With another glorious sunny day in the forecast, after visiting Clos Pegase, Duckhorn and James Cole I decided to return to the Napa Valley to enjoy the spectacular rainbow of colors in the vineyards and superb wines along the Silverado Trail to visit three more wineries.
In the heart of Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District sits a
rocky peak with a spectacular Mediterranean-style stone winery perched on top.
That winery is the iconic Silverado Vineyards, named after the abandoned mining
town at the north end of the Napa Valley. And that is where I made my first stop...
The vineyards were purchased by Ron and Diane Disney Miller
(the eldest daughter of Walt
Disney) in 1976. Initially they sold their grapes to local
wineries and the vineyards
proved to produce quality grapes for making premium wines. By 1981 the Miller
family was ready to start their own wine production making spectacular wines in
their own winery that was designed by architect Dick Keith, who modeled the estate after the old California mission style
structure.
Thirty years later, three generations of Miller Family
continue to source grapes entirely from their family-owned estate Napa
vineyards. From the vineyard to the bottle, each step of the wine making process
is dedicated to expressing the character of grapes grown on each of the
wineries six historic vineyards. Expressing richness and age-worthiness,
Silverado wines are unique, one-of-a-kind blends of superlative vineyard
location and elegant winemaking style.
Silverado
Vineyards is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, but Chardonnay, Sauvignon
Blanc, and small batches of Zinfandel and Sangiovese are also grown on their
six estate vineyards.
Outside of the
tasting room, visitors can enjoy samples of their wines on the terraces that
provide an intimate setting to enjoy a glass of wine and the spectacular views
of the vineyards below.
It was rather cool the day of my visit, so I tasted the
following wines from within the tasting room:
My first pour was
the 2009 Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc. This wine displays a classic Sauv Blanc
profile, Light straw color with aromas of grapefruit, lemon zest,
juniper bush followed by just a hint of grass and herbal notes. On the palate
it has a great display of minerality and acidity followed by a prolonged citrus
finish. A really nice wine
for $22, so I brought one home.
My second wine
was the 2010 Vineburg Vineyard Chardonnay from Carneros. The wine was fermented
in 48% stainless steel and 52% in French oak (16% new) which provides an
excellent balance between the super crisp stainless style and the oaky-buttery
style Chardonnays. The wine displays subtle
floral aromas followed by green apples, apricots, and stone fruits and on the
palate it has a slight creaminess and yet also maintains very clean, crisp
acidity. A really nice wine at a
competitive price of $30 per bottle.
The third pour
and first red was the 2001 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an
absolutely superb wine and an excellent example of how California Cabs can age
well. On the nose I picked up dried
plums, new leather, damp earth, sweet tobacco and followed by latent
fruity notes of cassis, Bing cherries, anise with just a hint of black tea on the
return. The fruit on this wine is fresh, it has great mouth watering acidity
and fabulous structure. However,
I wouldn’t hold on to this 10 year old wine for too much longer so it is
definitely a “drink now wine.” For those who can afford it, a really fine wine at $110 a bottle.
My next wine was
the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon which is actually a Bordeaux blend
of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. After
tasting the 2001 SLD Cab this wine seems comparatively tame. It is a lot more
subtle and soft on the nose and palate displaying roses, red and black
currants, mocha hints of white chocolate and hint of oak. On the palate it is medium
to full-bodied, with very supple tannins. I’m not sure if this wine will do as
well as the SLD ten years from now, so I’d drink it within 3-5 years. A nice
wine, but there are many like it for $10- $15 less than its $46 sticker price.
My final wine was
the 2008 SOLO Cabernet Sauvignon. An unmistakable Cabernet profile of black
currants, cherries, blackberries, with an under layer of herbs, and vanilla. It
has a full mouth feel and a little bit of grip with the tannins, with a great velvety
mid-palate transition as the profile develops. A really young wine that seems
like it needs more time in the bottle yet it is also really delicious now. But
at $90 a pop, I’d save it for a special occasion.
To see more pictures of Silverado Vineyards and Winery,
check out Erik Wait’s Wine Country Photography at:
For more information or to visit:
Silverado Vineyards
121 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
Phone: 1-707-257-1770
http://www.silveradovineyards.com/
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