Skullsplitter spirits and fruit drinks.

 Cooper's Oak wines and Skullsplitter spirits are packaged in re-usable Ball canning jars for utility and sustainability. 

What a fascinating and extraordinary opportunity to meet Dale Kirby, and see the Oak Cooperage, and to learn its history and place in putting Missouri Oak on the map, and in the ecco-system of notable fine wines.  

Watch this video ... barrel production in process .... 

Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration

Big Bottle Birthyear wines for Wedding Celebration

For son Alec and wife Vivianna's (re) wedding celebration festivities, we hosted a welcome reception for out of town guests and celebrants. We hosted the evening reception at the Boathouse Restaurant at the Saugatuck Rowing Club in Westport, Conneticut, with an evening of small bites and light drinks. 

As has become the custom in our family celebrations, we served a couple of large format six liter bottles of wine from the groom's birthyear vintage from our cellar. 

Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990 

Silver Oak has become a legendary cult brand, known for its focus and bold vision: focus on one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon, aged exclusively in American oak and worthy of cellaring for decades to come.

Silver Oak Cellars was founded by Bonny and Justin Meyer, together with their financial partner, Ray Duncan in 1972. Founder Ray Twomey Duncan, a Colorado entrepreneur, began investing in California vineyards in the late 1960s. Justin Meyer was a Christian Brothers-trained winemaker. They co-founded Silver Oak out of a Napa Valley dairy barn in 1972, producing only 1,000 cases of their inaugural vintage. 

Over the ensuing decades, Silver Oak gained immense popularity as their Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernets sold quickly upon their release from the winery and became a highly sought-after staple on restaurant wine lists nationwide. 

Justin continued as winemaker until selecting Daniel Baron to succeed him in 1994, when he then retired, selling his share of Silver Oak to the Duncan family in 2001. Ray’s sons, David and Tim Duncan, own and operate the winery to this day which consists of more than 400 acres of vines in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley.

When Justin told his wife in 1974 that he was ripping out the three acres of clover in front of their Oakville home to plant a vineyard, Bonny Meyer suggested that she’d like to make it her own personal project.

Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard was planted by Silver Oak founders Bonny and Justin Meyer in 1974 on a gravelly, four-acre plot in the Oakville district of Napa Valley adjacent to the family home.

When the first fruit came off the vines four years later, it was clear that this little, unusually gravelly patch of Napa Valley was something special. Instead of putting it into Silver Oak’s Napa Cabernet, Justin Meyer decided to bottle it separately in 1979, making it one of Napa’s first vineyard-designated wines. It became one of Napa Valley's legendary places, one of a few legendary vineyard names: To Kalon. Beckstoffer. Eisele. Martha’s Vineyard, and of course, Bonny’s.

The Christmas before the first vintage wine was to be released, Meyer surprised his wife with a hand-carved wooden sign, proclaiming it from that point forward, that little patch of vineyard in their front yard would forever be known as Bonny’s Vineyard.

Silver Oak’s inaugural vintage was crushed that fall after Justin and Bonny returned from their honeymoon. In the early years Bonny managed Silver Oak business and sales while Justin oversaw winemaking and managed burgeoning Franciscan Vineyards, purchased by the partners in 1975. A couple of years after the partners sold Franciscan, Justin left and took over primary management duties at Silver Oak. Always part of the management team, Bonny focused on PR, marketing, and package and facility design. The original Silver Oak and Meyer Family Port labels both won design awards, as did the Oakville Silver Oak winery when it was completed in 1982. 

 

Today Bonny is a partner in Meyer Cellars, a family business, and continues to focus on marketing and investing as a Principal of Meyer Family Enterprises, and her interest as a philanthropist and a community activist.

 

Silver Oak produced a Bonny’s Vineyard Cabernet from 1979 until 1991, when they discontinued the label. From its very first vintage, it washighly regarded and recognized by both consumers and critics. Son Matt Meyer, recalls, “I can remember my dad saying after one of their annual August release parties where the Bonny’s sold out in a matter of hours, ‘We’ve got more than a thousand cases of Alexander Valley and Napa Valley Cabernet left, and not a single one of Bonny’s.'" Realizing they were disappointing more people than they were making happy, Silver Oak decided to stop making a separate Bonny’s Vineyard release and started blending the fruit into their Napa Valley bottling.

