Winemaker Notes
The world’s most iconic wine estates show vintage variation in degrees of excellence, and the Scarecrow estate vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley, is no exception. With this lovely offering from a rare season which exhibited more Bordeaux-like conditions than those typical to Napa Valley, we find the intense perfumed aromas that only a season with gentle temperatures can bring. How else can one explain the sudden appearance of sweet wafts of jasmine and gently crushed rose petal among the more prevalent ripe tones of dark cherry, vanilla and a touch of warm vanilla. These aromas show the gentle summer temperatures of 2011 to their fullest glory. On the palate, the warm, rich, silky broad texture of this fully ripe wine acclaims to all that this vineyard holds its own in every season. As soft and rich, as unmistakably Rutherford as one might find in any vintage, the finish of this juicy, full-bodied Cabernet shows the tremendous complexity and grace which makes the powerful flavors all the more appealing.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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.
Range: 91-93 -
Wine Spectator
Deep, focused, rich and extracted, with earth, dusty berry, cedar and tobacco leaf notes. For all its tannic muscle, the flavors push through.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.