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Rare Wines

Rare Wines

Rare Wines

Sampling a very rare wine offers a whole new dimension of satisfaction. As you imbibe the rich, opulent mixture, a realization dawns on you – very few people in the world have this privilege. What you’re tasting now has graced the lips of only a select few elite wine connoisseurs, enthusiasts that are willing to go to extreme financial lengths to acquire only the most inaccessible blends. It feels like indulging in forbidden wine, and that makes the wine that much sweeter.

Of course, most of these exceedingly rare blends are also earth-shatteringly satisfying to drink. The flavors are mixed in a way that can make a man religious, as though Dionysus himself participated in the winemaking process. The textures are complex and stimulating, as the wine unfolds in your glass and your mouth, constantly introducing new sensations. No one can drink one of these wines and leave unsatisfied, making them an instant hit at important events – assuming, of course, that you’re even willing to open a bottle this rare.

As one of the world’s finest wine retailers, we have made it our mission to give you access to wines that only the most elite enthusiasts partake in. If you’ve got the budget to afford them, they’re an instant buy for diehard collectors, a treasure to pass onto your descendants and cherish for as long as possible. Let us open a window into the sultry, rich world of these almost forbidden fine wines.
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2003 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

Any debut wine that is this impressive requires research. The story goes as follows: In 1945, the famed John Daniel, Jr., who made so many historically great wines at Inglenook, convinced a neighbor of his, J. J. Cohn, to plant 80 acres of Cabernet vines, and the fruit became a component of Inglenook’s series of great Cabernet Sauvignons. Cohn, who owned the property and planted the vineyard at the insistence of John Daniel, had a prominent career in Hollywood as chief of production at MGM, where he played a role in the making of such movies as “Ben Hur,” “Mutiny on the Bounty,” and his favorite movie apparently, “The Wizard of Oz,” to which the Scarecrow label pays tribute. The 2003 Scarecrow (471 cases, all from the Rutherford area of Napa) was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The man behind this wine today is the grandson of J. J. Cohn, Bret Lopez, and his winemaker is Celia Masyczek, who first became well-known working at Staglin. Much of this blend still comes from the old dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1945 by J. J. Cohn. This inky purple-colored wine has an extraordinary nose of sweet black cherry jam intermixed with licorice, spice box, and cedar. It has sensational richness, but the purity, elegance, and overall nuance of this wine are what set it apart and give it a very distinctive character all its own. This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon and another terrific 2003 that can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 or more years.Robert Parker | 98 RPPresents a rich, potent mix of espresso, mocha, dark berry, dried herb and melted licorice notes, ending with rich, gripping tannins and a push of youthful fruit. The better of two bottles tasted. -- 2003 California Cabernet blind retrospective (July 2013). Drink now through 2020. 400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThis is one of those tiny-production wines that gets tongues buzzing in San Francisco restaurants. The 100% Cab was aged for nearly two years in almost all new French oak. It is rich and flavorful in ripe blackberry and cassis fruit, with tannins co-contributed from the grapes and the barrels that suggest mid-term aging. It’s a very fine, New World-style Cab that should be at its best between 2007 and 2010.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

98
RP
As low as $1,389.00
2009 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon, California Red

A riveting expression of complex Cabernet, this is rich, loamy and layered, with pure, detailed currant, blackberry and black licorice flavors and firm, gripping tannins. Gains and sustains on the finish. Cellar-worthy. Best from 2014 through 2028.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon bursts from the glass with huge dark fruit, scorched earth, menthol, licorice and smoke. The first impression is quite positive, but then the persistence on the mid-palate unexpectedly drops off quickly, as if there is a hole in the middle of the wine. In this vintage, the difference between the second label M. Etain and Scarecrow is much less evident than in 2010. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024.Scarecrow’s 2010s are gorgeous, and also quite a big step up from the 2009s. For more background on the estate, readers may want to revisit my introductory comments in Issue 198.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon bursts from the glass with huge dark fruit, scorched earth, menthol, licorice and smoke. The first impression is quite positive, but then the persistence on the mid-palate unexpectedly drops off quickly, as if there is a hole in the middle of the wine. In this vintage, the difference between the second label M. Etain and Scarecrow is much less evident than in 2010.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

