Venge Vineyards Silencieux Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 750ml

Product Info

Terroir
The 2023 Venge Vineyards Silencieux Cabernet Sauvignon captures the essence of Napa Valley’s varied terrain — a composition of valley-floor elegance and hillside intensity. Fruit for this cuvée is sourced primarily from Oakville, Rutherford, and Calistoga, with additional components from cooler sub-appellations that add structure and aromatic lift. These vineyards encompass a broad spectrum of Napa terroir: volcanic tufa and gravelly alluvial fans in Calistoga lend power and minerality; deep loam and clay in Oakville contribute plushness and dark fruit density; while Rutherford’s benchlands, with their well-drained gravelly soils, infuse the wine with fine-grained tannins and an earthy cocoa-dust character. The 2023 growing season was long and temperate, allowing even ripening across all sites. Diurnal shifts — warm days and cool nights — preserved natural acidity and aromatic freshness, resulting in fruit of exceptional balance. The interplay of terroirs gives Silencieux its hallmark duality: concentration and polish, structure and seduction.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
Under the meticulous guidance of Kirk Venge, the 2023 Silencieux was crafted with the precision and intent that have made Venge one of Napa’s most respected producers. Grapes were hand-harvested and sorted berry by berry before undergoing cold soak maceration to extract color and fine tannin. Fermentation was carried out in small stainless steel tanks with both native and cultured yeasts, ensuring complexity while maintaining control over extraction. The wine was then aged for 20 months in 75% new French oak barrels sourced from top coopers such as Taransaud and Darnajou, adding aromatic refinement and textural depth. Minimal racking preserved the purity of fruit and natural sediment integration. The final blend — primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with small percentages of Merlot and Cabernet Franc — delivers a multidimensional expression of Napa Valley, balancing density and freshness. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, Silencieux 2023 retains every nuance of its terroir and vintage.

Tasting Notes
The 2023 Silencieux opens with a deep garnet hue that hints at the wine’s intensity and youth. Aromas unfurl slowly, revealing blackcurrant, wild blackberry, and ripe plum, framed by notes of cedar, mocha, graphite, and baking spice. As the wine evolves in the glass, subtler hints of violet, sage, and crushed gravel emerge, reflecting both varietal purity and the layered soils of its origins. On the palate, it is full-bodied and impeccably balanced — a seamless weave of dark fruit, fine tannins, and savory complexity. The entry is lush with flavors of black cherry compote and cassis, giving way to secondary tones of espresso, dark chocolate, and tobacco leaf. Silky textures from extended barrel aging interplay with a firm tannic backbone, creating both immediacy and longevity. The finish is long and resonant, marked by lingering notes of minerality and cocoa-dusted plum, a testament to Venge’s refined yet powerful house style.

Food Pairing & Service
Serve the 2023 Silencieux Cabernet Sauvignon at 60–64 °F (16–18 °C) in a large Bordeaux-style glass to allow its aromatics and structure to fully express themselves. This is a wine built for richly textured dishes — pair it with grilled ribeye with rosemary butter, herb-crusted lamb chops, or braised short ribs in red wine reduction. For a more refined pairing, it also complements roast duck with cherry glaze, or porcini risotto with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. The wine’s generous fruit and supple tannins balance the richness of aged Gouda, Manchego, or cave-aged Comté beautifully. While seductive now with decanting, Silencieux 2023 will reward patience — 5 to 10 years of cellar aging will deepen its savory complexity and reveal secondary notes of cedar, graphite, and truffle. It is a classic expression of Napa Valley Cabernet: bold, pure, and profoundly elegant.