When Justin Meyer retired in 2000, he sold his share of Silver Oak to his longtime partner, Ray Duncan. While there were discussions of Meyer hanging on to a few of the vineyards, ultimately, all the vineyards were included in the deal, except for one, Bonny's, because it was simply the front yard of the family home.

Bonny’s Vineyard was replanted in 1999 and began producing viable fruit in 2002, when sadly, only a month before harvest Justin Meyer died of a heart attack. That year’s harvest proved a somber one for the family, and the single barrel of Bonny’s Vineyard Cabernet they produced under the new Meyer Family Cellars label was not and never will be sold.

It was a much-heralded bottling for Silver Oak over the course of the next two decades, then discontinued as a single vineyard designated label for a dozen years. The vineyard is now bottled under its own label by the Meyers.  

 

 In 2003, twelve years after the name Bonny’s Vineyard last appeared on a wine label, the Meyer family released its first commercially available Bonny’s Vineyard Cabernet, which they have produced every year since. The family believes the fruit from the roughly 1.5 acres of the vineyard surrounding the homestead, represents the best of what the site has to offer. 

This bottle was a one of only sixty such bottles produced in the second to last 1990 vintage of Silver Oak “Bonny’s Vineyard” Cabernet. We served it out of the original wood case engraved with the wine vintage and marked with the serial number of the particular bottle.

Winemaker Notes: "The 1990 Napa Valley Bonny's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a dark ruby-red color. It has a nose of black cherries, red peppers and bay leaves. This wine has full body and a tart, long finish with a slight tannic grip."

This release was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Still showing well at 31 years, the fill level, label, foil and cork were near perfect. Of course storage in a six liter large format bottle ages better than a standard bottle. 

Never-the-less, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, dense concentrated black berry and black currant fruits accented by graphite, cigar box, leather and notes of cassis and spicy oak on a long lingering finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=37498

https://silveroak.com/ 

Newton Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

The Newton Estate consists of a square mile of hillside that was acquired by Dr Su Hua and Peter Newton in 1977. The Newton Vineyards Spring Mountain property sits above the town of St Helena on the steep slopes of the Mayacamas Mountain range, which separates Napa Valley from Sonoma County. The site boasts expansive vistas of Napa Valley with steep sun drenched slopes by day and the cooling valley at night. The terraced mountain estate has less than one-fifth of its total 490 acres planted to vines at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,600 feet above sea level. The non-farmed acreage remains in its native forested state providing natural habitat for indigenous wildlife.

Newton Vineyard was one of the first wineries in the Spring Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Napa Valley. The Newton estate consists of 112 parcels or lots, all planted to specific varieties, including Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, and Chardonnay, with an emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon. All 112 parcels are vinified separately, so to provide the winemaking team plenty of options for crafting the final blend before bottling. In 1990, Newton was the first winery to produce and sell an unfiltered Chardonnayin the US, making it a pioneer in the Napa wine industry. While Chardonnay tends to be Newton's most well-known and popular wine, it also produces powerful red wines that have become renowned cross the world.

The winery was designed and built to blend into the mountain and includes elements of the founders’ native lands interwoven with the California environment — roses, a pagoda, a Japanese red gate, lanterns, a London phone booth and French gardens.

In addition to the estate property, Newton also has holdings in Yountville, Mount Veeder, and Carneros, which the company uses for blends.

In 2001, part of Newton was sold to luxury group LVMH, and it continues to be one of the internationally known producers in Napa Valley. The founders previously founded Sterling Vineyards, also in Napa Valley, but sold it to Coca Cola in the 1970s.

I served from our cellar a six liter bottle of Newton Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Alec's birthyear vintage, 1990, that we have been holding for more than a decade for such an occastion.

