Screaming Eagle

Cabernet Sauvignon

Oakville

2019

Vintage

Varietal

Cabernet Sauvignon

Where it is, November 2026

Timing: no opening or peak years have been established for this vintage.

More wines like this

The ‘19 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2019 Screaming Eagle Cabernet is Oakville at its most chiseled: cassis, graphite, and impeccable acidity over a deep, firmly tannic frame just entering its long peak.

Drinking window

No Cellared drinking-window estimate is available for this wine.

Tasting note

Sight: deep, saturated ruby-garnet with a dense, slow-moving core that signals the full body (9) and concentration of the vintage. Nose: precise and layered, leading with cassis and fresh pomegranate, then crushed violet, sandalwood, and a cool, almost wet-stone minerality that lifts the whole aromatic frame. Palate: focused and finely chiseled rather than broad, with dark cherry and blackcurrant threaded through graphite and cedar. The body is unmistakably full, but the wine carries it with poise. Tannins are substantial (8), fine-grained and tightly woven, gripping the sides of the palate without coarseness. The acidity (5) is the signature here, giving lift and freshness that keeps the dense fruit from turning heavy. Finish: long, seamless, and mineral-edged, the graphite and dark fruit trailing well past a minute. Elegant and refined, one of the estate's most precise recent bottlings.

The 2019 vintage

2019 was a beautifully classic Napa vintage. Abundant winter rainfall saturated the soils, and a cool spring rarely pushed midday temperatures above 22C, delaying budbreak by up to two weeks. The season stayed moderate and even, with late-summer and harvest temperatures hovering in a relatively cool 23 to 29C band that stretched hangtime into a longer, slower ripening. Wine Spectator scored Oakville Cabernet 96, rating the vintage Classic: small, concentrated berries delivering dense yet pure fruit, with wines that are ripe and lush yet well-defined. That cooler, even finish is exactly what gives 2019 its mouthwatering natural acidity, the freshness that sets it apart from warmer years and makes it a worthy follow-up to the benchmark 2018.

About Screaming Eagle

Screaming Eagle is a micro-production, allocation-only Oakville estate whose reputation rests on precision and freshness over sheer power. Nick Gislason has been winemaker since 2010, and his hand is all over the 2019: a single Oakville hillside source, tiny quantities, and a style that prizes lift, graphite minerality, and fine tannin rather than weight for its own sake. The 2019 is among the estate's most finely chiseled recent bottlings, a wine built on tension as much as concentration.

Pairing suggestions

Cellared suggestions based on the wine and dish descriptions.

Dry-aged ribeye, simply salted and seared

The full body (9) and firm tannins (8) need fat and char to soften against; the marbling coats the palate so the tannin reads as polish, not grip.

Roast rack of lamb with a black-pepper and herb crust

Lamb's richness meets the dense dark fruit head-on, while the wine's lifting acidity (5) cuts the fat and keeps each bite fresh.

Aged hard cheeses such as a 24-month Comte or aged Gouda

The salty, crystalline cheese leans on the acidity (5) for contrast and gives the fine-grained tannins (8) protein to bind to, rounding the finish.

Service & cellaring

Serving Temp: 60-64F (16-18C)
Decanting: In 2026, decant 60 to 90 minutes before serving. The tannins are still firm at this early-peak stage, and a long, broad decant opens the cassis and graphite while softening the grip. If pouring across an evening, an even longer aeration only helps.
Cellar Storage: 55F (13C), 60-70% humidity, bottle on its side.

Add this bottle Track this bottle Read this guide

Frequently Asked

When should I drink the 2019 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon?

A Cellared drinking-window estimate is unavailable.

How long should I decant it?

Decant 60 to 90 minutes ahead in 2026. At this early-peak stage the tannins are still firm, and a long, broad decant unwinds the cassis and graphite while smoothing the structure. A longer aeration over the evening only improves it.

What should I pair with this wine?

Reach for rich, savory mains: dry-aged ribeye, herb-crusted rack of lamb, or aged hard cheeses. The full body and firm tannins want fat and protein, while the bright acidity keeps fattier dishes from overwhelming the palate.

Should I keep cellaring it or drink it now?