Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Napa Valley

Tasting conducted February 2021

The 1997 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a saturated, inky garnet hue. The aromas are fascinatingly complex with notes of carnation, wet asphalt, cassis, blackberry and cocoa nibs. This is a generous and giving vintage with a fleshy and round entry, a dense structure, cherry and vanilla flavors and a present but not overbearing structure of fine tannin. As it moves throughout the palate, this wine crescendos toward a grand finish with plenty of horsepower and some cocoa powder tannins. Decanting suggested due to moderate sediment. While it can be enjoyed now, this wine should continue to improve through 2029.

Composition: 93%Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petite Verdot, 13.9% alcohol