8 Things You Should Know About Silver Oak, One of Napa’s Most Iconic Cabs

Since its inception in 1972, California winery Silver Oak has been a pioneer in American winemaking. Ray Duncan, who had been investing in California vineyards since the late 1960s, and Justin Meyer, a winemaker trained by the Christian Brothers, joined forces to found Silver Oak. Together, they aimed to perfect a single way of making wine: aging Cabernet Sauvignon in pure American oak. Despite the rather strict parameters, the products have mass appeal, appearing at liquor stores and luxury steakhouses nationwide.

Silver Oak splits production between two California estates — one in Napa Valley and the other in Alexander Valley. The focus on a singular vinification process ensures consistency with each vintage.

But for most consumers, Silver Oak is a splurge. So, before you grab a bottle, here are eight things to know about Silver Oak.

Silver Oak produces all of its wine from one grape.

For 53 years, Silver Oak has crafted its wines from just a single grape — Cabernet Sauvignon. Silver Oak entered the scene around the first wave of Napa’s popularity. After Duncan purchased the land that would become the vineyard, he asked Meyer to join as lead vintner. Meyer agreed to the deal with a unique vision: They would only grow Cabernet Sauvignon. He was one of the first to spot the region’s suitability for the grape and one of the first to dedicate an entire Napa vineyard to it. The partners set out to craft Bordeaux-level fine wines in California.

The wines are aged purely in American oak…

In the early 1970s, most Napa winemakers aged wine in French oak barrels, and it was rare for a wine aged in 100 percent American oak to reach fine-wine status. But when Duncan and Meyer joined forces to start Silver Oak, Meyer had a second requirement: The wines would age in exclusively American oak. He found French oak imparted too strong of a tannic, grippy structure to Cabernet Sauvignon and preferred the silkier feel, vanilla-forward flavor, and sustained finish from American oak. Since then, Silver Oak has been a trailblazer in the use of 100 percent American oak in the U.S.

… sourced from a proprietary cooperage in Missouri.

Silver Oak owns a cooperage in Missouri where coopers handcraft the barrels in which the vineyard’s wines eventually age. At The Oak — the name of the shop — employees handpick slabs of white oak, season and toast the planks, and form the barrels. Silver Oak acquired The Oak in 2015, making it the first U.S. winery to fully own an American oak cooperage.

The colors of the labels indicate the estates.

Silver Oak splits its production between its Napa Valley and Alexandra Valley vineyards — each with a distinct terroir and, in turn, flavor. The color of a bottle’s label denotes the location at which the grapes were grown and the wine was produced. A black Silver Oak label wraps Alexandra Valley bottles, and a silver one covers bottles from Napa.

It’s a popular choice at steakhouses.

“Silver Oak” might as well be synonymous with “steakhouse wine.” A quick search of just about any zip code on Silver Oak’s “Find Our Wines” page is likely to pull up at least one steakhouse. Whether due to its widespread prestige or complex blend of fruit-forward yet structured wines that can hold up to seared steaks, Silver Oak is inextricably linked to bottle lists at meateries across the nation. “When I think of Silver Oak, I think of steakhouses — American steakhouses,” says Keith Beavers, tasting director at VinePair, in this Wine 101 episode about the winery.

Silver Oak’s facilities feature world-class sustainability measures.

In 2016, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) — a rating system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council — awarded Silver Oak’s Napa facility with a Platinum certification. The award marked the first time a large-scale production winery received the distinction. Silver Oak underwent a two-year rebuild after a fire destroyed part of the Napa property. The reconstruction introduced updated mechanisms like solar panels and a refined irrigation system. Looking ahead, the winery has a self-set goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Its proprietors also own auxiliary wineries where it can pursue other projects.

Though Silver Oak commits itself to a strict way of doing things on its Napa and Alexandra Valley estates, the Duncan brothers — sons of the founder and now at the helm of the brand — also own other vineyards under different names. The expansion began in 1999 with Twomey, and the portfolio has grown to include OVID Napa Valley and Timeless Napa Valley. At these estates, winemakers experiment with other grapes such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Syrah.

Two cases of 2010 Silver Oak settled a bet between professional basketball players.

In 2015, LeBron James sent two cases of 2010 Silver Oak to fellow NBA player Draymond Green as pay-up after losing a bet, CBS reports. The two quarreled on social media over a Michigan State versus Ohio State football game — Green rooted for Michigan, whereas James hoped for an Ohio win. After Michigan defeated its rival, James shipped the two cases of Silver Oak to Green. At the time, each bottle was reportedly worth $130, totaling around $3,120 for the bet.

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