92
RP
As low as $959.00
2012 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon, California Red

The classic 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon included fruit from the 2-acre, old vine parcel that is nearly 70 years of age. It boasts an opaque purple color as well as copious notes of spring flowers, blackberries, black raspberries and wet rocks. The wine’s gravelly minerality and spectacular opulence and density make it an instant classic. This massive, full-bodied 2012 should drink beautifully for 15-20+ years. It showed incredibly well last year, and it still reveals the potential to possibly merit a 3-digit score – it’s that special.Robert Parker | 98 RPA compelling, exotic beauty, the 2012 Scarecrow impresses for its power and intensity. White flowers, spices and new leather wrap around a core of dark fruit as this imposing, structured Cabernet Sauvignon opens up in the glass. The 2012 needs time in bottle to drop some baby fat and develop more aromatic nuance, but it is absolutely captivating, even today.Vinous Media | 96 VMSmoky, dusty tannins give the earth-laced dark berry, raspberry and floral notes definition, accented by espresso, dark chocolate, licorice and anise hints. The density and richness promise a long life, though this is certainly a delight to drink now. Drink now through 2030. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNamed after the scarecow in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, Scarecrow comes from the historic J J Cohn estate, next door to the historic Inglenook estate, tucked up against the hills of the Mayacamas Mountains in the appellation of Rutherford in the Napa Valley. The land was bought out of bankruptcy in the 1930s by Joe Cohn, an immigrant Russian Orthodox Jew who made his way from Harlem, New York to Hollywood, eventually becoming the first head of MGM (the studio that produced the movie). The vines, planted in 1945, produced grapes that went into many of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wines until 2003, when Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez, began making the first Scarecrow wines with the help of consulting winemaker Celia Welch. From the first vintage, the wines have acquired near-legendary status for their beauty, immaculate purity, textural tenderness and savoury quality, not unlike the wines of first growth Bordeaux Château Haut-Brion. Drinking Window 2016 - 2035.Decanter | 90 DEC

98
RP
As low as $999.00
2016 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon, California Red

Scheduled to be released in March of this year, the deep ruby-colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon would give the 2015 Château Margaux (that’s what leaped into my head as I tasted this) a run for its money and is an utterly perfect bottle of wine that does everything right. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from very old, dry farmed vines in what was previously known as the J.J. Cohn Vineyard, its deep purple color is followed by a heavenly perfume of blueberries, spring flowers, lead pencil, exotic spices, and graphite. Slightly more focused and poised than the M. Etain release, with full body, ultra-fine tannins, and no hard edges, it’s a wine of incredible elegance paired with remarkable intensity, and it’s rare to find a wine that marries both so effortlessly. As with the vast majority of truly great Cabernet Sauvignons, it’s great today and will be great in 30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDScarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from two acres of old vines planted in 1945 by John Daniel and dry farmed. Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes sashaying out of the glass with tantalizing notions of violets, lavender, Black Forest cake, mulberries, tobacco leaf and fragrant earth with a core of warm cassis, kirsch, Chinese five spice, rose hip tea and cedar chest. The palate is full-bodied and super concentrated yet possesses great energy with vibrant red and black fruits and loads of mineral accents, framed by very ripe, super fine-grained tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long with the most incredible perfume. Hedonistically, undeniably and deliciously perfect. 2,000 cases are to be made, to be released in the spring of 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPScarecrow’s story is as fascinating as it is improbable. The vineyard was founded in 1945 by Joseph J. Cohn who was born in Harlem, New York, in 1895, to Russian immigrants. Cohn, penniless as a child, rose to become the head of Hollywood’s famous studio MGM. Among the classic movies Cohn produced was The Wizard of Oz. Years later Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez named the wine Scarecrow after the movie’s beloved character. Made by Celia Welch, it’s a stunning wine with dazzling flavours that flash open like a peacock’s tail. The texture is nothing short of sublime.Drinking Window 2019 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Scarecrow is another positively riveting wine from this benchmark estate and longtime winemaker Celia Welch. Powerful and explosive on the palate, with tremendous energy, the 2016 has so much to offer. A rush of graphite, smoke, leather and tobacco builds as this beautifully layered, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon shows why Scarecrow is one of Napa Valley’s very finest vineyard sites. Just bottled a few weeks before this tasting, the 2016 is shaping up to be a real jewel of a wine. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 98 VMA frankly ripe style, with creamed plum, blackberry and dark cherry sauce flavors gliding through. A singed alder note provides frame and spine, while warm earth, tobacco and sassafras accents run through the finish. Solidly built despite the slightly heady fruit. Best from 2021 through 2034. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

100
RP
As low as $1,129.00
2019 Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
As low as $499.00
2019 sloan California Red

