Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

We gathered the family together to welcome Alec and Vivianna’s new baby, our newest grand-daughter, Ryleigh, to the family. We ordered carry out Italian cuisine from Angeli’s Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. 

Dinner consisted of Angeli’s signature dishes, Mussels in White Wine sauce, Butternut Gnocchi, Peppers and Sausage, and Lasagna, with garlic bread and salad. 

Prior to dinner we had a medley of artisan cheeses with crackers and fresh fruits and olives. 

For the occasion, I opened a flight of wines, white, red, sparkling, and dessert, several aged vintage wines from our cellar collection of birthyear vintage wines, in this case for Alec’s birthyear. 

We celebrated and I wrote about the extraordinary, exceptional 1990 vintage, Alec’s birthyear often in these pages including - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues.

Opening multiple bottles of the same vintage is called a ‘horizontal’, (as opposed to a ‘vertical’, which is multiple vintages of the same bottle/label). A horizontal tasting is often revealing in comparing how one region, varietal, appellation and producer ages relative to others. 

Charles Heidseick Brut Vintage Champagne 1990

This is one of several Heidseick Champagne houses, named for founder Charles Heidsieck, nephew of the famous uncle of the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne House. Charles Heidsieck was born in 1822 and married into the Piper family. 

Charles grew up in the vineyards and gained experience at his uncle’s business, but left to pursue his ambitions based on his own winemaking philosophy and founded his own Champagne House, Charles Heidsieck in Reims in 1851. 

After success in the Europe marketplace, Charles set out for America to sell his wares in the US and was one of the first to introduce Champagne successfully to the country. He gained notoriety and popularity with his outgoing gregarious personality and he famously became known as ‘Champagne Charlie’. 

Charlie had an eventful few years in America, including being imprisoned in Louisiana on suspicion of being a spy during the Civil War. He was eventually freed by President Lincoln himself and then returned to settle in Champagne.

Unlike his peers, Charles viewed himself as a blender and not a grower and , instead of purchasing land, he spent most of his money investing in forty-seven underground chalk cellars dating back to the 11th century. He began buying grapes from trusted grower families with expertise in perfecting the care of their vines going back generations. 

Today, Charles Heidsieck Champagne sources grapes from 60 separate sites, encompassing a variety of different Crus, some of these plots are cultivated by the fourth or fifth generation of the same family.

Charles Heidsieck is a hand-crafted champagne. The intricacies of its complex make-up have been perfected over the years by one of the most celebrated winemaking teams in Champagne. Between three winemakers they have been awarded Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge twelve times, an award no other house has won more than twice!

The flagship cuvée, Brut Réserve, is the house’s flagship masterpiece. Many years in the making, the wine is a blend of 60 of the best vineyards and harvests going back more than 15 years. It is aged in the House’s Roman chalk cellars under Reims, which provide an ideal environment to age the wine with its unique combination of constant temperature, high humidity levels and no sound, light or vibration to disturb the wines. 

Since 2011, the company has been owned by the Descours family continuing the legacy ensuring the company remains family-run with a long-term vision for the future. In early 2015, Cyril Brun took over as Cellar Master, having been assistant winemaker for many years at Veuve Clicquot.

I’ve written often in these pages about the incredible 1990 vintage that enjoyed success globally, from Bordeaux in France, to Napa Valley in American, to Australia. Indeed, Wine Spectators Wine of the Year featured 1990 vintage releases for three years to follow.

The 1990 vintage in Champagne was also extraordinary. Despite severe frosts in the spring, the vineyards enjoyed hot weather throughout the growing cycle. Not since 1950 had the sun been so strong; grapes had never experienced so much sunlight. There was, however, no drought like in 1976 or 1959. Just at the perfect moment, as the situation became dire, it would rain.As a result, the vine stocks, deeply rooted in the chalky soil’s water reserves, did not suffer. The heat hindered the development of disease and parasites, leading to perfectly healthy grapes at harvest.

This release was a traditional blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay.

Producer’s vintage notes - “TO THE EYE: A golden robe with glints of copper sparkling withdelicate phemeral bubbles. ON THE NOSE: The wine expresses maturity as it opens with notesof oxidation: spices, roasting coffee, jellied fruit sweets andcandied melon. There is also a touch of cocoa. This complex noseoffers toasted, roasted notes with citrus fruit, bergamot, lemonand orange zest. The structure develops, but contributes to thearomatic complexity without overpowering it. ON THE PALATE: The palate is characterised by nuts – walnuts andhazelnuts – but also cocoa, coffee and raisins. The wine demonstrates great elegance and freshness thanks to its citrus fruit notes accompanied by apricot and mirabelle plum. The finish is saltyand chalky.”

