The Wine Advocate | RP 92
Published: May 31, 2022

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Geo is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Silverado's Mt. George vineyard and aged 18 months in 43% new oak (more than 80% French). The result is a dark, concentrated effort, with potent aromas of pencil shavings and cassis on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied on the palate, richer and more expansive than the winery's entry-level bottling, yet it's still not overdone. Instead, it's somewhere between silky and velvety, not overly plush, with a strong spine of acidity and a tart, crisp finish.
Drink Date: 2023 - 2035

Winemaker

On ancient volcanic soil defining the western face of Mount George, our vineyard, the oldest in Coombsville, has supported grapes for over a century. The wine from this rigor earth, the embodiment of this historic site and its dark expressive fruit is GEO.
The fruit was not overripe, but entirely mature: skins, seeds, and pulp. This resulted in a wine that is dark in color, round, and powerful. It has bright berry and herb aromas, a dense mid palate with good structure and a long finish that encapsulates the essence of barrel and delicious blue and red fruit.

Vineyard Notes
Silverado Vineyards' Mount George vineyard was the first planted to vinifera in the Coombsville AVA. Under the care of pioneering Napa vintner, Henry Hagen, the vineyard known then as Cedar Knolls established its reputation in the 1880's as a source for fine red wines, winning a silver medal at the 1889 Paris International Exposition. Here, the classic Claret varieties thrive on the deep, gravelly downslopes of the ancient volcano whose name the vineyard now bears. In 1987, Silverado Vineyards founders, Ron and Diane Disney Miller, purchased a significant portion of the historic Cedar Knolls site as part of the winery's journey toward its now exclusively estate-grown model. Over the years, their Mount George ranch has proven to be a contributor to Silverado's Estate and Limited Cabernet blends and is the sole origin of the estate's single-vineyard Merlot. As the 20th anniversary of Silverado's first Mount George harvest approached in 2012, the decision was made to make a wine for the occasion. It is called GEO ? Greek for "Earth" and short for "George" - and it represents the highest expression of single-vineyard Cabernet from this extraordinary place.