SILVERADO
VINEYARDS
6121 Silverado Trail, Napa,
California 94558
by Sergio Sismondo
After the impressive renovation of this imposing "top-of-the-hill" building, the tasting room is large, comfortable, inviting, and takes full advantage of the splendid view of the northern valley from this height. Visitor Center staff do a great job of answering questions, technical and historical, regarding Silverado Vineyards and its superb wines. It is a popular and often extremely busy tasting room. The wines are very fine and demonstrate year after year the commitment to excellence which characterizes this vineyard. Visiting Silverado Vineyards is always a pleasant experience.
OUR CHOICES
Visitor Center Manager - Jennifer Wilkinson, Visitor Center Manager - Tom Kalbrener from Hospitility in the wine tasting room
Following is a list of them accompanied by our ratings for each.
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Stags Leap District, | 1998 | 91 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Stags Leap District, | 1999 | 93 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Stags Leap District, | 2000 | 90 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Stags Leap District, | 2001 | 91 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Solo, Stags Leap District, | 2002 | 90 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Solo, Stags Leap District, | 2003 | 92 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Stags Leap District, | 2004 | 91 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Estate, | Limited Reserve, | 2001 | 93 |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Estate, | Limited Reserve, | 2002 | 92 |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Estate, | 2000 | 92 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Estate, | 2001 | 90 | |
| Cabernet-Sauvignon, | Napa Valley, | 2000 | 90 | |
| Chardonnay, | Yountville Ranch, | 2000 | 90 | |
| Chardonnay, | 2002 | 89 | ||
| Chardonnay, | Estate, | 2003 | 88 | |
| Chardonnay, | Estate, | 2004 | 90 | |
| Chardonnay, | Carneros | 2004 | 90 | |
| Chardonnay, | "Vineburg" | 2004 | 90 | |
| Merlot, | Estate, | 2001 | 90 | |
| Merlot, | Estate, | 2002 | 90 | |
| Merlot, | Estate | 2003 | 91(2) | |
| Sangiovese | Estate, | 2001 | 88 | |
| Sangiovese | Estate, | 2002 | 89 | |
| Sangiovese | Estate, | 2003 | 89 | |
| Sangiovese | Estate, | 2004 | 89 | |
| Sangiovese Rose | 2004 | 88 | ||
| Sangiovese Rose | 2005 | 88 | ||
| Sangiovese "Fantasia" | 2002 | 90 | ||
| Sangiovese "Fantasia" | 2004 | 90(1) | ||
| Sauvignon Blanc, | 2000 | 89 | ||
| Sauvignon Blanc, | 2002 | 89 | ||
| Sauvignon Blanc, | 2003 | 88 | ||
| Sauvignon Blanc, | 2004 | 88 | ||
| Sauvignon Blanc, | 2005 | 91 | ||
| Semillon "Late Harvest" | Miller Ranch, | N.D. | 90 | |
| Semillon "Late Harvest" | (2006 tasting) | N.D | 91 | |
| Semillon "Late Harvest" | 2003 | 94(3) | ||
| Zinfandel, | 2002 | 88 | ||
| Zinfandel, | 2003 | 88 | ||
| Zinfandel, | 2004 | 88 |
- (1) Fantasia is a blend of Sangiovese 57%, Cabernet-Sauvignon 40%
and Zinfandel 1%.
(2) This wonderful wine is made from a blend of Merlot 90% and Cabernet-Sauvignon 10%.
(3) This is a great dessert wine, made with a blend of Semillon 89% and Sauvignon Blanc 11%.
- Our "best value for money"
choice for 2007 went to the Merlot 2003. It is priced at $30.00, and
received our rating of 91.
- Our choice for best red wine tasted in 2007 is the 2001 Cabernet-Sauvignon Limited Reserve which is priced at $100.00 and received our rating of 93. This powerful wine is a superb example of a Napa Valley Cabernet-Sauvignon, with its aromas of black currant, plum and chocolate, and is perfectly reflective of the Stags Leap characteristics. The excellent 2002 vintage characteristics are also in full evidence. Vintage, terroir and craftsmanship have all come together with a spectacular result.
- Among the white wines, our choice of the best buy candidates goes to the Sauvignon Blanc of 2002, priced at $16, and with our rating of 89. This wine won two gold medals at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
Patricia Fletcher pouring a great Cabernet - Sauvignon
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RETROSPECTIVE
This year we tasted a wide range of red wines: Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. All the wines were excellent, and we rated them mostly in the 90's. It was a difficult choice to find the one we liked the best.
- Finally our preference settled on the Cabernet-Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, 1999. Priced at $65 per bottle, it received our rating of 93.
- Our second choice went to the new release, Cabernet-Sauvignon, 2000, which also distinguishes itself. It is priced at $35 and we rated it 92.
- Our "Best value for money" choice goes to the Zinfandel, "Quicksilver", 2001, which is priced at $20 and which we rated 91. A good buy, in our opinion. In fact, we took several bottles home, for our cellar.
The Zinfandel sampled is included in the extensive Zinfandel listing in this web site, in the section "Wine Listings / California - Zinfandel".
There is a 5% half case discount; 10% full case discount; and 15% discount for two cases or more.
The Zinfandel sampled is included in the extensive Zinfandel listing in this web site, in the section "Wine Listings / California - Zinfandel".