Screaming Eagle
Second Flight Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA
The somewhat lesser known “second” wine of Screaming Eagle is actually a much different wine than its big brother as it includes a lot more Merlot in the blend. In fact, the 2011 vintage contained more Merlot (54%) than Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) with the balance covered by Cabernet Franc. However, they still spare no expense in making the wine the very best it can be and, despite being known as the second wine, it’s actually more limited in production than Screagle. This particular bottle was shared by a very generous friend and decanted about 30 minutes before service.
The 2011 Second Flight pours a dark garnet with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity. On the nose, medium+ intensity with pronounced pyrazines imparting green bell pepper along with with tobacco, black bramble fruit, black currants, rich earth, crushed rock, semi-sweet chocolate, dried herbs, purple flowers, baking cocoa, and espresso. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with medium+ tannins (which are very rich and very fine) and medium+ acid. The wine finishes forever long with tobacco, dark fruits, earth, nutmeg other baking spices. I have to admit, this was a killer bottle and probably the best 2011’s I’ve yet to enjoy from Napa. Whoa.
The somewhat lesser known “second” wine of Screaming Eagle is actually a much different wine than its big brother as it includes a lot more Merlot in the blend. In fact, the 2011 vintage contained more Merlot (54%) than Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) with the balance covered by Cabernet Franc. However, they still spare no expense in making the wine the very best it can be and, despite being known as the second wine, it’s actually more limited in production than Screagle. This particular bottle was shared by a very generous friend and decanted about 30 minutes before service.
The 2011 Second Flight pours a dark garnet with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity. On the nose, medium+ intensity with pronounced pyrazines imparting green bell pepper along with with tobacco, black bramble fruit, black currants, rich earth, crushed rock, semi-sweet chocolate, dried herbs, purple flowers, baking cocoa, and espresso. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with medium+ tannins (which are very rich and very fine) and medium+ acid. The wine finishes forever long with tobacco, dark fruits, earth, nutmeg other baking spices. I have to admit, this was a killer bottle and probably the best 2011’s I’ve yet to enjoy from Napa. Whoa.
Had a fun blind tasting with a few of my WNH friends @Kirk Alexander!
This won as the Cab of the night but it felt perhaps slightly over extracted???bold fruit but definitely not as seamlessly integrated as it’s big brother
Had a fun blind tasting with a few of my WNH friends @Kirk Alexander!
This won as the Cab of the night but it felt perhaps slightly over extracted???bold fruit but definitely not as seamlessly integrated as it’s big brother
Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.
Strong and beautiful nose of blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, earth, spices, leather, smoke, alcohol, vanilla, vegetables, cloves, coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn
Full bodied and buttery with velvety, soft mouthfeel and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, smoke, vanilla, cedar, leather, liquorice, light vegetables, coffee, chocolates, wood, tobacco, herbs, spices and peppercorn.
Long finish with firm tannins and black pepper.
What a great Napa red this is. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food, like a big piece of steak.
Very complex and interesting, with multiple layers. Round and velvety, but still young. This is a gorgeous wine. Delicious.
14.9% alcohol by volume.
Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.
Strong and beautiful nose of blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, earth, spices, leather, smoke, alcohol, vanilla, vegetables, cloves, coffee, chocolates, tobacco, beef jerky and peppercorn
Full bodied and buttery with velvety, soft mouthfeel and long legs.
Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, smoke, vanilla, cedar, leather, liquorice, light vegetables, coffee, chocolates, wood, tobacco, herbs, spices and peppercorn.
Long finish with firm tannins and black pepper.
What a great Napa red this is. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food, like a big piece of steak.
Very complex and interesting, with multiple layers. Round and velvety, but still young. This is a gorgeous wine. Delicious.
14.9% alcohol by volume.
Intense dark fruit. Rich blackberry/fig hidden under alc aromas. Plush attack that lacks definition and mid palate at first. Cigar, tar finish. Good length, though driven by tannin and extraction.
Intense dark fruit. Rich blackberry/fig hidden under alc aromas. Plush attack that lacks definition and mid palate at first. Cigar, tar finish. Good length, though driven by tannin and extraction.
1 person found it helpfulSep 20th, 2017
Prefer this to the first label tbh
Prefer this to the first label tbh
1 person found it helpfulJan 31st, 2017
Whatever, if you want to drink the Basterd child of the overpriced BS that this wine is then go for it.
Whatever, if you want to drink the Basterd child of the overpriced BS that this wine is then go for it.
1 person found it helpfulOct 19th, 2016