Description If any wine exemplifies the California Cult wine phenomena, it’s Screaming Eagle, which made its auspicious debut with their 1992 vintage. Within two short years, the wine quickly shot to the top of the hot, must have collectible charts. Screaming Eagle was purchased by the original owner and founder, Jean Phillips in 1986. Jean Phillips was a popular and successful realtor in the Napa valley. Jean Philips is responsible for helping many of the newer top wineries sell to their current owners. For the first few years, the fruit was sold to various, local Napa wineries. In part, it was on the advice of Robert Mondavi that Jean Philips move from grower to wine maker as the wines made from that parcel of vines were special. Jean Phillips hired Heidi Barrett, (Wife of Bo Barrett from Montelena) as her first winemaker. Screaming Eagle has gone through a few winemakers since the estate was first created ranging from Heidi Barret, Andy Erickson and now Nick Gislason, who previously worked at Harlan Estate. The then 29 year old Nick Gislason was officially named the winemaker at Screaming Eagle in September, 2012. Screaming Eagle is expensive, but the winery is focused on making the best wines possible. To give you an idea of their commitment, they declassified most of the 2017 Screaming Eagle harvest. This was due to smoke contamination from the 2017 wildfires that decimated parts of California. The majority of the production was placed into their second wine. The annual production of Screaming Eagle remains small. It ranges from 500 to 850 cases per year, depending on the vintage. Tasting Note TGorgeous blackcurrant bramble fruit tones on the nose. A hint of plum, juniper, allspice, cinnamon, pepper and violets. Stylish and compelling, a real sense of purity from the first mouthful. So carefully controlled and delivered. Tannins are ample but finely textured and well integrated – this really stands out in the tasting and is a step-up in terms of nuance, complexity and character. Tannins coat the mouth in a powdery chalky minerality while the subtle density and quiet muscular power gives the base and focus. Nothing stands out, you know you’re in California which is excellent, but it’s not overt or too much. Tastes sophisticated, stylish and overall expensive! A thrilling wine that really shines and is all the more likeable because it’s not showing off or shouting too loudly. Liquorice and tar end the wine on a savoury note, suggesting long cellaring and long ageing potential. I love it. A class above. Director Will Harlan, winemaker David Cilli.[100/100 Points, Georgina Hindle – February 2023, decanter.com]
