History
Screaming Eagle’s (LWIN
1122792) current vineyards in Oakville, California were bought by
former real-estate manager Jean Phillips in 1986, although the grapes – a mixture
of varieties – were originally sold to other Napa Valley wineries. Wanting to
make her own wine, Phillips sought the opinion of Robert Mondavi Winery
employees, and subsequently hired Richard Peterson as a
consultant, and then Peterson’s daughter, Heidi Peterson Barrett, as her
winemaker.
Phillips bottled the first Screaming Eagle by hand in 1992,
releasing it in 1995. It was critically much acclaimed, and the very low
production numbers drew further attention to the wine. Its small quantities
(around 500 – 750 cases a year) and high prices have seen it become one of the
most famed wines of Napa Valley. Over
the years, Phillips has replaced the white grapes in the 19-hectare vineyard with
red Bordeaux varieties, and it is now planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and a small amount of Sauvignon Blanc.
In 2006 the estate was sold to Charles Banks and business
entrepreneur Stan Kroenke, who since 2009 has been the sole proprietor. The
vineyards are managed by David Abreu Vineyard Management. The current winemaker
is Nick Gislason and the Oenologist is Marc Gagnon, with Michel Rolland as
consultant Oenologist.
Screaming Eagle in
the Liv-ex Power 100
2012 was the seventh year that Liv-ex (in collaboration with
the Drinks Business) produced the Liv-ex
Power 100, a list of the most ‘powerful’ brands in the business, with
criteria being trade on Liv-ex, price per case, price performance, critic score
and production. Screaming Eagle was the highest new entrant, coming in at
seventh place. With the average price for its wines around £16,500 per 12×75,
only Petrus ranked as more expensive. Screaming Eagle was one of several
non-Bordeaux brands – including Guigal and Sassicaia – that rose up the list in
2012, as buyers turned to top wines from other regions. General Manager of the
winery Armand de Maigret has
stated that the wine is no longer seen as a cult, but “a grand cru –
a Napa first growth.”
The below table breaks down Screaming Eagle’s performance in the Liv-ex Power 100. The weighted production figure has been worked out by multiplying average price by average production.
