I've never had a good bottle of Penfolds. I know people swear by the label, but i've yet to find one that i like.

And my current faves are Justin Wine, Ferrari-Carano and Kangarilla Road.

My list of overrated wines would have to include Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1982 and Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 1970 and 1986. Come to think of it, much in all as I like to think that enjoy Red Bordeaux, the list of disappointments far exceeds the number of wines that deliver especially when you look at the cost. I have also had mixed results with Eisweins/Icewines from Canada and Germany. When you look at the cost, they should deliver every time but that is not the case. Also late harvest Alsatian wines.

I can only speak to the Wine Advocate.

What you have said is dead wrong. I my experience, they have tasted them all, blind if possible, and make notes on each at the time.

I have seen parker and rogavani taste the better part of 50 wines, scribble shorthand notes and write the reviews. I have seen them come back a second time, and exhibit amazing consistancy, both in their retasting, and in their taste compared to mine.

I have a high confidence factor that they taste every wine reviewed.

My tastes do not conform to theirs, but I cannot in any way dispute their integerity.

silver oak



if the poster who doesnt like lynch bages has any he wants to part with, please PM me...

Canada has been good to me, Germany not so much with Icewines.

Overrated: Dom, so many times

Now that Dr. Freeze has mentioned it, I would also agree with Silver Oak being overrated.

For my taste (admittedly seeking aromatic, multi-fruited scents and taste notes and a pleasant note!) Marlborough SBs can range from bland to bold and can really set off baked fish or other seafood dishes.

I'm not as big a fan of semillons, which is more the direction of many of the WA SBs I've tried.

Cheapie French SBs I've tried are no better than the most average NZ SBs, so I'll side with the Kiwis over the froggies on this variety.



The tables are definitely turned on the subject of sparkling whites, though.

I think Silver Oak went downhill around the 1993 vintage. It got very vegetal after that. Napa bottlings from 1990, 1991 are excellent.

I disagree with dr freeze and FMH1964 re Silver Oak Napa. I'm a big fan. I will note, however, that an unfortunate food pairing can really trample on the wine. So for that reason, I give it high marks but not outstanding. Spottswoode doesn't have that problem, so it's my current favorite.

I found Quintessa's wines quite overrated. When I tasted them, my palate for high-end Cal cabs was still developing, so I will have to give it another try. For now, I tend to think them overrated.

El Molino, the Chard and Pinot maker with a cult following, is certainly overrated. They're okay, but not all that, and certainly not worth what they're charging these days.

But the single-most overrated wine in the history of over-rated wines: Dom Perignon. (At least any vintage in the 1990's, the ones I've tried.) If it's free from Singapore Airlines, I'll drink it. But I'm not buying that swill. I'll take the White Star at $30/bottle over Dom any day.

I've enjoyed all the Cakebread reads I've drunk. Maybe the difference is that, except for one occasion, I haven't been the one paying. ^

Never had an Opus One. Did have BamaVol Jr bring me back a bottle of Overture from his visit to their winery in Napa (on my miles) last year. I was impressed.

Of course, its very vintage and bottle dependent. I must admit that I gave up on silver oak about 10 years ago. I have some spottswoode from 94-95 that is probably peaking and should be consumed.

If you could rec a recent vintage of silver oak for me to try again I would.

I had a 95 Spottswoode six months ago over dinner at Auberge du Soleil. It was spectacular. Among the best wines I've ever had. I'll be having another this weekend, though not sure which vintage. Yum.

I had the '01 Napa Silver Oak a couple of months ago. Even at the tender age of not quite 6 years, it was delicious. Certainly worth cellaring for several more years. I had the '02 with a creole meal in New Orleans three months ago. It was underwhelming with the food. But once we'd finished the food and lingered over the wine by itself, it improved remarkably. Don't know what was wrong with the pairing I selected. It should have been fine. Maybe it was a funny bottle.

I know a lot of folks think Silver Oak has gone downhill of late. As I don't have anything older to compare it to, I can't make that call. And I don't doubt those who have come to that conclusion. I'm just sayin' I like the wine.

OK, I have to plow through my wine locker to find it, but the spottswoode will be opened very soon. Trip report to follow!

Also, have to agree on the Opus and Silver Oak. Years ago, while visiting Napa, I dubbed Opus "Japanese Tourist Wine". This was when the Yen was pretty strong, and Asia had just fallen in love with all (what they perceived to be) high-end wines. As you cruised down Hwy. 29, there were all sorts of stores with homemade signs out front advertising "We have Opus One" in both English and Japanese!

As for Silver Oak, I call it "Robo Wine"..year after year same taste...lots of malolactic fermentation to give it that highly-oaked, non-offensive, (and to me) non-interesting taste...it's the same year after year, after year.....

I agree with what has been said about Opus One & Silver Oak. While very good, they are way overpriced. There are many good wines for a thirs to half the cost that I would gladly spend my money on unless I found a wine shop with a pricing error (read "Big Sale") in my favor.