2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Scarecrow
Buying options
Tasting notes
Like listening to cool mellow rock 'n' roll. Extraordinary aromas of violets and dark fruits such as blueberries and currants. I can't get over the aromas here. Then it goes to minerals with just a hint of bay leaf. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins with a beautiful softness and beautifulness. I love the balance and harmony to this with bright acidity. I would drink this before the 2007. Just under 1,000 cases of 12 but all sold in threes. Reminds me of Leoville Las Cases but with Napa brightness. Enjoy or hold for a long time.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully deep aromas of black raspberry, dark cherry, mint, minerals, anise and flowers. Thick on entry, then expands in the middle palate, displaying a suave texture and a weightless impression for such a dense, chewy wine. Boasts a tight, concentrated core of black cherry fruit complicated by dark chocolate, thyme and tarragon. The rising, extremely long finish features black cherry, raspberry and licorice flavors and even, palate-saturating tannins.
After a perfect wine in 2007, I suppose the 2008 is something of a letdown. A hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon (800 cases), this is still an outstanding wine, with classic graphite, creme de cassis, blueberry and floral notes all well-presented in the perfumed aromatics of this full-bodied, rich, concentrated wine. It has some noticeable tannins to be resolved and is not as seamless and flawless as the monumental 2007. Nevertheless, this is a gorgeous wine to drink over the next 20+ years.
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.