Bells Up Winery

Silver Oak

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Somm David T
8.9

It has been 15 years or so since I’ve had a Silver Oak. Thought I check in. Nothing has changed, every vintage basically tastes the same. It almost like they add flavoring. 🤷‍♂️ One red you could not fool me blind. Short Rib was excellent.

At Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2025.

The ticket to this event has a pretty big price tag. But when you consider what a Napa etc. tasting or two and lunch would cost you, you are pretty much there and there is so much more than that. It ends up having great value. It’s wine, spirits and food candy land.
— 7 days ago

Jay, Tom and 5 others liked this

Beringer Vineyards

Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

This is on the way up. 2 hour decant. It needed it but it was singing. Many years ahead on this. All good. — a month ago

Joe and Shay liked this

Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

Bolgheri Red Bordeaux Blend

Good color and nose. Needing some time to open up. — 2 months ago

Tom, Juan and 3 others liked this

Château Latour

Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (91.3%) and Merlot (8.7%). A bit tight and unexpressive right out of the bottle. After a 45 minute decant, this wine was awake and very alive. Dark ruby color. Aromas of graphite, forest floor, wet gravel and dark black fruit. Flavors of black currant/cherry/berry/plum, tobacco, baking spices, dark chocolate and minerals. Distinct notes of smoky oak and wet earth on the long and lingering finish. Tannins were a bit lighter than expected at first but developed with aeration. Quite savory, rich, full bodied and powerful. Beautiful texture. Exceptional (once it opened up) but not the bottle of near perfection that I had heard so much about. Thanks for sharing, Petey and Happy Birthday, Kase! — 13 days ago

Austin, DAD and 9 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1985

All leather and cigars at first, and then the fruit showed up after an hour. Delicious. — a month ago

Ridge Vineyards

Monte Bello Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Enjoyed with a Cantonese beef stew, dad's recipe. Decanted 3 hours before dinner and it still held tight graphite, cedar, and black fruit notes. A touch closed up or young right now, will revisit my next bottle in 5 to 10 years — 2 months ago

Shafer Vineyards

One Point Five Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

2021 vintage. Coravin sampled from a 375ml bottle. That classic, Shafer feminine, cassis, graphite flavor blanket with balanced, on cue tannins. Picked up two cases of the 1/2 btls as we will blow thru them. 03.19.25. — a month ago

Andrew, Douglas and 9 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1979

Fully mature and opened nicely with 30 minutes of air. Drink up! — a month ago

Ira liked this

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

When confronted with an open bottle of Silver Oak Cab on a Wednesday night, you step up and finish it, no questions asked. — 2 months ago

Yianni, Ted and 6 others liked this

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2010

It has a nearly opaque, dark fruited appearance that opens up to very appealing and persistent aromatics and flavors of blueberries and blackberries.

There is still a good amount of primary fruit; it is medium/full, well structured with a good balance of juicy acidity and refined tannins at the finish. New oak is there, but unobtrusive.

Overall, this 2010 is a reserved and savory St. Julien that doesn’t whack me over the head with gobs of oak and loads of sweet jammy fruit. It is definitely “worth a search” if you don’t have it.
— 2 months ago