The 2018 GEO from Silverado is a bold yet balanced Cabernet made from grapes grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount George in Napa's Coombsville AVA. It’s packed with dark berry flavors, touches of graphite and herbs, and just the right amount of oak. Rich and full-bodied, but still smooth, it has a nice structure and a fresh, clean finish. Great to enjoy now, but it’ll also age beautifully if you’re patient.

The Wine Advocate | RP 92
Published: May 31, 2022
Drink: 2023-2035

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.

One of the benefits of being based near New York City is that so many wine producers eventually find their way to the Big Apple, allowing me to taste with them without having to fly across the country or around the world. Such was the case recently, when I sat down with Silverado Vineyards' president, Russ Weis, and the vice president, marketing and DTC, Nora Feeley, who brought a small selection of new and aged releases.

For those not familiar with Silverado Vineyards, it was established in 1981 by Ron and Diane Miller, along with Diane's mother, Lillian Disney (yes, that Disney), who purchased a property in Stags Leap District previously planted by the See family, of chocolate-producing fame. Over the 40 years of family ownership, the number of vineyards and acreage under vines have increased to six vineyards in five AVAs: Silverado (Stags Leap District), Miller Ranch (Yountville), Mt George (Coombsville), Borreo (Napa Valley), Firetree and Vineburg (both in Carneros).

While the meat-and-potatoes of the operation are the well-made, sculpted Cabernets, Silverado is tinkering with some other varieties. The Borreo Ranch, up toward Soda Canyon, is the source for the winery's commendable Sangiovese Rosa, and a forthcoming debut of Grenache looks promising. There's also an as-yet-unnamed white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Kerner made in 500-liter barrels of Hungarian oak. In a region that seems to economically demand increased focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, it's refreshing to see some wineries pushing out in other directions.

Silveradovineyards.com

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.