1999 Cabernet Sauvignon

Justin Meyer sold his share of Silver Oak to partner Ray Duncan at the beginning of last year but continues in a consulting role. Production at Silver Oak reached 50,000 cases of the Alexander Valley wine in the 1997 vintage, and 12,000 cases of the Napa bottling. In recent years, steps have been taken to further differentiate the two wines. The Alexander Valley is all cabernet sauvignon, and is aged in half new and half used barrels, while the Napa blend is done in all new oak. Half of the latter wine now comes from owned fruit (up from 20% just a few years ago), and the blend, which was entirely cabernet sauvignon as recently as 1993, now includes some cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot. To satisfy its hunger for high-grade American barrels, Silver Oak purchased 250 acres of white oak forest in Missouri early this year.