2008 Screaming Eagle Second Flight

The 2008 Second Flight emerges from the glass with black cherries, plums, mocha, espresso and chocolate. This is an especially round, rich vintage for Second Flight. All the elements are in the right place, but overall, 2008 does not appear to be one of the estate's very finest years. Of course, that is in relative terms. The 2008 is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Merlot.

The 2008 Second Flight emerges from the glass with black cherries, plums, mocha, espresso and chocolate. This is an especially round, rich vintage for Second Flight. All the elements are in the right place, but overall, 2008 does not appear to be one of the estate’s very finest years. Of course, that is in relative terms. The 2008 is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2028. I have had a number of fabulous tastings at Screaming Eagle, but this was one of the most memorable. The biggest news at Screaming Eagle is the release of a second wine, a project that has been in the works for a number of years. Owner Stan Kroenke and his team wanted to make sure their new wine was up to the estate’s standards, and have only released the first vintages over the last few months. I tasted all four vintages of Screaming Eagle’s second label, Second Flight, next to Screaming Eagle itself, which allowed for a fascinating set of comparisons of both wines across a number of vintages. Like its big brother, Second Flight is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, but here the Merlot plays a much more significant role. Regardless, what comes through most is the signature of these sites as seen through the lenses of the respective vintages. Readers might also enjoy taking a look at a recent video I shot with Winemaker Nic Gislason during the 2012 harvest that we recently posted on our site. Tel. (707) 944-0749