Great Cabernets...

[Capocheny]

I've had great Cabs from all over the world and some very, very tasty cabs from Napa Valley. Recently, I've had the good fortune to taste some yummy NV cabs from Harlans, Araujo, Phelps, Montelana, Bryant, etc.

But, I'm still waiting to taste the great wines from Screaming Eagle (especially the 1997 vintage at about US$2,000 a bottle)!

My question to all of you is, "Are their wines as tasty as some of the wine writers have espoused? Is it worth the skyscraper dollars that they're asking for them? Or, do you think it's mostly marketing hype?"

If yes... where in the US am I most likely to find a bottle? We've never, ever seen a bottle of this elixir in Canada (at least in British Columbia.) By the way, I'll be in San Francisco in October.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

[Kcwhippet]

Best place is through one of the many auctions, like Wine Bid, WineCommune, etc. You can also find some at www.wine-searcher.com. Here's the results of a search for the 1997 Screagle.

www.wine-searcher.com/wine-select.lml?ID=G3BWBGSB5P700DK

[Drew]

No bottle is worth $2,000 imho...tis fermented grape juice. It's the American mentality; if it's in vogue and I have disposable income, I gotta have it.

Drew

[Glass_A_Day]

Great stuff, sure. Worth the $300 release price, I would say yes. Worth the $1000 that the secondary market brings the day of release, no. Being that the public is so into "cult" wines though, there will always be people who flip their allocation just to make quick cash. It would be hard to blame them. So now all you have to do is get on their mailing list.

[winoweenie]

Got off ALL of the aboves' mailing lists when their wines went over the 100 price point. IMHO its' impossible to justify spending 2000 for any thing in a 750ml bottle that doesn't turn solid when poured and can be turned into a bracelet. It's my belief that of the 1000 or so bottles of Yelling Pidgeon produced each year that 4 are actually drunk and the other 996 are turned over and over again and over again for profit. Just as the ole' saw goes IMHO. WW ( Oh yeah! For about 2/3rds that you can buy an absolutlety fabulous 1961 Mouton Rothschild. Nobodys sure this stuff will go 20, 15, or even 10 years. )

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 04-27-2005).]

[Capocheny]

Hi all,

All points well-made and well-taken. It's just one of those wines that, perhaps, I'd like to taste JUST ONCE in my lifetime... for the experience I guess. Thank you all for your insight and comments.

WOW... I have to agree especially with your last point. No one knows whether these wines will last 20, 30, 40 years like a great Bordeaux. As for the 61 Mouton... I've not had that particular one before. I've had others from that vintage but not that particular bottling. Maybe, I'll re-think where I'm going to spend my bucks! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers

[Glass_A_Day]

Of course the danger of a 61 Mouton is not knowing where or how it was stored for the last 44 years. The best bet is always to buy on release and store it well. I agree that it would be great to just try a Screagle for the experience. I haven't opened any of mine yet. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Capocheny]

Ahh... so many wines and so little time! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

My attitude is, "Why not give it a try even though it's horrendously over-priced for a bottle of fermented grape juice? After all, that's why we work as hard as we do!" (Shrugging my shoulders.)

Has any previous reviews of the Screaming Eagle been posted here before?

Cheers

[Capocheny]

Glass-A-Day,

I suppose that's the risk/thrill of trying a 61 Mouton... it's the uncertainty of drinking something wonderfully ethereal or vinegar. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

Having said that... I've also had some recent vintages that were off. Now that, IMHO, is one huge disappointment. In fact, at the St. Regis Hotel in NY a few years ago, we ordered a good bottle of wine and it was corked. When we complained about it... the server tasted it (right in front of us) and pronounced it, "okay!" THAT... was a shocker!

Then, not too long ago, we had a bottle of Remoisinet Pere & Fils 1978 Pommard that we were sure was going to be off. The cork had seen much better days. But, the content of that bottle was breath taking! it was like drinking heaven! Delicious... and only one bottle left. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/frown.gif[/img]

So, I advocate enjoying life while one has the opportunity (and health) to do so! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers

[winoweenie]

For what it's worth I posted on the SE 90 vintage I think several ago. Doesn't even come close to my remembrance of the 79 Grace, 78 Diamond Creek Lake or Gravelly, 75 Phelps Insignia, 75,76, or 77 MonteBello, or many other memorable wines I've had. This wine is hype, hysteria, and covetness all in a bottle. Get a well cellared bottle of 59 Latour, 61 Mouton, Margaux, the exquisite Palmer, (4 bottles) of Lynch Bages, or La Mission Haut Brion. All of these suckers will roll your socks down and provide you memories to last a lifetime. WW

[Capocheny]

Kcwhippet,

Thank you for the suggestion... I'd forgotten about those two search sites. Must be old age! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers

[Glass_A_Day]

WW, early vintage for a new producer. Not to argue, but MUCH has changed since the first release... including the ratings (which I tend to listen to less than yours.) Worthy of the ratings, yes. Worthy of the secondary market price, no. SE is a truely great bottle that is overpriced and overhyped. Am I glad to be on the list? yesssss.

[winoweenie]

GAD not to beat a lame pony but IMHO I'd much prefer having 2&1/2 bottles of Insignia in my cellar year-in and year-out than 1 of the SE. Frankly I don't have any pretension or delusion of being able to discern the difference between a wine "They' rate a 92 & one rated 95. WW (Don't often bow to numbers but my curiosity got the best of me so I went back on my cellar notes for the Insignias I've cellared from 1990 on and here are the numbers from "Them". 90-93, 91-92+, 92-90, 94-96 and WS #3 WOTY, 95-93, 96-92, 97-96, 99-93WS-95WA, 00-92, and lastly the 01-95. I can't believe there's another wine produced in this country (or for that matter anywhere) with this track record. Could be wrong but having graduated from Missouri U .....!!!)

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 04-28-2005).]

[Glass_A_Day]

I have those too... Variety is the spice of life.