Wine Advisor
Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Sauvignon 1996
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Saturated ruby-red color. Complex aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, currant, marzipan, licorice and honeysuckle. Very rich and dense, but quite tightly wound; cassis, mint and tobacco flavors blossomed with aeration. Very long, firmly tannic finish. This wine was lusher and more expressive after 24 hours in the recorked bottle, showing a roasted coffee bean quality, with no loss of shape or freshness. Screaming Eagle has been remarkably consistent in recent vintages, and is one of a relative handful of California cabernets that conveys a strong sense of site specificity.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon (500 cases) reveals more noticeable tannin than the 1995, as well as a similarly opaque purple color, and a tell-tale creme de cassis-scented nose intermixed with subtle toasty oak, licorice, and flower blossoms. The 1996 may be a bit brawnier, but that is a tough call to make at this stage. This enormously concentrated, yet strikingly elegant Cabernet Sauvignon will require bottle aging when released. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020. As I have tried so hard to articulate in past reviews, what makes these wines so stunning is the black currant/cassis fruit. Screaming Eagle may be the most extravagantly pure and rich expression of cassis one can find ... short of drinking cassis liqueur. There is an unbelievable purity to these wines, as well as phenomenal concentration and richness, yet in no sense are they heavy, ponderous, or out of balance. Tel. (707) 944-0749; Fax (707) 944-9271
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The newly-released 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals lots of structure, an opaque purple color, and the hallmark blackberry and cassis liqueur-like notes. Silky-textured, fabulously-concentrated, and gorgeously-balanced, it has every component part - acidity, alcohol, tannin, and extract - flawlessly presented. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020. Tel. (707) 944-0749; Fax (707) 944-9271
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at The Sampler in South Kensington. Tasted at The Sampler in Islington. A clear berry core with dark brick rim. The nose is introverted at first, unfurling in the glass, quite complex, very different from the 1997, more animally, touches of Moroccan spices, dried blood, dried mandarins and honey. Captivating aromas. The palate is well balanced, very Bordeaux-like and remarkably savoury (is there more Cabernet Franc in here than the ’99 that was fresher and more primal?) But I like the style, the delineation and the focus . It feels a little “rusty” towards the finish. Difficult to see how this bottle will evolve but it has, for want of a better word, character...and that’s a good thing. Drink now-2015. Tasted December 2009.
About the Producer
Screaming Eagle Winery makes wine in a tiny stone winery. The winery is located on a stone hill overlooking the valley. Since Phillips first sold wine in 1992, the wines produced by Screaming Eagle Winery have been called the representative of limited production, high quality and super expensive California wine. Phillips adheres to the "less is more" philosophy of winemaking. She is a perfectionist, and also brings this "pursuit of perfection" spirit to wine making, using the "garage wine" method. When the grapes are ripe, she carefully selects the most ripe and flawless grapes to make top-quality wines. The wine produced by Screaming Eagle Winery is indeed worthy of the title of "garage wine". The wine is deep maroon color, exudes strong fruity and explosive aromas of berries, coffee, fur, wild mushrooms and flowers. It needs to be aged for 15 years. Only started drinking in 20 years. Screaming Eagle Winery does not accept orders from customers, and can only make reservations through the Internet. After making reservations, they often have to wait in line for several years before they can get their desired wines. Screaming Eagle Winery is the most expensive wine in Napa Valley. Ms Phillips summed up her excellence beautifully: "I just follow my heart and I always feel like I'm doing what I really love. If I do it, great; if No, at least I'm enjoying my life. That's the philosophy I've always embraced."
1992(1)
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