Screaming Eagle Screaming Eagle The Flight 2021 750ml

Extremely floral and aromatic with violets and lavender throughout. Black olives, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine-grained tannins that run the length of the wine. Goes on for minutes. A greenish undertone comes out at the end with some spearmint, green tea and green olive. About two-thirds merlot. Best after 2028, but already stunning.

Aromas of blackberries, red and black currants. Green olives, too. Dark roses and perfume. Medium-bodied with super crunchy energy and brightness. Very fine tannins. Elegant and precise. So subtle and complex, it’s really something. A blend of 64% merlot and 36% cabernet sauvignon. Needs four to five years to open and come together. (James Suckling)

Blackberries and blueberries, together with hints of chocolate and violets. So perfumed. Some bark, too. Medium body with freshness and length. The tannins have a fine, velvety texture and wonderful length. Very structured. Lightly chewy. Lasts for minutes. 65% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 19% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2028.

The 2019 The Flight, the estate’s Merlot-based wine, is dark, powerful and brooding in demeanor, almost shockingly so. The natural concentration of a year with low yields and small berries is very much in evidence. A rush of black cherry, plum, graphite, lavender and blue/purplish fruit builds as this virile, explosive wine shows off its arresting beauty. In a word: impressive. (Antonio Galloni)

The 2021 The Flight is built around a core of Merlot from old vines on cobbly soils at the front of the property. From barrel, the 2021 was quite sensual, perhaps deceptively so. This recent tasting of the finished wine from bottle reveals a powerful, dense Flight packed with dark-toned fruit, leather, tobacco and incense. In many vintages, The Flight is accessible young, but the 2021 is a wine for the cellar. It is one of the best and most complete editions I have tasted. There’s a fair amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and quite a bit more Franc than usual, which contributes to the wine’s personality and overall feel. (Antonio Galloni)

I was able to taste the primary components of the 2021 The Flight, all of which showed pure, vibrant profiles as well as sound underlying structure and acidity. It reminds me slightly of the 2019 and will be a beautiful, elegant, incredibly classic example of this cuvée. Reviewed by Jeb Dunnuck, Issue Date: Febuary 2023

Leading off with the 2019 Flight, which is 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this has a beautiful perfume of red cherries, raspberries, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the finesse, elegance, and lively style favored at this estate today, with perfectly integrated tannins and both richness and freshness. I love its overall balance as well as length, and it will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and should have upwards of two decades of overall longevity. (Jeb Dunnuck)

The 2020 The Flight is classy and polished from the very first taste. Aromatic and understated, the 2020 offers a distinct feeling of classicism in its mid-weight structure. Crushed flowers, herbs and spice lead into a core of red/purplish fruit. The 2020 is a seriously impressive wine. Readers should expect a more lifted, restrained style than is the norm. (Antonio Galloni)