We acquired several bottles of this birthyear vintage designated Champagne years ago and served it at special occasions, most notably, Alec and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago and at other family celebrations, since. 

We still hold several bottles of this label and need to consume them soon. At thirty five years, this had lost its effervescence, yet was still tasty and pleasant interesting drinking. 

Back in 2021 I wrote - Amazing, impressive life left in this 31 year old vintage Champagne. 

The color was dark gold colored with intense, complex, dry, finely integrated layers of zesty citrus fruits accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and pineapple with a long bright vibrant finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/fathers-day-grilled-steak-wine-dinner.html

Tonight, this was tea colored, light medium bodied, dry, subtle layers of citrus fruit accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and tones of coffee on the moderate finish. With the zest gone, it’s time to drink up the remaining bottles. 

RM 88 points for now. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?39790

Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure Monbazillac Cuvée Abbaye 1990

We opened this vintage dessert wine which went well with the salad, the cheeses, the sausage, as well as the desserts. This sweet dessert wine is from the appellation of Monbazillac, the third most esteemed region in Bordeaux for sweet wines, behind Sauternes and Loupiac. 

Early in the 20th century the wines of Monbazillac were considered equally with and fetched the same prices as the more famous, higher chateaux of Sauternes. With its exceptional terroir and microclimate suitable for the production of late harvest wines, this region is re-emerging the “new” sauternes. 

The wines of Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure are considered among the best in the region. The Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure is situated in Colombier, in the southwest of France, in the Périgord region, in the South of Bergerac, on the appellation Bergerac and Monbazillac.  

The estate covers 125 acres, 80 of which are planted with white grape varieties and 17 with red grape varieties. The grape varieties selected and vinified for the dry and sweet wines are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Chenin and Ondenc which are ‘accessory’ grape varieties permitted in the appellation, with a limited percentage in the blend. The grape varieties selected for the red and rosé wines include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec.

Christian Roche has managed the winery since 1984. He rebuilt the wine cellar in 1989 in the his endeavors to improve the quality of the wines.

This is a blend of traditional Monbazillac varietal grapes: 80% botrysized Semillon and 20% Muscadelle. A is customary for dessert wines, the grapes are harvested in multiple passes through the vineyards with only those affected by noble rot making their way into the cuvee. This wine was aged 24 months in oak barrel.

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in ideal condition for their age. The color was deep dark brownish golden tea colored. When released this wine was straw colored, then darkened with aging, turning golden, then increasingly deeper brown. 

Producers’ notes - “Here the Monbazillac is adorned with gold, as it should. While not explosive, the bouquet is a beautiful complexity candied fruit, but also notes of quince, acacia, lemon … On the palate, the sugar-acid balance is remarkable. It is both rich, powerful, bold and fresh. The wood (twenty-six months in the barrel) is perfectly allowed to express the fruit. In a word, harmonious.”

“Luscious deep gold, honeyed and fat with peachy botrytis tones, gingerbread, hazelnuts, fresh mint and eucalyptus on the palate. The Ancienne Cure is mini Mon-bee, marzipan, orange peel and spices.”

Showing its age, gone were bright sprites of apricot, oranges and quince, the fruits were subdued and turned to notes of smoky and espresso accenting the sweet honeyed citrus, yet this was very interesting and enjoyable drinking, especially nicely paired with various courses of the meal.  

RM 90 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=167954

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/167954

https://www.domaine-anciennecure.fr/gb/

This mini-horizontal tasting of two Bordeaux varietal wines from the same vintage was illuminating, comparing the Bordeaux to the Alexander Valley Cabernet. 

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

We then opened this well known popular label from Alec’s birthyear vintage. This is the same label we served at his and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago. We also still hold several bottles of the Napa Valley variant of this label. Believing it will age longer than the Alexander Valley version, we opened this one, as part of cellar inventory management. 

We wrote about this label and this birthyear release in more detail in this earlier blogpost - Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House, and Birthyear vintage labels and large format bottles.

We hold over four cases of this label across a vertical collection of sixteen vintages dating back to the birthyears of each of our kids. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in remarkably ideal condition for their age. 

