I picked up a couple ‘88s recently as I’m always looking for birth year wines and opted to open this one first. Rough label, but provenance was great.
Consumed from bottle over the course of two hours. After 10-20mins of blowing off so 30+yr funk, this became a total surprise! Faded ruby with bricking but that’s the only sign that this had age. Aromatics sported sweet cherry tobacco, older floral/potpurri, and a mix of red and black berry fruits. Juicy and vibrant on the palate! Shocked. Core of red and black fruits carry the profile with fig, herbs and a little bit of leather. Good spine of acidity here. Not much tannin at the finish, but it’s classically old Napa merlot. Drink up and enjoy! — a month ago
Excellent cab great depth tannins not overly fruit for just spectacular  — a month ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish/brick rim.
Fruit forward on the nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing sweet cherries, raspberries, blueberries, black currants, plums, chocolates, light oak, earth, cola, herbs, spices, light vanilla, licorice, peppercorn and tobacco leaf.
Nice tangy finish with soft tannins.
This 6-year-old Zinfandel blend from Sonoma County is drinking at its peak. Spicy and fruit forward. Elegant and juicy.
Great right out of the bottle, but even better after a few hours of air, when the complexity really comes to life.
The alcohol is very nicely integrated by now. Easy drinking and nicely balanced. A great sipping wine.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$35. — a month ago
Smooth! Jammy aftertaste. Not incredibly sweet. Good recommendation for a first try of red. (XI buy) — 6 days ago
Mike drank. Smooth tannins. Fruity. Light kitchen spices. — a month ago
Medium garnet, intensity aromas of strawberries, black cherry, dill, liquorice, butter scotch, sweet oak, vanilla, cloves, coconut oil. Dry, high acidity, medium plus tannins, high alcohol, full body. Pronounced flavor. Long finish. Outstanding. — 12 days ago
Pleasantly surprised how good this is for less than $9. Bright fruity nose. Sweet dark cherries, raspberries, baking spice. Full bodied slightly jammy and smooth as silk with pleasing lingering finish. — 19 days ago
Beautiful and light on its feet. Dry - very well made! Fantastic fruit. Very fresh. Honey. Meyer lemon, mandarine, just a faint touch of 1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) aka Diesel. Touch bitter on the back palate. As a chemist i just had to bring this up. At 24 suns in Oceanside. 2 Michelin Chefs cooking. Grab this bargain before it is gone!!!!!! — 2 months ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
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. — 5 days ago