Screaming Eagle, Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Made from a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2011 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon is a sexy, upfront, precociously styled wine exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of licorice, camphor, black currant jam, new oak and spice box characteristics. Dense, rich and impressive, the early drinking charm of the 2011 vintage gives it immediate appeal. It should keep for 10-15 years. Under the ownership of Stan Kroenke, this vineyard has been replanted and a new cellar has been constructed. The production of Screaming Eagle has remained between 700-1,000 cases, and a second wine, the Second Flight, includes 520-800 cases. The introduction of a second wine is an attempt to keep Screaming Eagle at its mythical level of quality. This vineyard, situated on the valley floor at the Oakville Crossroads across the road from the Rudd Estate, encompasses 60 acres, but only a small percentage is used for these two cuvees. Based on the three vintages I tasted, it appears the Second Flight wines include much less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Merlot than the flagship Screaming Eagle. Tel. (707) 944-0749

vinous98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

I loved the 2011 Screaming Eagle when it was in barrel and then as a young, recently-bottled wine. It is every bit compelling today. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, sage, mint and white pepper lend notable energy throughout. At age ten, the 2011 positively bristles with energy and freshness. Winemaker Nick Gislason waited until the end of October to harvest. Among other things, the 2011 is unique for its high percentage of Cabernet Franc (12%). Today, the 2011 is spectacularly beautiful. Readers who own it should be thrilled.

vinous96

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

A vivid, nuanced wine, the 2011 Screaming Eagle is absolutely impeccable. Dark red cherry, plum, smoke and licorice open up in the glass, followed by more savory notes that develop later. The 2011 gets better and better in the glass, as the flavors become even more precise and chiseled. Hints of pencil shavings, leather, cedar and menthol add nuance on the super-expressive finish. This is a stellar showing from Screaming Eagle.

vinous97

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with highly expressive, spiced Cabernet Franc-inflected aromas. Espresso, rosemary, lavender, violets and spices all take shape in the glass. The 2011 is a surprisingly dense, powerful Screaming Eagle with less of the pure seduction of some previous years and more intensity, especially in the tannins. Savory herbs, blackberries, menthol, appear later, adding complexity and pedigree. Cool, graphite-infused veins of minerality provide the backbone for layers of dark, brooding fruit. I don't expect the 2011 to offer its finest drinking before age ten, and even that will likely prove an overly optimistic assessment. In 2011, the blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, the remaining 25% split evenly between Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

vinous94

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

(bottled in December of 2013): Bright ruby-red. Highly perfumed scents of cassis, musky cigar tobacco and bitter chocolate, lifted by floral and cedar nuances. Youthfully tight today but boasts terrific youthful intensity and lavender lift to its dark berry and cigar box flavors. Broad tannins saturate the palate on the very long back end. Winemaker Nick Gislason uses five core coopers, seeking a gentle oak influence. A star of the vintage, with a serious structure for mid-term aging.

vinous95

Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer

(14.6% alcohol; 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot and 4% cabernet franc; I tasted a blend that winemaker Gislason described as 75% done): Bright medium ruby, a bit less saturated than the 2010. Precise, cool aromas of blackberry, violet, minerals and spearmint. Not quite the depth of the 2010 but offers superb intensity and cut to its very primary, fine-grained dark berry, floral and mint flavors. Still quite youthfully taut and firmly tannic on the aftertaste, in need of further elevage to flesh out. This was racked following the malolactic fermentation but not since then, with the result that it's very imploded today. But wonderfully elegant and intense, and a big success for the vintage. Winemaker Gislason noted that the merlot was in by September 27, well before the rainy spells of October.