Newton Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990  

At thirty-one years of age, the bottle had a wax capsule that was cracked and showed some signs of seepage and a resulting slightly reduced fill level at the bottom of the neck. The cork was completely saturated but the label was still unmarred. 

The wine lived up to loftiest expectations showing little or no sign of diminution from aging or from the dispacement of a small portion of the wine. 

This vintage release was awarded 95 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

The 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon was the first Newton Cabernet to have an extended maceration of 25-35 days and to include an important percentage of Cabernet Franc in the final blend. 

Ruby colored, medium-full bodied, a firm dense core of firm blackcurrant and black cherry fruits was accented by notes of cigar box, black tea and cedar with hints of cassis and dark mocha chocolate with supple tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=44999

The Newton Website is currently offering the 1994 release of this label - 84 bottles are available to club members only on their website.

https://www.newtonvineyard.com/en-US/our-wines/members-only-wines/1030734.html

https://www.newtonvineyard.com/

 

Oracle Software Silver Oak Wine Tasting

Oracle Software features Silver Oak and Twomey Wine Tasting presented by Silver Oak/Towmey Kathleen McLeod

Strategic Alliance partner software vendor Oracle (tangentially and but remotely related to Napa wine label of same name via Robert and Dave Miner association - no association with Oracle label from Killikanoon) featured an imaginative and classy wine tasting as part of a Covid shut-in remote ISV partner briefing. 

The Oracle Live Webinar event was hosted by and featured Dave Profozich, North American ISV SVP, who presented the ISV Executive Cloud Briefing industry and program strategy and update. Oracle kindly sent us two bottles for the event, the latest release Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet 2016 and the Twomey 2018 Napa/Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc. 

After the Oracle update briefing, Dave then turned the session over to Kathleen McLeod, VP Consumer Experience for Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey, who lead a virtual tasting of the current release Silver Oak Cabernet and Twomey Sauvignon Blanc.

Kathleen has thirty years industry experience with fifteen years at Silver Oak.  She lead a tasting exposition of each wine, shared the history and philosophy of Silver Oak/Twomey and then lead a general discussion answering questions and sharing perspectives and experiences with the participants.  

The first bottle featured was the current 2018 release of Twomey Sauvignon Blanc.  I wrote more extensively about Twomey in a recent blogpost.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/02/twomey-napa-valley-merlot-2002.html

This was an extra special event for me since son Ryan is an Oracle executive, so we attended and shared the experience together. With two of us, it afforded the opportunity to open another bottle of Silver Oak Alexander Valley to do a mini vertical comparison tasting. Ryan opened his 2016 release and I, rather than open my 2016 bottle, pulled from the cellar a 1995 vintage release of the same label. 

 As I wrote when we last opened this vintage release of this label, we hold a dozen and a half vintages of this iconic label and the Napa label, dating back to the birthyear vintages of our kids, '81, '82, '85 and '90, of which we still hold in magnums and some in other large format bottles. 

Notably, we served birthyear vintage Silver Oak Bonny's Vineyard (named after founder proprietor Ray Duncan's wife and co-founder) 1982, and other vintages of the Napa label, at Ryan's wedding from six liter large format and standard size bottles. Bonny's Vineyard was two acres of vines that surrounded the original homestead on the estate.

We also hold six liter bottles of the single vineyard designated bottling Bonny's Vineyard (shown right) for son Alec's birthyear vintage, which we'll serve at his wedding this summer. 

So it is that we know Silver Oak well and often open Silver Oak on special occasions.

Silver Oak Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

Tonight's tasting of this label was consistent with our last opening of this vintage release back in May of last year when I wrote: "Tonight's tasting of  this 1995 Alexander Valley Silver Oak Cab was showing its age as the color had taken on a slight browning on the rim and the fruits were starting to give way to some funkiness and earthy notes.'

"Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, has a garnet hue with some slight browning at the rim, the black fruits were giving way to aromas of cigar box, leather and herb flavors with hints of cherries and dark chocolate and anise."

RM 88 points - consistent with last tasting in May, 2020. 

This release orignally got 94 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points from Wine Spectator.

