California Wine, Napa Valley, Oakville
About Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyard
Screaming Eagle is one of Napa Valley's smallest wineries, and a California cult wine favorite. The little stone winery (a 12- by 18-foot stone building off Silverado Trail) is perched on a rocky hillside in the Oakville Appellation overlooking the vineyard planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged in 65% new French oak barrels in a small cave for almost two years. Annual production is approximately 500 cases with most wine sold directly to consumers via a mailing list, however you can buy it here.
The winery was founded in 1989 with its first release of approximately 200 cases of the 1992 vintage. Owner Jean Phillips, who purchased the 60-acre property in 1986, along with wine maker Heidi Peterson Barrett have created a cabernet sauvignon that is sought after by collectors and wine lovers alike, these hard to find wines are often available only in limited quantities.
In March of 2006 the winery was sold to Charles Banks, a money manager for NBA players and other athletes, and Stanley Kroenke, owner of the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche hockey team. The new owners have announced that they have hired famed vineyard manager David Abreu to replant some of the vineyard. It appears that they are also hiring a new winemaker - Andy Erickson. Andy has worked at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars and Staglin Family and is currently making wine for Hartwell and Arietta. He also has his own wine label Favia. Heidi Peterson Barrett will stay on to complete the vintages she has started through 2005.
In 2001 at the Napa Valley Wine Auction a collector paid $650,000.00 (US) for eight extremely rare 3.0L bottles of Screaming Eagle Wine spanning from 1992 to 1999.