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Alexander Valley

Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area just north of Healdsburg, in Sonoma County. It was granted AVA status in 1984, with amendments made in subsequent years. The Russian River flows through the valley, and the region was named for Cyrus Alexander, a 19th century landowner and grape grower. The AVA includes 15,000 vineyard acres, much of it rich, alluvial soil layered on a bed of gravel, somewhat similar to many vineyards in Bordeaux. Alexander Valley is sheltered from marine weather by the low hills northeast of Healdsburg, though it is often shrouded in the morning fog coming off the Russian River. Some of the earliest commercial winemaking in the area started in the 1880s, when immigrants formed the Italian Swiss Colony cooperative at Asti. The region made jug wines until the 1960s and 1970s, when a new wave of quality-minded producers started estates. Today Alexander Valley is home to some of California’s most admired wineries, including Simi, Stonestreet and the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Silver Oak Cellars, though based in Napa Valley, has a second winery in Alexander Valley where it makes Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Many grapes do well in the Alexander Valley, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.

1981 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Light capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; very top shoulder fill

WS  92   

1981 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Light capsule condition issue

WS  92   

1981 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Light capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; light label condition issue

WS  92   

1981 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Light label condition issue

WS  92   

1982 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage

WS  90   

1982 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; very top shoulder fill; light label condition issue

WS  90   

1984 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork; signs of past seepage; top shoulder fill; light label condition issue

RP  91   

1985 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Lightly depressed cork; light label condition issue

RP  92   
CT  91   
MB  ****   

1985 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

1.5ltr

Light capsule condition issue; lightly elevated cork; light signs of past seepage; base neck fill; light label condition issue

RP  92   
CT  91   
MB  ****   

2011 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Depressed cork

CT  90   

2011 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Lightly depressed cork

CT  90   

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Capsule condition issue

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; lightly depressed cork

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2019 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Morlet Family Vineyards Billet Doux

Light capsule condition issue; light label condition issue

2019 Bedrock Wine Company Nervo Ranch Heritage

VN  95   
WS  91   
JD  91   

2019 Bedrock Wine Company Nervo Ranch Heritage

Light label condition issue

VN  95   
WS  91   
JD  91   

2002 Chateau St. Jean Sonoma County Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

RP  90   

2016 Aperture Red

1.5ltr

Light label condition issue

WA  93   
JD  93   
WE  90   

1979 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; light signs of past seepage; very top shoulder fill; label condition issue

1974 Simi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Lightly depressed cork; very top shoulder fill; light label condition issue

RP  90   

1993 Simi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Light capsule condition issue; very top shoulder fill; light label condition issue