Community Tasting Note
-
MariusA Likes this wine: 98 points
March 28, 2024 - Opened this next to the ‘12 Harlan to compare and contrast. This was my first Screaming Eagle and I didn’t know what to expect.
The first sip out of the bottle was concerning. Nose was pleasant with red and dark fruit but when tasting the wine the mid-palate was very “stemmy” and tannins seemed unresolved. It was a “uh-oh” moment. After an hour in the decanter, most of these unpleasant flavors were dissipated, and after two hours the wine was silky smooth. Whereas the Harlan had more upfront fruit, the SE had great balance of fruit, tannins, and acidity. There was also a crispness and purity of fruit that was just wonderful. (My friend, fkacondor, aptly described one of the fruit flavors as candid cherry.)
Is it worth $3,000? Is any wine? Not in my opinion. But should it be on your bucket list of wines to try? Absolutely. For those of you out there who are on the Screaming Eagle mailing list and have these in your cellar - enjoy! I’d give the ‘12 another 5 years in the cellar before opening. It’s still very young.4 people found this helpful 978 views