The 2019 Proprietary Red is deep garnet-purple in color. After a swirl or two, notes of blueberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and warm cassis burst from the glass, leading to suggestions of Chinese five spice, dusty soil, sandalwood, and unsmoked cigars. The decadently concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers layer upon layer of black fruits and earthy nuances, framed by super-firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with loads of mineral sparks. This is a beauty!The Wine Independent | 99 TWIA blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Proprietary Red is a monster of a wine that’s unquestionably up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Blackberries, truffle, earth, chocolate, iron, and even a hint of black olive defines the nose, and it’s full-bodied, deep, rich, and incredibly concentrated on the palate. It has lots of background oak but more than enough fruit, with a dense, layered mid-palate and velvety tannins. It’s one of those wines that brings an incredible amount of richness and depth yet somehow stays light on its feet and balanced. It needs to be forgotten for at least 2-4 years and should keep for over two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2019 Sloan is a silky, sensual beauty. Creamy and ample in the glass, with superb balance, the 2019 offers up an exotic mélange of dark fruit, spice, mocha, espresso and licorice. Cabernet inflections are quite present today. Then again, this plateau above Rutherford is one of the most special places in all of Napa Valley. The 2019 shuts down pretty quickly in the glass, which is probably a good sign for its prospects in the cellar. It’s another gorgeous wine from the team at Sloan headed by Winemaker Martha McClellan.Vinous Media | 97 VMSloan’s 2019 Proprietary Red is deep and rich, with scents of dark loam, woodsy notes, hints of cedar and vanilla, plus dark, plummy fruit. It’s full-bodied, concentrated, dense and decadently velvety but with a slight dried-fruit character. It’s awesome in that idiom but lacks the vibrancy and freshness of the valley’s absolute best wines. To this taster, it comes across as impressively complex, concentrated and long but also a bit heavy and warm on the finish. What foods would one pair this with?Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

99
TWI
As low as $799.00
2021 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

Moving to the Grand Vin 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, red wine simply doesn’t get any better, and I never cease to be amazed at what winemaker Celia Welch accomplishes with this incredible terroir. Deep ruby/plum-hued, with a kaleidoscope-like array of cr me de cassis, jammy blackberries, spicy oak, graphite, and smoked tobacco, with a kiss of background chocolaty nuances, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a multi-dimensional, layered mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a flawlessly layered, concentrated, balanced profile that has to be tasted to be believed. Given its wealth of fruit and texture, as well as purity and balance, it already offers pleasure, yet smart money will give bottles 4-6 years in the cellar, count themselves lucky, and enjoy bottles over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2021Cabernet Sauvignon, with 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. Very closed and broody to start off, it needs a lot of shaking to wake up profound notes of blackcurrant jelly, plum preserves, boysenberries, and cinnamon stick leading to an undercurrent of rosebud tea, anise, and incense. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly wound with firm, grainy tannins and great tension perfectly framing the intense baking spice and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, finishing very long and fantastically complex. "We’ve been propagating more of our original old vine budwood - our own ’Cohn’ clone," said winemaker Celia Welch. "We don’t give out any of this budwood. All the Cohn clone vines go into the Scarecrow. 2021 was a beautiful but smaller vintage, with yields down 30-35%."The Wine Independent | 100 TWIThe 2021 vintage of Scarecrow is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot, all harvested from the J.J. Cohn estate in Rutherford. Aged 21 months in 75% new French oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered. A seamless wine, it boasts a super dense core of bright, ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit framed by superfine, dusty-mineral-laced tannins. Lovely kirsch and dried currant fruit intermix with dried floral notes, grapefruit peel, and a long core of crushed stone minerals with hints of espresso beans and crunchy pomegranate seeds. It’s so fresh, with impressive density and a core of beautifully precise and sweet ripe fruit balanced by the persistence of its pure mineral character. Decanter | 99 DECThe 2021 Scarecrow is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard on the western edge of Rutherford, nestled back against the Mayacamas range. Boasting a fabulous nose of deep, dark, black cherries and earthy-spicy notes accented by a touch of mocha-like oak, this full-bodied wine is ripe, rich and velvety. There’s ample density and concentration, but the wine still retains a sense of freshness on the long, elegant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with captivating aromatics that are immediately alluring. Blackberry, camphor, dried herbs, incense, licorice, chocolate and lavender are so suggestive. On the palate, the 2021 is dark, brooding and quite mysterious. There’s a somber intensity to the 2021 that is incredibly appealing. Harvest took place over three weeks from September 5 to 26, and yields were down by nearly 50%. The more positive news is that the 2021 is one of the very finest Scarecrows in some time.Vinous Media | 98 VMThis beautifully captures the vivid freshness of ’21’s fruit -- boysenberry, blackberry and mulberry puree -- while marrying it to a tug of Rutherford earth and an underpinning of iron, draping a beautiful gloss of anise, violet and apple wood–accented toast over everything. Showing great mouthfeel, definition and length, this wine offers it all. Best from 2025 through 2045. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

100
JD
As low as $995.00

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