Winemaker Notes for this release - “The 1990 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a stable and lively translucent, ruby red color. It offers aromas of bergamot, vanilla, and hints of black cherry. This wine has an impressive lively and bright, yet elegant, attack and mid-palate with hints of red pepper flavor. The 1990 still shows exuberance and structured tannins on the lengthy finish. Decanting suggested. “

This was rated 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

After decanting and breathing for two and a half hours, this was still approachable, albeit showing its age with a slight bit of funkiness, leather and wood setting in, offsetting the blackberry fruits. The color was still dark garnet colored with the slightest bit of cloudiness appearing. 

Medium bodied, the blackberry and black cherry fruits were hanging on with notes of leather, cigar box, cassis, spice and forest floor with a still balanced lingering finish. 

RM 89 points at this stage.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10085

This was an interesting comparison to the same vintage Bordeaux below; see comments that follow. 

Chateau La Louviere Passaic Leognan Bordeaux 1990

We hold nearly three cases of a vertical collection of this label spread across a dozen vintages dating back to this birthyear release. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and the import fill level were in good condition for their age. (We still hold five more bottles of this release and we selected the one with the worst condition soiled label.) The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Wine Advocate, back in 2000 and 1997 respectively. .

Wine Advocate wrote, “One of the finest of the lesser known Graves chateaux, La Louviere has been making terrific wine since the late eighties.” 

Wine Spectator wrote’ “ One of the best wines ever from this estate.”

Compared to the Silver Oak, Alexander, this was showing more diminution from aging, with slight rust brownish color hues on the rim, slight clouding, and showing a bit less remaining structure and body.

Slight foggy dark garnet colored, medium bodied, dark berry and cherry fruits were a bit muted but still hanging on, accented still by that classic Graves tobacco, smoke, leather and cassis, with slight remaining grainy texture on the short finish. 

This was still holding on surprisingly well, and approachable, mostly so as part of this horizontal comparison, but it’s time to drink up in the near term. 

RM 87 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10446

Our great fun with wine such as this gala family celebration continues. 

Gala family birthday celebration and Christmas Lights bus tour

Gala family birthday celebration and Christmas Lights bus tour, foods and some vintage wine

The family and friends gathered for a gala grand-daughter Millie’s birthday celebration.

All the grandkids/cousins were there … 

 Taking in the joyous holiday season, the evening culminated in a festive Christmas Lights bus tour to tour the neighbors and see the holiday lights decorations, …. 

And, the neighbors Taylor Swift holiday display! 

Alec and Viv prepared an extensive selection of artisan cheeses, chips and dips, Alec’s signature beef tenderloin sandwiches …. (Here with sibling, Erin) … 

… in addition to the grand birthday cake. 

Fun with wine! Alec served a medley of red and white wines. As is customary for such occasions, I took from our cellar a commemorative birthyear vintage wine to taste and share.

We served a horizontal selection of birthyear wines for Alec and Vivianna’s wedding celebration that included Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for both their birthyear vintages as featured in these blogposts - 

Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues

We still hold several cases of their birthyear vintage wines and are working through them at occasions such as this. 

Birthyear vintage labels and large format bottles

Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House

Tonight we brought Vivianna’s birthyear vintage from our collection … which is a bit more challenging since 1991 was a less than stellar vintage in Napa, especially when compared to Alec’s spectacular 1990 vintage year. 

Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

Earlier previous Producer notes for the Alexander Valley label; "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*.

Currant Producer’s notes on this label release - “The 1991 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a strong scarlet-red hue with no signs of bricking. The nose is somewhat muted and earthy but has inviting and interesting aromatics like new leather, dried ginger and cocoa beans. The entry is somewhat dilute and lower in acidity than most Silver Oak wines of the era but is broad and has depth along with cured meat and orange peel flavors. The mid-palate is layered and mouth-coating. This is not a huge wine but is bold and authoritative with strong tannins that still accent the long return. Decanting suggested due to moderate sediment. Enjoy now.”

At thirty three years, the label and foil were in good condition while the importantly fill level and cork will also still acceptable for their age. 

While understandably passed its prime optimal drinking window, this bottle is still holding on but is reaching its end of life and needs to be consumed. 

The dark garnet colored has taken on a slight brownish hue. Still medium to full bodied, the black berry and plum fruits are taking on a bit of tartness and giving way to spice, oak and non-fruit flavors or leather, smoke, and earthy tobacco, with moderate tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 87 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=21346

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

https://silveroak.com/  

@SilverOak

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/