2023 Scarecrow "M. Étain", Napa Valley, California, USA

ABOUT THE WINE

M. Étain is an estate-grown Rutherford blend from the J.J. Cohn vineyard. The 2023 combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. A long, moderate growing season allowed patient ripening, giving the wine both deep fruit and a perfumed aromatic character.

Hand-picked at night from October 11–17, the fruit fermented in small batches and spent approximately 12 days on its skins. The wine matured in French oak, 60% new, for roughly 19 months before bottling in April 2025. Oak contributes spice and vanilla around the ripe berry core; the palate is broad and full, with substantial tannins that feel velvety rather than coarse. Serve with grilled beef, slow-braised short ribs, lamb or aged hard cheeses.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Scarecrow is rooted in the historic J.J. Cohn Estate in western Rutherford. Its first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1945, and the vineyard supplied fruit to celebrated Napa producers for decades. Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez purchased the family property in 2002 and, with partner Mimi DeBlasio and winemaker Celia Welch, developed an estate wine that honored that heritage.

M. Étain began with the 2008 vintage, when a compelling portion of wine outside the final Scarecrow blend merited a bottling of its own. It shares the estate’s origins while bringing Cabernet Sauvignon together with other Bordeaux varieties, offering a distinct interpretation of the vineyard under Welch’s direction.