Don's Gillette's Wine Blog
Musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Read Don's full bio...
Email Don directly with your wine-related questions.
Rising Standards
One of the happiest recent developments in the Napa Valley has been the recent re-emergence of Silver Oak winery as a quality standard. The 2001 and 2002 Alexander Valley bottlings were SOs best pair since 1994 and the latest Twomey Merlot, the 2003, is a rich, varietally expressive and altogether charming bottling. In this vintage, the Twomey is every bit as fine as its pricey competition, but unlike those uniformly tannic offerings, it is altogether gorgeous already.
This week we tried the Silver Oak 2002 Napa Cab, due out on February third, and it is explosively fruity, richly oaky, supple, plush and imbued with all the class and aging potential of their spectacular 1990, 1991 and 1992 versions.
There is clearly new energy and commitment invigorating the place, as other important things are also in the works. SO is not only building an entirely new winery facility and tasting area on their Oakville estate, but they have recently purchased the Roshambo winery facility on Westside Road in the Russian River Valley.
Up the road from neighbors like Rochioli and Williams-Selyem, this should become a high-profile second home for Twomey. It will also provide a place to headquarter the budding Pinot project Twomey has been quietly introducing through its Napa tasting room. Production is increasing and NVWE holds hope for some limited retail store availability this coming July.
2002 Silver Oak, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Vividly fruity, optimally ripe and graced with appealing herbal accents, the nose of this classic Napa Cabernet has deep black cherry, black currant, crushed rose, sweet vanilla and baking spice scents, along with hints of red raspberry and cedar. It is impressively structured and just as fruit-packed on the palate, where blackberry, plum and black currant flavors form a lovely veneer over layers of rich vanilla, toast, earth and baking spice. Certain to grow ever more delicious for at least another four years, it may prove to be the best Silver Oak Cabernet since their great 1990-1992 Napa bottlings.