Scarecrow, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, 2023

About The Producer
The Scarecrow story begins in a patch of earth with a fabled past. The J.J. Cohn Estate, where Scarecrow grapes are born, borders what was once the legendary vineyard of Inglenook winemaker Gustave Niebaum, whose plantings blanketed more than 1,000 acres of the Napa Valley at the close of the 19th century.

John Daniel Jr. took the helm at Inglenook in 1939, determined to restore the label to pre-Prohibition standing and produce world-class Bordeaux-style wines. In 1945, Daniel convinced his neighbor, J.J. Cohn, to plant eighty acres of Cabernet vines on the 180-acre parcel Cohn had purchased a few years prior. The property served as a summer retreat for Cohn’s wife and their family. He had no ambitions to become a winemaker himself, but Daniel promised to buy his grapes, so Cohn planted vines. The rest, as they say, is history.

J.J. Cohn fruit figured prominently in Inglenook’s superlative Cabernet Sauvignons of the post-war era, and has more recently gone into wines of such renown as Opus One, Niebaum-Coppola, Duckhorn, Insignia and Etude.

J.J. Cohn Estate grapes are highly sought-after in part because Cohn bucked the trend, begun in the mid- 1960s, of replacing vines planted on St. George rootstock with the supposedly superior AxR#I hybrid. Over time, vines grafted onto this new stock proved highly vulnerable to phylloxera. But by then, virtually all of the old St. George vines in Napa had been destroyed. Only the original 1945 J.J. Cohn vines survived. These highly prized “Old Men” continue to produce uncommonly rich fruit—the hallmark of Scarecrow wine.

But the Scarecrow story doesn’t end there. This is more than a tale of enchanted ground and the exceptional wine that flows out of it. The Scarecrow story is a story, too, of an extraordinary family legacy. Joseph Judson Cohn was born in Harlem in 1895 to Russian immigrants. Cohn spent his childhood in dire poverty and never learned to prefer the taste of fresh bread over stale—even after he’d found great success in Hollywood.

A move west in the 1920s launched Cohn’s studio career. Highly resourceful and extremely capable, Cohn began as a bookkeeper, distinguished himself early and rose quickly through the ranks to become Chief of Production at MGM. His unofficial credo, “Nothing is impossible,” became the motto of his MGM staff. They knew him as a man who simply refused to take “No” for an answer.

During Hollywood’s golden age, Cohn was instrumental in the making of such film classics as Ben Hur, Gigi, Mutiny on the Bounty and, most beloved of all, The Wizard of Oz. Today, the Scarecrow label pays tribute to the endearing and indomitable character from that film. Scarecrow evokes a distinctly American agricultural icon and American optimism. And most importantly, Scarecrow honors the remarkable life of J.J. Cohn. Cohn lived to be 100 years old, spanning a defining century that he helped to shape. The people who labor with passion and conviction to bring you Scarecrow wine are proud to be part of his living legacy.

Winemaker
Celia Welch

Grape / Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon

Origin
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
In the glass, intense aromas of blackberries on the vine, crème de cassis, Luxardo cherries,
and violets all add to the aromas of this lovely, fully ripe vintage, while notes of black tea,
a touch of cocoa, warm toasted wheat, and a hint of vanilla add to the dimensions in the aromas.

On the palate, the wine is immediately generous, silky, full, fruit-forward, bright, and elegant.
The tannins are soft and refined, and the bright, fresh fruit lingers, leaving impressions of dark purple-black fruits.

This wine was crafted entirely from wine grapes grown on the J. J. Cohn Estate in Rutherford,
Napa Valley. After a long, moderate summer growing season with cooler-than-normal overall
temperatures, the fruit ripened to perfection with bright flavors and a crisp natural acidity.
The fruit was harvested by hand between October 5 and 17th, with each section of the vineyard fermented individually, then gently pressed and transferred into French oak barrels (70% new) for approximately 21 months. The wine was blended and bottled on July 7 and 8, 2025, without fining or filtration. The final blend for the 2023 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon
is 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot. A total of 1,800 cases were produced.

100 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 100% Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 Scarecrow is one for the ages, built around a core of dry-farmed vines planted in 1945. Slightly herbal nuances weave in and out of perfectly ripened black cherries, underscored by hints of crushed stone. And while the wine is full-bodied, creamy and seductive, it offers incredible opulence without any sense of heaviness, supported effortlessly by fine-grained tannins. Hints of licorice, mocha and black olives on the finish only add to the web of complex flavors and textures, punctuated by tremendous length.

100 Points - The Wine Palate
Opaque garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Scarecrow needs a little swirling before it erupts from the glass with powerful notes of cassis, juicy black plums, and black raspberries, plus suggestions of clove oil, underbrush, red licorice, and violets, plus a touch of forest floor. The full-bodied palate is rich and opulent with spice-laced black fruit preserves and a firm, velvety texture, finishing with great length and just enough freshness.

98 Points - Vinous
The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is a total stunner. Deep and vertical in build, this is going to need many years to be at its most expressive. Iron, chalk, mint, blood orange, espresso, licorice and pomegranate are all seamless in the glass. Potent tannins kick off the mid-palate and finish. Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni, Issue date: November 2025. Drinking window: 2028-2038. 

Product size: 750ml