Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 2002 (750ml)

Fully mature and starting to fade ever so slightly, this wine displays loads of roasted herbs, barbecue smoke, cedar, licorice, and red and black currants. The heavy overlay of American oak so present in this wine’s youth has largely dissipated, but plenty of vanillin can still be found. This style seems less and less interesting to me, although it certainly has many admirers, and I don’t want to be super-critical, but I do think the American oak could be toned down without sacrificing the underlying personality and quality of the fruit the wine possesses. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.
Robert Parker - 88 points