Napa Valley - Screaming Eagle 'The Flight - Second Flight' 2014

This is undoubtedly the most renowned California cult wine ever produced to date! It all started modestly when Jean Philips, a former real estate agent, bought a 57-acre vineyard in Oakville in 1986. She sold all the grapes to other wineries, except for a 0.40-hectare plot of cabernet sauvignon, with which she wanted to produce her own wine. Heidi Peterson Barrett became the winemaker and the 1992, first commercial vintage, was released in 1996. It was immediately rated by Robert Parker, who gave it the incredible score of 99 points, describing it as "one of the best young cabernets I have ever tasted." After that, the Eagle took flight. The same year (1995), she replanted her vineyards with three grape varieties in order to produce 500 cases per vintage (a figure that has since increased to 600-700).

Today, it remains the most expensive California red wine on the secondary market. Despite the flamboyant style of other cult California wines, Screaming Eagle remains one of the most elegant and balanced. In 2006, it was bought by Charles Banks and Stan Kroenke, who then hired Michel Rolland as a consultant. Charles sold his shares in 2009, making Stan the sole owner.