SCREAMING EAGLE 'The Flight' - Napa Valley, California (Merlot/Cabernet) 2014 Bottle - NO DISCOUNT

Description

97 points James Suckling
Intense blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of fresh mushrooms. Black truffles, too. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with polished and velvety tannins. Long and muscular finish. Energetic. (5/2017)

96 points Wine Advocate
Very deep purple-black, the 2014 Second Flight (composed of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon with no Cabernet Franc) is a little closed at this youthful stage, offering glimpses of blueberry compote, blackberry pie and cassis notions with touches of garrigue, bay leaves, black truffles, rose hips and underbrush plus a hint of wood smoke. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers wonderful freshness, with very firm, very finely grained tannins and layers of vibrant black fruits, finishing on a profound minerally note. With this vintage, we can see something of a stylistic departure, offering an expression of Merlot that is bright, refreshing, elegant and perfumed, and it is perhaps more similar to Screaming Eagle in terms of style than it has ever been. Beautiful! (LPB) (4/2018)

95 points Decanter
Second Flight, which began life as Screaming Eagle's second wine, is evolving into an entirely different cuvée dominated by Merlot and mostly drawn from the eastern band of the property which tends to produce the most floral, elegant wines. A superb and expressive bouquet of high-toned black fruit, violet, blood orange and mint is the prelude to a rich, full-bodied palate with a lovely core of primary fruit, a savoury chassis of powdery tannins, and a bright line of balancing acidity. (WK) (5/2017)

95 points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2014 Second Flight is similar to the 2012 with its silky, plush, elegant style. A blend of mostly Merlot with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it offers terrific notes of cassis and cherry fruits, with lots of spice, sandalwood, and dried earth/flower nuances developing with time in the glass. It’s beautifully balanced, has plenty of power and richness, and a seamless texture. (12/2017)

94 points Vinous
The 2014 Second Flight bristles with all the energy and tension that is such a signature of the vintage. Dark flavors abound, with plenty of black cherry, mocha, espresso and graphite overtones layered throughout. The 2014 is an especially muscular, brooding Second Flight. Accordingly, it is likely to require at least a few years to come into its own. The juiciness of the Merlot gives the wine its center of fruit and overall palate feel, but the Second Flight is also quite closed down today, most likely because of its recent bottling. Tasted alongside the flagship Screaming Eagle, Second Flight seems more affected by the bottling, but that is not all that unusual for Merlot-based wines, especially in this vintage. (AG) (12/2016)