As shown, the bottle fill level, label, foil and cork were in ideal condition, testament to the ideal provenance conditions of our cellar.

 While still holding up, this is past its prime and starting to diminish from aging and should be consumed in the next year or so, longer only for the more adventurous. 

Note this interesting perspective based on the longevity predicted for this release by pundit Robert Parker. Parker noted, "given proper cellaring, this wine can be enjoyed now through 2019".

Characterizing notes from Robert Parker, "Critics have argued that the wine does not age particularly well, but that has largely been proven a myth for some vintages. Silver Oak generally is not as long lived as Chateau Montelena, Dunn, or other Napa Cabernets with a 30-40 year aging potential, but they can have a broad window of drinkability, known to be delicious at release, and able to sustain their fruit and character for typically 15 or more years."

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2580

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/05/vintage-napa-cab-trio-mark-celebration.html

Silver Oak Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Kathleen then lead the group tasting of this current release label, she explained, Silver Oak focuses on one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. Each release is selected from the best lots, blended together from numerous estate and grower supplier sources, and aged for two or more years in American Oak. Typically, more is produced or available for production with the best lots selected and released under the Silver Oak brand, with the remaining portion sold off to the trade for bottling under other labels. 

Silver Oak produce two Cabernet labels, this one from Alexander Valley, and another from Napa Valley, each reflecting the profile and character of the two regions - Alexander trending towards being softer, lighter, more delicate and moderate, while Napa tends to be more bold, fruit forward and bigger with its more concentrated Napa fruits - two styles to appeal to two preferences. In a typical vintage, sixty thousand cases are produced of the Alexander, twice as much as the Napa label. 

We have visited both the Alexander Valley winery up near Healdsburg, and the Napa Valley winery and hospitality center during our many visits to the region.

Ryan brought his bottle of this vintage release that he had opened and decanted several hours before the tasting. 

The 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 94.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.0% Merlot, 0.5% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.4% Malbec, and was aged for 24 months in American oak (50% new) from Silver Oak's own cooperage.

Winemaker's Notes:

Our 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is ruby in color with a magenta rim. It has an enticing nose of cassis, blackberry, vanilla, sage and spearmint. Upon entry, this wine builds from potpourri and bramble to a bright pop of raspberry on the mid-palate. A juicy finish with chewy tannins and a medium length, it will provide drinking pleasure through 2042 with proper cellaring. 

This was rated 93 points by Wilfred Wong

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright expressive yet smooth and approachable black berry and black currant fruits with notes of cassis, herbs and hints of mint, graphite mineral and subtle oak on the lingering dusty tannin laced finish. 

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3170524

Towmey Napa Valley Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2019 

As I wrote in a recent blogpost, Twomey was founded in 1999 by legendary Ray Twomey Duncan, founder of the well-known known and highly regarded Silver Oak, and sons David, and Tim Duncan. David served as the managing partner and today is Chairman and CEO of both Silver Oak and Twomey having joined Silver Oak in 2002. The name Twomey, (pronounced two-me) is named after their grandmother, Ray's mother, Velma’s maiden name and is also the middle name of several family members.

This Towmey Sauvignon Blanc is sourced exclusively from four estate-owned vineyards, half from Napa Valley and 1/2 Sonoma County Russian River Valley: the Sonoma sources - 35% Merino Estate Vineyard and 15% Twomey Healdsburg Estate Vineyard: the Napa County 50% from Twomey Calistoga Estate Vineyard, 9%, and the remaining 41% from Oakville Estate Vineyard that surrounds the Silver Oak winery there. 

The is is 99% Sauvignon Blanc with 1% Sauvignon Gris.

Light butter straw colored, light body, crisp and lively acidic laced flavors of bright tropical fruit with notes of grapefruit citrus and hints of pineapple with a crisp clean finish. 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3593999

https://twomey.com/

@Twomey

https://silveroak.com/

@SilverOak

https://twitter.com/kmcleodmcleod 

 @KmcleodMcLeod

http://www.oracle.com/

@Oracle

Silver Oak Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1995 label