I recommend you review my 2 previous Blogs on February 25, 2021 as well as May 7, 2023 to help getting up to speed for this review. As a review, since 2021 these are the wines reviewed in date order with the professional ratings.
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Red
2005 Screaming Eagle RP98 WS95 ST94
2009 Screaming Eagle RP96 WS96 ST96
2010 Screaming Eagle RP100 WS96 ST97
2011 Screaming Eagle RP94-99 JS94
2012 Screaming Eagle RP100 WS97 ST95-98 JS100
2013 Screaming Eagle RP97 WS95 JS100 750cc 2021 1.5L 2025
2014 Screaming Eagle RP97 WS95 JS99
2015 Screaming Eagle WA100 JS100
2016 Screaming Eagle WA100 JS100
2019 Screaming Eagle D100 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
2020 Screaming Eagle JS99 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
2021 Screaming Eagle RP98 JS100 V100 D100 1.5L 2025
Screaming Eagle 2nd Flight
2014 Second Flight RP96 JS97 D95
2021 Second Flight WI100
Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
2019 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP99
2021 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP100
Wines Tasted March 29, 2025
2021 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP 100
Talk about an embarrassment of riches. This is my second bottle of what may be one of the rarest wines on the planet as I had the 2019 2 years ago. My first impression a bright, high acid, grapefruit predominate wine. It was by no means overoaked which you should expect here. It was a nice complex wine, I could pick up 4 or 5 flavors easily. In addition to grapefruit I tasted lemon and pineapple. The balance was exceptional with all flavors complimenting each other. The finish was exceptional over 10 minutes and lingering, complex, and impressionable. I have nothing but praise and agree with the 100 point rating. I do apologize in that there are only a couple of hundred bottles made so it is near impossible for most to have this wine.
2021 Screaming Eagle 2nd Flight RP 100
In many ways this is a historic wine in that it is one of the first 2nd bottling that have been rated 100 points. This was rated 100 by Robert Parker. It should also be noted that this wine has more Merlot than most which may play into that rating. It has a rich, elegant nose and the oak is well integrated in all aspects. As with all Screaming Eagles there is exceptional balance here while maintaining complexity. I tasted cedar, cigar box, black currant, prunes, eucalyptus, and mint. In many respects the fruit was somewhat subdued allowing for a more mineral taste bringing forth some old world Cab style.
2013 Screaming Eagle Cabernets in Magnum RP 97 WS 95 JS 100
For me hands down the wine of evening. I had this wine previously in the 2021 tasting and here is what I said tasting 2013 out of a 750cc bottle.
“On the nose and taste I found an abundance of smoky meat and barbecue. The tannins were exceptionally smooth and balanced along with balanced acid and alcohol. I found I agreed more with Robert Parker on this year and it was one of my favorites of the evening”
Out of Magnum again the best Cabernet of the evening. Parker rated it 97 whereas James Suckling gave it the full 100 points. For me again this was a smooth operator. The opening stanza was a spectacular spiritual nose and aroma highly complex. The oak was just enough to enhance the wine and blends in seamlessly with the fruit. There is a perfect harmonious pleasant blend of flavors. Multiple flavors were showcased including cedar, oak, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and Cassis which Screaming Eagle is known for. The final stanza was a lingering complex finish to die for. No question a 100 point experience. The main difference out of Magnum for me was continued evolution of complexity and it was smoother and more mellow than what I remember 4 years ago. I also was blown away with the nose.
2019 Screaming Eagle D100 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
An extraordinary wine. From the start unmistakable aroma, bouquet, and taste with layer upon layer of complexity. I smelled and tasted Blackberry, Cassis, prune, fig, cedar, a light hint of oak that did not overwhelm the fruit. An overlay of nice smoky flavor. There was outstanding acid and balance and for me the finish lasted for 10 minutes or more. It was just an amazing complex pleasant well balanced wine that lingered in the memory. A perfect example of my description of Screaming Eagle being a “berry complex well balanced wine”.Since my last tasting on May 7, 2023 the 2019 has clearly improved with age.
2020 Screaming Eagle JS99 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
An outstanding wine but to me a little less impressive than the 2019. There was cedar on the nose but less oak than the 2019. Still lots of berry flavors including blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry with plenty of cedar flavors. The finish was not as long as I would have liked. It is still a young wine so may just need more time to evolve. Plenty of fruit to go forward. My review from May 7, 2023 is similar and I still like the wine I just found the evolution of the 2019 more to my taste. Reality both are great.
2021 Screaming Eagle RP98 JS100 V100 D100 1.5L 2025
The 2021 is just too young to really judge and appreciate. It was harsh on the taste and very, very strong tannic structure that overwhelmed the fruit. 2021 wines were noted to have small berry size and high skin to pulp ratios with lower yields which may explain the strong tannins. The oak flavors were also there but for me they were just enough to enhance the wine and blend in. I did detect from eucalyptus and mint on the nose but the tannins overwhelmed everything in the taste. I do suspect that it will prove to be more complex than I could tell. I also think the balance is there More than one writer gave it 100 points but I just could not really judge it due to its tannic youth. Clearly will need at least 10 years to evolve. Lisa Perrotti-Brown stood out recommending up to 10 years of cellaring.
1997 Huet Vouvray Cuvee Constance 1.5 L 100 WS 99 WA
Sweet wines generally last for decades and this Vouvray is an outstanding example. Our group had this years ago out of magnum and we enjoyed it again this evening out of magnum and OMG was it so good and continues to be close to a spiritual wine. I starts with a delicate honey nose bursting in aroma. A concentrated sweetness with honey, lemon, and pear flavors well balanced. An excellent, long, lingering finish into the evening star studded sky. Being from 1997 it is already a rare wine to find and impossible in magnum. My friend who acquired it was offered it as the last of it’s vintage so in magnums that is true. But it was so good we could not foresee life without some in our cellar so I started my world wide search and low and behold I found 20 750cc bottles in London and purchased them. In Europe at least there are a few 750cc’s left but alas no magnums. But we now have 20 that should last our lifetimes. When you visit we will crack a bottle. I have provided the professional reviews on this rare wine below.
100 points Wine Spectator: " *Cellar Selection* Extraordinarily rich. An amazing amount of botrytis gives this sweet white a powerful, spicy character, its masses of ripe fruit kept lively by electrifying acidity. So concentrated it tastes as though all the flesh has evaporated, leaving only the spirit behind. Will easily last your lifetime and mine. (TM)" (02/2000)
99 points Wine Advocate: "The stunning, virtually perfect, 1997 Vouvray Moelleux Cuvee Constance (named after his daughter) sports 150 grams of residual sugar per liter, 7.5 grams of acidity, and 12.5% alcohol. Tasting this sublime dessert wine brought tears to my eyes. It is so captivatingly pure, focused, and intricate as to be all but impossible to adequately describe. Its green and straw color reveals hints of gold. Aromatically, it titillates with scents of apricot jam, candied grapefruits, quince, bergamots, and flowers. On the palate fresh peaches, citrus fruits, honey, acacia blossoms, quinine, chalk, and lemony mangoes can be found. Additionally, this medium-to-full-bodied, penetrating, yet perfectly balanced wine has a finish that seemingly lingers forever, revealing even more waves of minerals and fruit. It will require patience yet should easily evolve for 50 years or more. Bravo! (PR)" (08/1999)
The wine soapbox
As an amateur I must hold the worlds record for tasting 12 vintages of Screaming Eagle including some 2nd Flights and their Sauvignon Blanc. Going back to my initial tastings in 2021 and 2023 I can continue to state these wines are “berry, and complex well balanced”. I see no reason to change my past opinion so in closing I offer my editorial from 2023 as follows:
“Now onto the elephant in the room the price-value ratio. These wines are one of the most expensive wines on the planet and you have to ask yourself if the difference in style and taste and quality is worth the price differential over an equally compelling California Cabernet. That is a question you have to answer yourself. I think it says a lot that a significant number of these bottles end up at auction in the after-market having never been drunk by the original owner. Last week at dinner a friend gave me a great line that says “Wine is made to be enjoyed not exploited”. Wine is made to be drunk, period. If all you are doing is buying and selling something over and over again to squeeze every ounce of profit out of it then please go buy NFTs. At least that is more honest. I have confirmed that for many of my friends who have the palate Screaming Eagle offers a subtle hedonistic taste difference that only they can appreciate and they have the funds to indulge this vice. So I say go ahead with my blessing and joy that you are in fact enjoying these wines. But please eventually drink them. Some things are more important than money. For the rest of us, there are hundreds of similar quality and tasty wines at a much lower price point. Please see my blog on California Cabernets from October 22, 2021. In the first Screaming Eagle tasting a 2015 Hall Jacks Masterpiece was included and I wrote then and confirm now it is as close to Screaming Eagle as you can get and is 5% of the cost of Screaming Eagle. “
Again I offer my sincerest congratulations and thanks to both Executive Chef Okan Kizirilbay and Collin Thornton, Food and Beverage Manager of the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island for volunteering to provide this dinner to provide affordable housing to the Nassau County residents.
