Wine of the Week!

Silver Oak 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon  $60             
   

If you relate to the phrase “Life is a Cabernet” then you know what our wine of the week is.  That slogan – which you’ve probably seen on t-shirts, hats and even license plate frames – is from Silver Oak Cellars.  The wine is Silver Oak 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. 

This one hundred percent Cab is everything you want in a luscious and mouth filling Cabernet.  Silver Oak may be the original cult Cabernet and people have clamored for and followed it for years but now it’s a bit easier to find… or just order from the winery. 

To us the taste is full of the blackberry and mocha flavors of that ripe Alexander Valley fruit and the nutmeg spiciness from two years of oak aging.  It’s really approachable too if you just can’t wait to pop the cork but this Cab will age easily for ten years if you like to hold fine wine. 

The Silver Oak 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet is about sixty dollars at retail. It’s a wine that shines and is certainly as ideal to give as it is to get! 

Pop the Cork™.  

Wine on the Radio - December 8, 2006 

Winemaker’s comments: 

Our 2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, profound wine that beautifully balances concentration with finesse. It has a dark, ruby color and aromas of blackberry jam, soy sauce, violets and dark chocolate, with hints of cedar and cinnamon. The first impression in the mouth is one of smoothness and roundness. The wine offers a seamless, harmonious progression of fruit, chocolate and black tea tones, leading to an extremely long finish with supple tannins and echoes of berry fruit. Properly cellared, it should provide drinking pleasure until 2027.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2002 vintage was one of the most compressed in our three decades of winemaking. From start to finish, it lasted 32 days. Temperatures were moderate for most of the season and bud break and veraison occurred normally. On Labor Day weekend, the region experienced a typical Northern California heat wave, with temperatures rising into the low 100’s. Atypically, there was very low relative humidity for the next six weeks, resulting in an extraordinary concentration in the fruit that changed the character of the vintage.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show.

The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old).  Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!