The 2023 Silencieux is one of Venge Vineyards’ strongest quality-to-value Cabernet releases. Winemaker Kirk Vengeblends fruit from seven Napa Valley sites, including vineyards in Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Chiles Valley and the Venge Calistoga estate. The 2023 blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Score |
| Decanter |
⭐ 94 |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
93 |
Venge’s own accolades page confirms 93 points from Jeb Dunnuck for the 2023 Silencieux.
Decanter – 94: A plush, full-bodied Cabernet with abundant dark fruit and baking spices. Powerful tannins are balanced by juicy freshness, with wet-slate minerality and cocoa carrying through the lengthy finish.
Jeb Dunnuck – 93: Highlights cassis, juicy blue fruit, violets and floral nuances. He praises its purity and balance, with integrated acidity, fine tannins and an impressive finish. The wine spent 19 months in 65% new French oak.
Tasting Profile
Nose: Sweet cassis, blackberry and blueberry with anise, roasted coffee, vanilla and fresh herbs.
Palate: Full-bodied and concentrated, with ripe black fruit, blueberry and caramel layered over firm but polished tannins. Herbal freshness and well-integrated oak prevent the richness from becoming heavy.
Finish: Long and substantial, showing dark fruit, cocoa, herbs and a distinctive mineral edge.
Sommelier’s Take
The 2023 Silencieux delivers classic modern Napa Cabernet at a relatively accessible level: ripe, concentrated and oak-polished, yet the excellent 2023 vintage gives it freshness and definition. It's already approachable but has enough structure to develop through the next decade; Dunnuck lists a 2025–2037 maturity window.
