Scarecrow 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon JJ Cohn Estate, Napa Valley 100 Points

Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points: “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.”

Robert Parker 99 Points: “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.”

Celia Welch, Winemaker Notes: “Blackberries, plums, cocoa powder, anise, and an earthy sage note all lift gracefully from the glass with this 2021 vintage from the Cohn Estate. Fully ripe but not overly so, the 2021 Scarecrow displays extraordinary aromatic intensity. Soft and very full at entry, the wine gains breadth with time on the mid-palate. Fully ripe tannins offer both structure and a sense of plushness. At the finish, the red and black fruits, baking spices and sweet herbal notes intertwine, then slowly fade as the warm textural elements linger. Hand-harvested between September 15 and 30, 2021, the fruit for this wine is grown entirely on the J.J. Cohn Estate in Rutherford, CA. These grapes were gently de-stemmed and sorted prior to fermentation in small tanks. Each section of the vineyard was kept as a separate lot, transferred to French oak barrels (75% new), and aged for about 10 months before evaluation for blending into this exquisite wine. The blend was returned to barrels for a total of 21 months, then bottled without fining or filtration in July 2023”