Conrad Green

9.6

A big brooding breast. Intense and slightly feral. Powerful deep fruit, ferrous notes, pepper and a hint of band aid. Really present and powerful but still refined. A great wine — 20 days ago

with Paul and Ara

DAD Wine Lover

9.3

Early Birthday present…… 🍷🍷🍷 — 2 years ago

with Mic, Daniela and 3 others

Kristen Grimes

9.5

Rich black fruits, oak and leather aromas; softened but present acid and tannins, the fruit is more tart on the palate, lighter in body while being rich flavored. — 2 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Bright scarlet color, mostly translucent. Red fruit, gravel stone, spice, dark earth, some tobacco and some leather. Fruit is somewhat faded but still present. I think the 85 LB is moving towards being past peak, but still delivers a nice old world experience. — 4 years ago

Ming L

9.7

The 3rd and final bottle of the 11’ vintage (a underestimated vintage IMO), and it keeps getting better. The slight green note from the previous 2 bottles is no longer present. At a great place now. While it does not have the usual richness and power, it’s impeccably balanced, fresh, seamless, and graceful, which is preferable to me.

And I can’t thinking of a better bottle to pair with Pekin duck.

Almost perfect!

— 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.8

Tasted blind. Dark amber/tawny color. Notes of brown sugar, hickory, earth, saddle leather and some cola. Sweet to the taste with lots of complexity. Fruit is still present, with tannins fully resolved of course. Guesses by the boyz are 50’s Bordeaux, but I think it’s older. I’ve had two really old bottles of Chateau Margaux from the 20s and 30s, and I think it’s in that camp so I go with a guess of Margaux from the 20’s. Bingo. We’re told this was given many hours in the decanter and then we consumed it over 3 hours… it was alive from start to the last drop. What a great experience to drink grape juice that is nearly 100 years old. Bravo and thanks Stan! — 5 years ago

Greg Gregory

9.8

Wow. I think this was many people wine of the night and with all the incredible somms present that’s saying something. Alive, fresh, focused, elegant, bright. Blockbuster. — 6 years ago

Scott Kahn

9.1

Still tasting fresh and alive at 40 years! Black fruit present along with mushroom, cedar, and vanilla spice. Tannins are softened but still providing a structure for the wine. — 5 months ago

James Naphen

9.2

**Wine Review: 2008 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Opened November 2024)**

The 2008 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, opened today, showcases an impressive balance and complexity, affirming its status as a finely aged wine. Its deep ruby hue remains vibrant, with exceptional clarity that invites exploration.

On the nose, ripe aromas of blackberry syrup and dark fruits are prominent, complemented by elegant notes of dried ginger and a subtle floral undertone. These aromas suggest both maturity and freshness, creating a captivating bouquet.

The palate offers a bold, full-bodied experience, featuring flavors of graphite and pencil lead that add intrigue and depth. The oak is beautifully integrated, enhancing the wine's harmony without overshadowing the fruit. The tannins, while still present, are soft and smooth, allowing the wine’s fruity core to take center stage.

Despite its 16 years of aging, this wine retains a youthful vibrancy, with its primary fruit flavors shining through. The finish is balanced and moderate in intensity, leaving a lasting impression of refinement.

Enjoyed today, this wine is a testament to the careful craftsmanship of Silver Oak. While it has clearly benefited from its time in the cellar, it remains dynamic and will continue to develop nuances for years to come. — 2 years ago

with Melissa

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Deeper ruby , narrower rim , just touch of garnet . Quite deep and rich , deeper darker fruits , quite mineral. More cedar and dark cassis , grafite , iron fillings , touch of mint quite ripe rounded but present tannins . Good balanced acidity, robust but very long on the palate . Also needs more time really though is surprisingly enjoyable now because of the roundness of the fruit and ripe tannins , better in 10 years and will last well over the next 20- 25. Bigger boned , fatter and more robust and powerful than the Lafite 2000, though still hugely complex and satisfying. — 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

Decanted for around an hour, the recently released 2013 Grand Vin from Chateau Musar is an enormous wine at present in its youth. Gradually, it opened into a gorgeous, exotic and utterly unique product of this unlikely corner of the wine world. There’s plenty of Bordeaux-like character in the form of dark fruit and cigar box, but there are notes too of cranberry, liquorice, clove, mandarin and five spice. The mouthfeel, as a whole, has a quasi Brunello quality to it, with its bright cherry fruit and mouthwatering acidity. But woe is anyone to compare this wine to any other, for it is incomparable. One of Serge Hochar’s last vintages before his passing in 2014, and one that will doubtless have a long life. — 5 years ago

DAD Wine Lover

9.5

My Birthday Present...... 🍷 — 6 years ago

with Daniela and FEFI

Scott Kahn

9.5

This wine has reached a new peak; fully integrated tannins alongside chocolate that melds away to review a long finish of vanilla cream. The earthier profile of red fruit is present as is a nice complement of peppery spice. If you can access a bottle this is a must drink wine that will carry the night. — 7 years ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.1

Cherry licorice nose. Cherry with a touch of spice on the palate. Tannins have smoothed but still present. Deserves the accolades that I have seen. February 2026. — 5 months ago

Shane Walker

10

Clear, deep golden colour. Clean, pronounced peach & apricot with lemon on the nose. Dry, with medium to high acidity. Medium to full bodied. Marvellous flavours of toast & honey with a long, lingering aftertaste. Just a hint of minerality. An outstanding wine and a great birthday present.

61% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay.

Dining at Sir Samuel’s Restaurant, onboard Queen Anne en route from Samoa to Tonga. — a year ago

with Michele

Jakub Kalinowski

9.1

You gotta love aged Bordeaux!
Black currant galore with some back currant leaf, a whiff of mint, barely a hint of cigar box. So fresh & enticing.
Poised, so balanced, very, very elegant on the palate.
Mellowed, yet present tannins, so finely polished. Juicy acidity, still some fruit on the mid palate. Nice length, great precision. What a lovely wine! — 3 years ago

Steven Gullo

9.3

From Magnum. Opens up quickly with a very complex nose of tobacco, leather, warm spices. The American oak is certainly present with dill and toasted coconut. In a very good spot to drink now. Paired nicely with Easter Lamb! — 4 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.3

Elegant and refined. A hint of mushroom and scent of forest floor. Tan is still present but gentle- good to drink now. Lovely. — 5 years ago

with David and Michael

Mike Saviage

9.7

From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Tried 6mos ago. Began 1916, Juan Gil Giménez, great-grandfather of present generation, built winery in heart of Jumilla. Blue label spent 18 months in new oak (wine formally known as 18 mos representing time in bottle, now “Blue Label.” Monastrell, Cab Sauv & Syrah blend (60/30/10), low yield, aromas of red berry and toasty oak. Palate shows flavors of dark berry fruits, espresso, cacao and hints of sweet spice. Big dusty tannins, well integrated with oak, lingering, well balanced. Aged well, still going! — 6 years ago