82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, <1% Malbec

Food pairings: Grilled beef such as ribeye or filet, braised lamb, game dishes, and aged cheddar or other flavorful hard cheeses.

Scores:

• 95 points, James Suckling

Winemaking: Silver Oak ages its Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively in American oak, for about two years, in barrels from its own cooperage, then gives it further time in bottle before release; the 2020 was released on February 1st, 2025. Winemaker Nate Weis guided the 2020, a vintage that started with a dry winter before timely spring rains and an early bloom in May, followed by a summer of cool mornings and sunny afternoons that let the fruit ripen slowly. Only the finest lots made the blend, and the winery expects it to drink beautifully through 2042.

Vineyards and terroir: Grapes come from several Napa Valley sites, with the estate's Soda Canyon Ranch as the backbone of the blend. Bought in 1999 and now Silver Oak's most important Napa Valley vineyard, it sits on the first bench off the Vaca Mountains, warm and dry but cooled by San Pablo Bay, with hilly, closely spaced rows on volcanic soils of large rocks and gravel. The estate's Jump Rock Vineyard, at 1,500 feet in the Atlas Peak AVA, adds intense blackberry and cassis aromatics.

Family and history: Silver Oak was founded in 1972 by Ray Duncan and Justin Meyer, two friends who set out to make Cabernet Sauvignon aged entirely in American oak, and remains owned by the Duncan family. Its Napa Valley winery is in Oakville, and the water tower on the label recalls the original Oakville winery.

In the pictures: The Silver Oak winery in Oakville, Napa Valley (courtesy of Silver Oak Cellars); and the estate's Soda Canyon Ranch vineyard (courtesy of Silver Oak Cellars).