Silver Oak 2003 Alexander Valley Cabernet, a blend of wine from several different vineyards, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard lots were blended in early 2004 and the wine was transferred to 50% new and 50% once-used American oak barrels for aging.

Blending prior to barreling allows Silver Oak to achieve a balance of the wine's natural elements, such as fruit and tannin, before they are influenced by oak. The wine is then aged in barrel for approximately 25 months and another 15 months in bottle to harmonize its components before release.

The Silver Oak Cellars 2003 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant, highly expressive wine that displays great complexity due to the multifaceted climatic conditions of the harvest season. The wine is dark ruby with a purple to red edge. It displays bright aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, black tea, allspice and ginger.

In the mouth, it has a full-bodied attack, a round, balanced mid-palate redolent of cherry preserves, brown sugar and caramel and an extremely long finish of savory ripe fruit.

Properly cellared, it should give drinking pleasure until 2026.