Silver Oak Cellars : Alexander Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2018

The suppleness and elegance of a red wine from Alexander Valley

The estate

Founded in 1972 by Ray Twomey Duncan and Justin Meyer, Silver Oak Cellars have since the beginning had the ambition to develop a cabernet sauvignon wine, aged in American oak casks with an exceptional laying-down potential. Decades later, Silver Oak Cellars wines have been come an unmissable reference among Californian wines.

Today, Ray’s sons David and Tim Duncan own and work the 200-plus hectares of vines in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley, with an avant-garde approach to winegrowing, as respectful as possible to natural resources and the environment. Since 2014, Nate Weis, originally from Napa Valley, has supervised all the growing and winemaking operations.

The vineyard

The "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2018 from Silver Oak Cellars is a Californian wine that comes from a vineyard of around 44 hectares, grown on terraces. The sand-silt soils formed by changes in the Mayacamas mountains are made up of gravel.

Winemaking and ageing

This Alexander Valley wine was aged in American oak casks (50% new) which come from the estate’s own cooperage. Up until 2011, this wine was developed solely from cabernet sauvignon ; following several blend trials, it was found that the addition of merlot and cabernet franc brought a silky, spicy element. These two grape varieties were added to the blend from then on in making this wine.

Blend

Cabernet sauvignon
Merlot
Cabernet franc

Characteristics and tasting tips for Alexander Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2018 from Silver Oak Cellars

Tasting

Nose
The aromatic bouquet, dominated by delicious red fruit notes (wild strawberries, raspberries and plums), enhanced by sage and thyme scents.

Palate
A pure and authentic expression of its terroir, the palate gives a gracious and smooth texture, invigorated by a refreshing acidity. The elegant palate entices with its supple structure and fine tannins.