The 2019 Vintage at Soda Canyon Ranch

Opulent and distinct, the 2019 Timeless Napa Valley is the result of trust. Trusting in experience and instinct, winemaker Nate Weis‘ vineyard and cellar teams embraced both what was known and what was unknown to ultimately craft a wine that sings.

In the vineyard, refinement is ongoing. Prior to 2019, Cabernet Franc was the wild child. At that time, individual strategies for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were already fine-tuned, but Cabernet Franc needed its own, specific approach. “Farming it like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot wasn’t precise enough,” says Napa Valley Vineyard Manager Dave Shein. With the goal of coaxing the highest quality grape from the largest block at Soda Canyon Ranch, Dave and team shifted its focus to irrigation thresholds.

The experiment itself was somewhat of a torture chamber, but I think the improvement in the [Silver Oak and Timeless Napa Valley] wines was well worth it.
Dave Shein, Napa Valley Vineyard Manager

This successful approach to farming Cabernet Franc resulted in the best quality to date—just in time for the 2019 harvest season—and the variety shared more of the spotlight in the blend. This vintage, winemaker Nate Weis and team discovered that tempering in the right amount of Petit Verdot enhanced the overall quality and blending performance of some of the other lots. The thriving Cabernet Franc was the optimal pairing for co-fermentation, the practice of fermenting more than just one grape variety at the same time.

Beyond experimentation, the 2019 vintage represents teamwork. Not only teamwork between Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, but also teamwork between vineyard and cellar. The wine is a true reflection of collaboration from grape to glass. As the newest brand from the family of Silver Oak releases its latest vintage, watch the video below to see its origin and hear more about the vintage from Nate.