2018 Monsieur Etain Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting Notes
Fresh and ripe, with a solid blast of plum and cherry reduction notes leading the way, lined with subtle singed vanilla and cedar threads and speckled with savory and tobacco through the finish. Drink now through 2032. 2,315 cases made.
Critic Scores
Average Score
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2018 M. Étain is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 4% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with expressive notes of crème de cassis, baked plums, wild blueberries and tilled soil with loads of exotic spice and fruitcake accents. Full-bodied, the palate is as rich as it is vibrant and refreshing, featuring approachable, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and earthy. 2,400 cases were made.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon M. Étain is a powerful, muscular wine that speaks with booming authority. Blackberry, gravel, chocolate, spice and lavender are some of the many aromas and flavors that saturate the palate. Far from an easygoing 2018, the M. Étain is a brooding Cabernet that needs time in bottle to allow the formidable tannins to soften. It remains one of the most distinctive wines made in Nape Valley. Dollops of Merlot and Malbec from the back of the property round out the blend. There are 2,400 cases of the 2018, a large production within the context of Napa Valley for a wine of this level.
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.