The 2008 vintage featured a dry spring with serious frost damage in some vineyards and cool bloom-time conditions, which, coupled together, produced a light crop. It was a mild summer with a few heat spikes in July, August and early September. Harvest was about nine days earlier than normal due to the small crop and the accelerated ripening from the warm temperatures. Picking began in Alexander Valley on September 1st and was concluded on October 3rd.
As always, the Silver Oak Alexander is blended from various lots and aged in a 100% American Oak (50% new, 50% second use) for two years and a month. The winery suggests a drinking window through 2030.
But such is the soft and generous nature of Silver Oak that it can (and most of it will) be consumed just as quickly as you can ready glasses and a corkscrew.
Winery Tasting Notes: "Our 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark, rich full-bodied wine with great tannic structure and mouth-feel. It has a garnet color and a nose of ripe boysenberries, cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, sandalwood and a hint of roasting meat. On the palate, it is mouth-coating and incredibly rich in umami. It has a very long, savory finish with the slight grip of fine-grained tannins. Given proper cellaring, this wine should give drinking pleasure through 2030."
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