Black Oak Brewing Company

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.
— 21 days ago

Jay, Tom and 6 others liked this

Black Stallion Estate Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Big but still pretty restrainted. — 9 days ago

La Rioja Alta

Reserva Viña Ardanza Rioja Tempranillo Garnacha 2016

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. — a month ago

Joseph Phelps Vineyards

Insignia Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012

An exceptional, full-bodied wine. Tasted a lot of black cherry, currants, cedar, and creme de cassis. Drinking great now, but should last a long time in the cellar. — 20 days ago

Penfolds

Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 2010

Dense dark crimson - almost black in colour. Red and black fruits, choc/mocha; and wild mint. An inner core of strength, concentration and intensity. The following night - Blackberry, rich, ripe fruits. A powerful 389 which will live for decades. My first of 11. Destined for greatness. 100% American Oak. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon; 49% Shiraz. — 12 days ago

Tom, Dawn and 25 others liked this

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2010

Somm David T
9.4

2010 is a vintage to leave to your children if you bought this at 50 years old forward. This is a 50-60 year wine with proper storage.

The nose shows nice ruby, fruits of; dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Chocolate mousse, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, slightly sweet dark earth with withering dark & red florals.

The palate is warm, inviting & beautiful. Easy to drink. Dark cherries, cherries, strawberries with a dark currant center, blackberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Red cola/licorice, dark chocolate, melted, milk chocolate, light caramel, moist sage, warm, oak barrel shavings, moist, dark earth w/ dry leaves, celery, used leather, moist tobacco, with withering dark & red florals. Perfect acidity with an excellently balanced, nicely knitted, perfect tension & structure with elegance for days the falls evenly on ripe fruits & soft earthiness.

94-96 in another 10 years. Outside chance at 97.
— 7 days ago

Rob, David and 23 others liked this
"Odedi"

"Odedi" Influencer Badge

Great wine from a great vintage

Château Montrose

Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.5

It is really no surprise that this 05 is incredible and still extremely youthful. This 05 will out live almost anyone 50 years old. It is good for another 45 years.

I had their 16 La Dame last weekend & commented it should not be opened for another 10 years.

The core on the nose is dark velvet black currants. There’s a bit of melted dark chocolate-mousse. Ripe but subtle blackberries, black raspberries, black plum-plum pudding, very dark cherries, some mulberries, mocha powder, dark, rich earth, dry river stone, limestone, anise, mix of dry/fresh herbs, fine, undertone of baking spices, moist grey clay, slightly dry tobacco, sandalwood, mild, elegant spice, just the slightest hint of mint, dark, very, slightly candied, dark, withering flowers & red roses.

The palate is rich, round with velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark fruits blended in melted dark-mocha chocolate. Blackberries, black raspberries, both plums w/ heavy skin, dark cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries & raspberries over the top. Dry bay leaf-sage, moist clay, rich, dark, turned earth, dry river stone, limestone powder, stem inclusion, red licorice/cola, anise to black licorice candy, sandalwood to soft cedar, slightly moist tobacco, used leather, mild, dark spice, a touch & just a touch of tomato leaf, hints of cardamom, dark/red withering flowers with just a touch of violets, perfect acidity and a very well knitted, tensioned, balanced, structured, elegantly polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on nice earthiness & softly muddled spice.

Paired w/ their bone-in Ribeye. Best steakhouse steak that I’ve had out and not made by me & friends. Rich fat, tender and flavor. Lacks a bit of char and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com.

Open in another 15-20 years.

A real shot at a 💯 in another 15-20+.

@Delmonico Steakhouse Las Vegas
— 9 hours ago

Peter, Paul and 5 others liked this
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

The Montrose stuff is a true force of nature. That'90 vintage will outlive us all combined. Ridiculously fresh once you get past the brett.

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Ron R
8.9

I can’t remember the last time I tasted this brand, and while it’s very approachable, it’s a total construction site. Vanilla and over-sweet brown sugar with resolved tannins. Not my cup-of-tea, but will be enjoyed by others. — a month ago

Andrew MooreRick K
with Andrew and Rick
Tom, Jay and 22 others liked this
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

🇺🇸 🪵 💣
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Jay Kline, I have older vintages of Napa and Alexander Valley, and they are nothing like what I tasted here. Just so you know, the 94 Silver Oak Napa cab was the wine that actually helped to create my current, measly credit score… Silver Oak has certainly sh!t the bed (in my opinion) since the late 90’s.
Jay Kline

Jay Kline Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Ron R I agree. I’ve had some vintages from the early 80’s that were really good but man…the oak has been overbearing for probably 20 years

Château Pontet-Canet

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

This was rich with black fruits, mocha, graphite, cedar, leather, under brush & tobacco — 6 days ago

Ira, Aravind and 11 others liked this

Oak Ridge Winery

OZV Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

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. — a month ago