Tasting Notes
Vinous 98
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Though I am not surprised, as the 2011 was magnificent from the outset. What a thrill it is to find it in such great shape today. Layered, aromatic and super-expressive, the 2011 is a wine of tremendous stature. Dark fruit, chocolate, sage and dried flowers all meld into the racy finish. The 2011 is quite simply outrageous. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled. What a wine!
Anticipated maturity: 2021-2033
Robert Parker 92
A notable success in an extremely irregular vintage (even more so for Napa’s valley floor vineyards), the 2011 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon possesses a deep ruby/plum/purple color, and a slightly lighter weight and less of a serious foundation of structure than the 2010. However, the wine’s purity and hints of kirsch, black currants, berry fruit and toasty oak are well-displayed and well-integrated into this seamlessly constructed effort. It is on a relatively fast evolutionary track so drink it over the next 10-15 years. These have been enviable wines since I first started tasting them thanks primarily to Celia Welch, the consulting winemaker at this historic estate in Rutherford. They have added a quasi-second wine called M. Etain, which is brilliantly packaged. Of course, it is what’s in the bottle that really counts. Tel. (707) 963-3361
Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028
