Silver Oak Cellars : Napa Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2016
Only 2 available
In-Stock
DeliveryFree Home delivery for orders exceeding €300
Guaranteed provenanceWines sourced directly from the producing estates
Description
Tasting characteristics and tips for the Napa Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2016 from Silver Oak Cellars
Tasting
Color
The wine displays a deep ruby-red hue with beautiful purple highlights at the rim of the glass, reflecting the youth and outstanding phenolic maturity of this vintage.
Nose
The nose reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, with elegant fragrances of Madagascar vanilla, blackberry, and blackcurrant, alongside notes of chocolate and crème caramel. Subtle nuances of earth, four-spice, violet, and sweet tobacco enrich the bouquet. With aeration, secondary aromas of ripe raspberry, toasted coconut, and shiitake mushroom gradually emerge.
Palate
The attack offers richness and substantial weight without heaviness, with generous flavors of plum and blackberry unfolding across the palate. Exotic spices, toasted coconut, and four-spice add complexity. The mid-palate shows remarkable depth, with fresh cherry flavors balanced by subtle floral notes and a refined touch of black pepper. The tannic structure is fine and perfectly integrated, creating a velvety texture with no harshness. The finish is exceptionally long, with savory notes of earth, graphite, and minerality, complemented by lingering hints of black pepper and cigar box, while retaining freshness and vibrancy.
Food and wine pairings
This Napa Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2016 pairs beautifully with rare grilled red meats, braised beef ribs, lamb dishes, and aged cheeses. It also pairs elegantly with poultry in wine-based sauces and smoked charcuterie.
Serving and cellaring
It is recommended to decant the Napa Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2016 about thirty minutes before serving and to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2040.
An iconic Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon aged in American oak barrels
The estate
Founded in 1972 by entrepreneur Ray Duncan and winemaker Justin Meyer, Silver Oak Cellars has established itself as one of California’s most distinctive estates thanks to its bold philosophy: producing exclusively cabernet sauvignon aged entirely in American oak barrels. Now led by David Duncan as executive chairman and Jared Fix as CEO, the family estate owns more than 400 acres of vineyards spread between the Napa Valley and the Alexander Valley. Silver Oak also stands out for its exceptional environmental commitment, with its facilities having earned LEED Platinum certification. Since 2015, the estate has operated its own cooperage in Missouri, The Oak Cooperage, ensuring total control over the production of its barrels.
The vineyard
This 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Silver Oak’s most prestigious vineyards in the Napa Valley, notably Soda Canyon Ranch, a 113-acre parcel located on the first bench of the Vaca Mountains. This terroir enjoys warm, dry conditions tempered by the cooling influence of San Pablo Bay, with volcanic soils containing large rocks mixed with gravel. Jump Rock Vineyard, with its rust-red rocky soils, and the small Navone Vineyard in St. Helena, characterized by gravelly loam soils, also contribute to the blend’s complexity.
The vintage
The 2016 vintage marks an outstanding year for the Napa Valley, hailed by critics as one of the greatest vintages for California cabernet sauvignon since 1998. Despite a fifth consecutive year of drought, the growing season benefited from ideal weather conditions from spring through summer. Mild temperatures during ripening encouraged steady, harmonious aromatic development. Beneficial rains in October, just after the final harvest, brought much-needed moisture without compromising final ripeness. This generous crop produced magnificent, opulent wines with excellent balance and perfectly integrated tannins.
Winemaking and aging
The Napa Valley "Cabernet Sauvignon" 2016 was aged for 24 months exclusively in American oak barrels produced at Silver Oak’s estate cooperage in Missouri. These barrels are made from American white oak at least 80 years old, with staves air-dried for 24 months before being assembled and toasted to a medium-light level for about forty minutes. After barrel aging, the wine underwent an additional eighteen months of bottle aging before release.
Grape varieties
Cabernet Sauvignon (78.9%)
Merlot (15%)
Cabernet Franc (3.5%)
Petit Verdot (2.3%)
Malbec (0.3%)
