2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Scarecrow
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with captivating aromatics that are immediately alluring. Blackberry, camphor, dried herbs, incense, licorice, chocolate and lavender are so suggestive. On the palate, the 2021 is dark, brooding and quite mysterious. There's a somber intensity to the 2021 that is incredibly appealing. Harvest took place over three weeks from September 5 to 26, and yields were down by nearly 50%. The more positive news is that the 2021 is one of the very finest Scarecrows in some time.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2021Cabernet Sauvignon, with 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Very closed and broody to start off, it needs a lot of shaking to wake up profound notes of blackcurrant jelly, plum preserves, boysenberries, and cinnamon stick leading to an undercurrent of rosebud tea, anise, and incense. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with firm, grainy tannins and great tension perfectly framing the intense baking spice and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, finishing very long and fantastically complex. "We've been propagating more of our original old vine budwood - our own 'Cohn' clone," said winemaker Celia Welch. "We don't give out any of this budwood. All the Cohn clone vines go into the Scarecrow. 2021 was a beautiful but smaller vintage, with yields down 30-35%."
The 2021 Scarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard on the western edge of Rutherford, nestled back against the Mayacamas range. Boasting a fabulous nose of deep, dark, black cherries and earthy-spicy notes accented by a touch of mocha-like oak, this full-bodied wine is ripe, rich and velvety. There's ample density and concentration, but the wine still retains a sense of freshness on the long, elegant finish.
Moving to the Grand Vin 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, red wine simply doesn't get any better, and I never cease to be amazed at what winemaker Celia Welch accomplishes with this incredible terroir. Deep ruby/plum-hued, with a kaleidoscope-like array of cr me de cassis, jammy blackberries, spicy oak, graphite, and smoked tobacco, with a kiss of background chocolaty nuances, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a multi-dimensional, layered mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a flawlessly layered, concentrated, balanced profile that has to be tasted to be believed. Given its wealth of fruit and texture, as well as purity and balance, it already offers pleasure, yet smart money will give bottles 4-6 years in the cellar, count themselves lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following two decades.
About the producer
Scarecrow shot to fame with its debut 2003 vintage. The wine, named after the The Wizard of Oz character, is made exclusively from grapes from the J. J. Cohn vineyard in Napa’s Rutherford. Scarecrow is owned by Bret Lopez (J. J. Cohn’s grandson) and is very much a rarity in Napa.