Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2007 Screaming Eagle opens with a dazzlingly beautiful fragrance of red roses, violets and lavender over a core of red currant jelly, kirsch, cassis and black raspberry layers plus blueberry preserves and stewed tea accents and a waft of cigar box. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins are firm yet wonderfully plush with a great intensity of perfumed red and blue fruits that are at once intense and ethereal, finishing on a lingering mineral note. This 2007 truly shows the personality of Screaming Eagle at its best. It is approachable now, still possessing plenty of primary fruit with those tertiary layers beginning to unfurl and therefore it cannot fail to impress even at this youthful stage. However, give it another 5-7 years to really get the full dividends of careful cellaring.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.