Silver Oak Napa Valley

915 Oakville Cross Rd, Oakville, CA 94562

Website: https://www.silveroak.com/visit-us/

After ten years of trips to Napa Valley and not having been to Silver Oak Winery I felt like I was missing out on something big.  Silver Oak is known for making only one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. There is almost a cult following for their yearly releases.  The winery was started in 1972 by a handshake between two friends Raymond Twomey Duncan and Justin Meyer. The original winery was in a dairy barn.  Duncan and Twomey decided to focus solely on Cabernet Sauvignon produced exclusively in American oak barrels. Justin Meyer retired in 1994, turning over his portion of the winery to the Duncan family.  The winery is still run by the Duncans today. They are truly committed to continuous improvement stating that they haven’t produced their best wine yet and strive to get better with each vintage.

Carved Water Tower picture behind the tasting bar at Silver Oak Napa

Many people recognize the winery by the iconic water tower on their label.  There is a story behind the water tower. It appeared on first label as an ode to the owners’ favorite wine Chateau Latour and was also a symbol of California agriculture in the 1970s.  Bonny Meyer, wife of Justin Meyer, researched all kinds of water towers before landing on the one became the symbol of the winery. The symbol became an real life water tower in the early 1980s.  Unfortunately the original winery was struck by fire in 2006 and had to be rebuilt. The Duncans recently opened a second state-of-the-art facility in Alexander Valley. The same family also owns Twomey in both Napa and Sonoma.

I feel like this winery is a mix of modern and rustic.  To get to the tasting room you drive past rows of olive trees and  can see the mountains on both sides of the valley. The walk up to the entrance is very picturesque surrounded by acres of vines.  There are some benches outside the entrance for guests to sit down and take in the views. Many visitors will take a photo opportunity in front of the famous water tower before heading inside.  The exterior is made all of limestone with big oak doors leading inside. The stone continues on the interior.

The Glass House Library at Silver Oak Napa

The tasting room is rather spacious with a long wood bar that can accommodate several small groups at a time.  On the left side of the tasting bar is a glassed in area with wine bottles floor to ceiling that is called the Glass House Library with bottles dating back to the 1970s vintages. Within the tasting room is also a History Gallery with pictures of the original winery.

Silver Oak takes walk in tastings which I found a little surprising considering their level of popularity.  A lot of the more popular wineries now require reservations to limit the crowds. When I visited, the winery was busy but not over crowded.  I suspect that they can get very really busy during peak visiting times. Silver Oak offers a few other tasting options as well including tours, food and wine pairings, or a vertical tasting of library wines.  I was satisfied with the walk in tasting that includes a taste of both the Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon plus a library wine (we tried a 2006). The Cabernet Sauvignons are marvelous! I found them to be so silky and well balanced.  Our hostess was also very welcoming and knowledgeable.

I’m glad I can now say I’ve been to Silver Oak.  I’m interested in seeing the new facility in the Alexander Valley as well.  This winery is worth a stop to try the acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon.