Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006

98 points Antonio Galloni (Wine Advocate): "The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is stunning. A wine that is only now beginning to shed its tannin, the 2006 stands out for its vibrancy and energy. All of the classic Screaming Eagle notes are in the glass, but with a little more edge and cut than in most vintages. Sweet red berries, crushed rocks, flowers and spice box are alive in the glass. Over time, hints of sage, mint rosemary and pencil shavings add complexity. The 2006 is a decidedly cool-weather wine with less opulence than either the 2007 or 2009, but it is absolutely singing today. Another few years will only help the wine come together even more fully, but it is impossible to miss the 2006’s utterly breathtaking beauty. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. (Dec 2012)"

95 points Stephen Tanzer (International Wine Cellar): "(includes 17% merlot) Good full red-ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of red berries, minerals, brown spices, menthol and tobacco leaf. Pliant, generous and sweet, with lovely depth to the red berry, plum and tobacco flavors. This subtly complex wine rises and expands on the very long back end, dusting the mouth with flavor. Still a bit youthfully tight and in need of patience. A superb vintage for this wine, and a fitting swan song for the "old style" of Screaming Eagle. The cabernet franc was left out of the wine because it was "too drying," noted winemaker Andy Erickson, who made the final blend very late and bottled the wine last September. (May/Jun 2009)"