Sean Chaudhry | Biography

Chicago-area wine merchant Sean Chaudhry, through an unparalleled network of experts, insiders and key distributors, locates and delivers the most fervently pursued wines on earth. Sean is relentless in his search for the next iconic wine.

Ivy Kupec | Biography

Living in the heart of Germany’s wine country, Ivy is a freelance writer who has grown quite accustomed to writing about wine, beer and spirits these days. Ivy spent more than 20 years in health care and science communications, working for one of the largest hospitals in Ohio, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and most recently the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science. And, if you don’t think science and health play an important role in the world of wine, keep reading Vintelligence!

The Eagle Soars

A Magical Vintage: 2005 Screaming Eagle

Who wouldn’t want to buy a bit of magic? Somewhere in the cedar-laced, dark fruity cult wine known as Screaming Eagle resides an obvious enchantment. Nothing else could explain how a fledgling winery started by a real estate agent – albeit one with uncanny instincts – could overcome inexperience, a vineyard-wide fanleaf virus outbreak, and now – apparently – global economic woes that jeopardize the entire investment wine industry.

Just this month, 12 bottles of Screaming Eagle’s inaugural 1992 vintage were among the top sellers in Hong Kong at the annual wine merchants Acker Merrall & Condit autumn auction where 13 percent of its wine remained unsold, compared to only 8 percent unsold at an auction held just seven months earlier and prior to the Wall Street fallout. But, bad times didn’t ground the Screaming Eagle, which bucked the trend with the case they’re selling for $871,200 and proving that even in tough times, this bird flies. But it is the 2005 vintage that may prove to be the most coveted yet.

History

In 1992, novice winemaker Jean Philips found that she could make a decent homemade wine from the same grapes she had been selling to her Napa Valley winery neighbors for the past six years. Consulting first with nearby Robert Mondavi Winery and then actually hiring Mondavi consultants, Richard Peterson and his winemaker daughter Heidi Peterson Barrett, the team quickly turned out a first-class wine in 1992 that critic Robert Parker awarded 99 points and sent the limited production’s prices skyrocketing.

Philips intentionally kept production small reportedly to maintain quality control, with her personally tending to each vine. Several wine experts have noted that her land in Napa is perfect for producing a sensational cabernet. Volcanic red soil on a gentle west-facing slope east of the Napa River with excellent drainage and exposure are credited for the wine’s unique characteristics.

In 2005, however, Philips hit a bump in the road. Grapevine fanleaf virus from a neighboring vineyard would require significant replanting, at the least. That year, instead of 600 or 700 cases, only 400 cases could be produced, but the wine still met rave reviews.

Today, owners Charles Banks and Stanley Kroenke, who bought the winery in 2006, have had the soil inoculated against fanleaf and carefully chose replacement cuttings to rebuild the vineyard.

2005: A special vintage?

No bottle of Screaming Eagle has been reviewed as any less than “outstanding.” In fact, 10 of the 15 years that Screaming Eagle has been reviewed, Parker has branded it “extraordinary,” including the 2005 vintage known for its currant, black cherry and wild berry tones. The tannins are described as “soft, round and polished, yet firm enough to give every indication that the wines will age quite well for 10 to 20 years. Oak plays a minimal role as a flavor accent, lingering in the background,” according to Wine Spectator.

The lesson learned from the Screaming Eagle’s story is that this is a bird that always finds a way to soar. Even as other wine investors may be tempted during these dire times to forego the investment and just drink the wine, the Screaming Eagle retains its value, allowing its owners to consume this magical elixir only when the time is right.

-Ivy Kupec

« Previous Page