2003 Scarecrow
By Scarecrow
2003 Scarecrow from Scarecrow, Napa Valley, USA
Exuding the ideology of American winemaking in its highest echelons, the 2003 Scarecrow from Scarecrow is a testament to the unique crafting that sets this vineyard's output apart. Hailing from the fertile soils of Napa Valley, this vintage is an iconic representation of the distinct attributes that have firmly established Scarecrow on the global stage of fine wines.
Emblematic Expressions of Elegance & Complexity
In a year that challenged vintners all across Napa Valley, the impeccable artistry behind the 2003 Scarecrow showed remarkable resilience. This vintage stands as an affirmation of Scarecrow's ability to take classic Cabernet Sauvignon grape and transcend expectations with a discipline seal.
The vintage reveals itself with an enchanting bouquet of black cherries, cassis, and truffle undertones. It luxuriously unfurls in the glass to further express layers of dark chocolate and finely crushed minerals-a reflection of its storied Rutherford, Napa Valley origins
A Surefire Wine Investment Beloved by Aficionados
With an ageing potential stretching for decades yet approachable in its youth, the 2003 Scarecrow has stunningly solidified its position among fine wine investors looking for appreciable assets. The wine speaks not just to aesthetes delving into the realm of accomplished reds but also invokes the spirits of discerning oenophiles appreciating the magic of Napa Valley Cabs.
Admittedly limited in quantity but stupendous in quality, this stellar American exponent undeniably underscores why savvy wine investors perpetually vie for adding such singular bottles to their portfolios.
Conclusively, with its beautiful orchestration of power and finesse, the 2003 Scarecrow from Scarecrow narrates an ageless chapter from the resplendent tale of formidable American winemaking. A wine of profuse personality and provenance like this stands amongst the most sought-after investment-grade wines where sophistication becomes the yardstick for value.
Market price (GBP)
£10,430.00
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
579.44
Scores and tasting notes
Any debut wine that is this impressive requires research. The story goes as follows: In 1945, the famed John Daniel, Jr., who made so many historically great wines at Inglenook, convinced a neighbor of his, J. J. Cohn, to plant 80 acres of Cabernet vines, and the fruit became a component of Inglenook’s series of great Cabernet Sauvignons. Cohn, who owned the property and planted the vineyard at the insistence of John Daniel, had a prominent career in Hollywood as chief of production at MGM, where he played a role in the making of such movies as “Ben Hur,” “Mutiny on the Bounty,” and his favorite movie apparently, “The Wizard of Oz,” to which the Scarecrow label pays tribute. The 2003 Scarecrow (471 cases, all from the Rutherford area of Napa) was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The man behind this wine today is the grandson of J. J. Cohn, Bret Lopez, and his winemaker is Celia Masyczek, who first became well-known working at Staglin. Much of this blend still comes from the old dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1945 by J. J. Cohn. This inky purple-colored wine has an extraordinary nose of sweet black cherry jam intermixed with licorice, spice box, and cedar. It has sensational richness, but the purity, elegance, and overall nuance of this wine are what set it apart and give it a very distinctive character all its own. This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon and another terrific 2003 that can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 or more years. Tel. (707) 963-3361; Fax (707) 968-9367
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 25 December 2006