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Red
2005 Screaming Eagle RP98 WS95 ST94
2009 Screaming Eagle RP96 WS96 ST96
2010 Screaming Eagle RP100 WS96 ST97
2011 Screaming Eagle RP94-99 JS94
2012 Screaming Eagle RP100 WS97 ST95-98 JS100
2013 Screaming Eagle RP97 WS95 JS100 750cc 2021 1.5L 2025
2014 Screaming Eagle RP97 WS95 JS99
2015 Screaming Eagle WA100 JS100
2016 Screaming Eagle WA100 JS100
2019 Screaming Eagle D100 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
2020 Screaming Eagle JS99 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
2021 Screaming Eagle RP98 JS100 V100 D100 1.5L 2025
Screaming Eagle 2nd Flight
2014 Second Flight RP96 JS97 D95
2021 Second Flight WI100
Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
2019 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP99
2021 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP100
Wines Tasted March 29, 2025
2021 Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc RP 100
Talk about an embarrassment of riches. This is my second bottle of what may be one of the rarest wines on the planet as I had the 2019 2 years ago. My first impression a bright, high acid, grapefruit predominate wine. It was by no means overoaked which you should expect here. It was a nice complex wine, I could pick up 4 or 5 flavors easily. In addition to grapefruit I tasted lemon and pineapple. The balance was exceptional with all flavors complimenting each other. The finish was exceptional over 10 minutes and lingering, complex, and impressionable. I have nothing but praise and agree with the 100 point rating. I do apologize in that there are only a couple of hundred bottles made so it is near impossible for most to have this wine.
2021 Screaming Eagle 2nd Flight RP 100
In many ways this is a historic wine in that it is one of the first 2nd bottling that have been rated 100 points. This was rated 100 by Robert Parker. It should also be noted that this wine has more Merlot than most which may play into that rating. It has a rich, elegant nose and the oak is well integrated in all aspects. As with all Screaming Eagles there is exceptional balance here while maintaining complexity. I tasted cedar, cigar box, black currant, prunes, eucalyptus, and mint. In many respects the fruit was somewhat subdued allowing for a more mineral taste bringing forth some old world Cab style.
2013 Screaming Eagle Cabernets in Magnum RP 97 WS 95 JS 100
For me hands down the wine of evening. I had this wine previously in the 2021 tasting and here is what I said tasting 2013 out of a 750cc bottle.
“On the nose and taste I found an abundance of smoky meat and barbecue. The tannins were exceptionally smooth and balanced along with balanced acid and alcohol. I found I agreed more with Robert Parker on this year and it was one of my favorites of the evening”
Out of Magnum again the best Cabernet of the evening. Parker rated it 97 whereas James Suckling gave it the full 100 points. For me again this was a smooth operator. The opening stanza was a spectacular spiritual nose and aroma highly complex. The oak was just enough to enhance the wine and blends in seamlessly with the fruit. There is a perfect harmonious pleasant blend of flavors. Multiple flavors were showcased including cedar, oak, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and Cassis which Screaming Eagle is known for. The final stanza was a lingering complex finish to die for. No question a 100 point experience. The main difference out of Magnum for me was continued evolution of complexity and it was smoother and more mellow than what I remember 4 years ago. I also was blown away with the nose.
2019 Screaming Eagle D100 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
An extraordinary wine. From the start unmistakable aroma, bouquet, and taste with layer upon layer of complexity. I smelled and tasted Blackberry, Cassis, prune, fig, cedar, a light hint of oak that did not overwhelm the fruit. An overlay of nice smoky flavor. There was outstanding acid and balance and for me the finish lasted for 10 minutes or more. It was just an amazing complex pleasant well balanced wine that lingered in the memory. A perfect example of my description of Screaming Eagle being a “berry complex well balanced wine”.Since my last tasting on May 7, 2023 the 2019 has clearly improved with age.
2020 Screaming Eagle JS99 750cc 2023 1.5L 2025
An outstanding wine but to me a little less impressive than the 2019. There was cedar on the nose but less oak than the 2019. Still lots of berry flavors including blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry with plenty of cedar flavors. The finish was not as long as I would have liked. It is still a young wine so may just need more time to evolve. Plenty of fruit to go forward. My review from May 7, 2023 is similar and I still like the wine I just found the evolution of the 2019 more to my taste. Reality both are great.
2021 Screaming Eagle RP98 JS100 V100 D100 1.5L 2025
The 2021 is just too young to really judge and appreciate. It was harsh on the taste and very, very strong tannic structure that overwhelmed the fruit. 2021 wines were noted to have small berry size and high skin to pulp ratios with lower yields which may explain the strong tannins. The oak flavors were also there but for me they were just enough to enhance the wine and blend in. I did detect from eucalyptus and mint on the nose but the tannins overwhelmed everything in the taste. I do suspect that it will prove to be more complex than I could tell. I also think the balance is there More than one writer gave it 100 points but I just could not really judge it due to its tannic youth. Clearly will need at least 10 years to evolve. Lisa Perrotti-Brown stood out recommending up to 10 years of cellaring.
1997 Huet Vouvray Cuvee Constance 1.5 L 100 WS 99 WA
Sweet wines generally last for decades and this Vouvray is an outstanding example. Our group had this years ago out of magnum and we enjoyed it again this evening out of magnum and OMG was it so good and continues to be close to a spiritual wine. I starts with a delicate honey nose bursting in aroma. A concentrated sweetness with honey, lemon, and pear flavors well balanced. An excellent, long, lingering finish into the evening star studded sky. Being from 1997 it is already a rare wine to find and impossible in magnum. My friend who acquired it was offered it as the last of it’s vintage so in magnums that is true. But it was so good we could not foresee life without some in our cellar so I started my world wide search and low and behold I found 20 750cc bottles in London and purchased them. In Europe at least there are a few 750cc’s left but alas no magnums. But we now have 20 that should last our lifetimes. When you visit we will crack a bottle. I have provided the professional reviews on this rare wine below.
100 points Wine Spectator: " *Cellar Selection* Extraordinarily rich. An amazing amount of botrytis gives this sweet white a powerful, spicy character, its masses of ripe fruit kept lively by electrifying acidity. So concentrated it tastes as though all the flesh has evaporated, leaving only the spirit behind. Will easily last your lifetime and mine. (TM)" (02/2000)
99 points Wine Advocate: "The stunning, virtually perfect, 1997 Vouvray Moelleux Cuvee Constance (named after his daughter) sports 150 grams of residual sugar per liter, 7.5 grams of acidity, and 12.5% alcohol. Tasting this sublime dessert wine brought tears to my eyes. It is so captivatingly pure, focused, and intricate as to be all but impossible to adequately describe. Its green and straw color reveals hints of gold. Aromatically, it titillates with scents of apricot jam, candied grapefruits, quince, bergamots, and flowers. On the palate fresh peaches, citrus fruits, honey, acacia blossoms, quinine, chalk, and lemony mangoes can be found. Additionally, this medium-to-full-bodied, penetrating, yet perfectly balanced wine has a finish that seemingly lingers forever, revealing even more waves of minerals and fruit. It will require patience yet should easily evolve for 50 years or more. Bravo! (PR)" (08/1999)
The wine soapbox
As an amateur I must hold the worlds record for tasting 12 vintages of Screaming Eagle including some 2nd Flights and their Sauvignon Blanc. Going back to my initial tastings in 2021 and 2023 I can continue to state these wines are “berry, and complex well balanced”. I see no reason to change my past opinion so in closing I offer my editorial from 2023 as follows:
“Now onto the elephant in the room the price-value ratio. These wines are one of the most expensive wines on the planet and you have to ask yourself if the difference in style and taste and quality is worth the price differential over an equally compelling California Cabernet. That is a question you have to answer yourself. I think it says a lot that a significant number of these bottles end up at auction in the after-market having never been drunk by the original owner. Last week at dinner a friend gave me a great line that says “Wine is made to be enjoyed not exploited”. Wine is made to be drunk, period. If all you are doing is buying and selling something over and over again to squeeze every ounce of profit out of it then please go buy NFTs. At least that is more honest. I have confirmed that for many of my friends who have the palate Screaming Eagle offers a subtle hedonistic taste difference that only they can appreciate and they have the funds to indulge this vice. So I say go ahead with my blessing and joy that you are in fact enjoying these wines. But please eventually drink them. Some things are more important than money. For the rest of us, there are hundreds of similar quality and tasty wines at a much lower price point. Please see my blog on California Cabernets from October 22, 2021. In the first Screaming Eagle tasting a 2015 Hall Jacks Masterpiece was included and I wrote then and confirm now it is as close to Screaming Eagle as you can get and is 5% of the cost of Screaming Eagle. “
Again I offer my sincerest congratulations and thanks to both Executive Chef Okan Kizirilbay and Collin Thornton, Food and Beverage Manager of the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island for volunteering to provide this dinner to provide affordable housing to the Nassau County residents.
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