Raymond Twomey Duncan first visited the Napa Valley in the late 1960s. Taken by the area’s rugged beauty and the potential of its fledgling wine industry he purchased orchards, pastures and vineyards throughout the Napa and Alexander Valleys. Looking for an insider to advise him, Ray approached Justin Meyer in 1972, asking him to plant and manage his vineyards. Then a winemaker for the Christian Brothers, Justin agreed under the condition that they create a winery that would forever raise the standards of California wine. Silver Oak Cellars was born.
Ray and Justin had a bold vision for their winery. Rather than producing six or seven varietals, they would devote all their resources to producing a single wine: Cabernet Sauvignon. What’s more, their wine would be a new style of Cabernet Sauvignon, rich and complex yet deliciously drinkable from the day it was released.
In 1972, Silver Oak’s Alexander Valley vineyards produced the harvest that would become their first Cabernet Sauvignon. Seven years later, they harvested the grapes for their first Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, now produced as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals. From the beginning, these two wines have consistently represented the very best of their appellations, attracting a loyal following around the world.
After selecting Daniel Baron to succeed him as winemaker in 1994, Justin Meyer sold his share of Silver Oak to the Duncan family in 2001. Silver Oak’s estate vineyards throughout the Napa and Alexander Valleys are ideally situated to provide optimal growing conditions for their Cabernet Sauvignon. This fruit is complemented with grapes from top independent growers throughout both appellations, giving the winemaking team the flexibility they need to realize the full potential of each Silver Oak vintage.
In the early 1970s, Silver Oak was one of the first California wineries to age its wines in American oak barrels, rather than French oak barrels that had been the industry standard for years. Justin Meyer discovered that the barrels contributed fewer harsh tannins than French oak and had a fresh, spicy character that provided a wonderful complement to his fruit-forward wines. Today, the use of American oak continues to be a hallmark of these distinctive Cabernet Sauvignons.