Scarecrow Winery

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T H E S C A R E C R O W S T O R Y
The Scarecrow story begins in a patch of earth with a fabled past. The J.J. Cohn Estate, where Scarecrow
grapes are born, borders what was once the legendary vineyard of Inglenook winemaker Gustave Niebaum,
whose read more...plantings blanketed more than 1,000 acres of the Napa Valley at the close of the 19th century.
John Daniel Jr. took the helm at Inglenook in 1939, determined to restore the label to pre-Prohibition
standing and produce world-class Bordeaux-style wines. In 1945, Daniel convinced his neighbor, J.J.
Cohn, to plant eighty acres of Cabernet vines on the 180-acre parcel Cohn had purchased a few years
prior. The property served as a summer retreat for Cohn’s wife and their family. He had no ambitions to
become a winemaker himself, but Daniel promised to buy his grapes, so Cohn planted vines. The rest, as
they say, is history.
J.J. Cohn fruit figured prominently in Inglenook’s superlative Cabernet Sauvignons of the post-war era,
and has more recently gone into wines of such renown as Opus One, Niebaum-Coppola, Duckhorn,
Insignia and Etude.
J.J. Cohn Estate grapes are highly sought-after in part because Cohn bucked the trend, begun in the mid-
1960s, of replacing vines planted on St. George rootstock with the supposedly superior AxR#I hybrid.
Over time, vines grafted onto this new stock proved highly vulnerable to phylloxera. But by then, virtually
all of the old St. George vines in Napa had been destroyed. Only the original 1945 J.J. Cohn vines
survived. These highly prized “Old Men” continue to produce uncommonly rich fruit—the hallmark of
Scarecrow wine.
But the Scarecrow story doesn’t end there. This is more than a tale of enchanted ground and the exceptional
wine that flows out of it. The Scarecrow story is a story, too, of an extraordinary family legacy. Joseph
Judson Cohn was born in Harlem in 1895 to Russian immigrants. Cohn spent his childhood in dire
poverty and never learned to prefer the taste of fresh bread over stale—even after he’d found great success
in Hollywood.
A move west in the 1920s launched Cohn’s studio career. Highly resourceful and extremely capable, Cohn
began as a bookkeeper, distinguished himself early and rose quickly through the ranks to become Chief of
Production at MGM. His unofficial credo, “Nothing is impossible,” became the motto of his MGM staff.
They knew him as a man who simply refused to take “No” for an answer.During Hollywood’s golden age, Cohn was instrumental in the making of such film classics as Ben Hur,
Gigi, Mutiny on the Bounty and, most beloved of all, The Wizard of Oz. Today, the Scarecrow label pays
tribute to the endearing and indomitable character from that film. Scarecrow evokes a distinctly American
agricultural icon and American optimism. And most importantly, Scarecrow honors the remarkable life
of J.J. Cohn.
Cohn lived to be 100 years old, spanning a defining century that he helped to shape. The people who
labor with passion and conviction to bring you Scarecrow wine are proud to be part of his living legacy.    (hide)

JelaDragoljevic modified this page:

Oct 4

JelaDragoljevic

JelaDragoljevic added a photo for Scarecrow.

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JelaDragoljevic modified this page:

Oct 4

JelaDragoljevic

JelaDragoljevic wrote a new description for Scarecrow.

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miketoll reviewed Scarecrow 2003:

July 2009

miketoll

Scarecrow 2003

Starting at $765^.00 Snoothrank: 3/5

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Bonerep reviewed Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon 2006:

March 2009

Bonerep

A spicy velvet start with a little earth, tobacco and dark cherry undertones. This is a definate keeper.

Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Starting at $350^.00 Snoothrank: 4/5

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Bonerep reviewed Scarecrow 2003:

March 2009

Bonerep

One of the best I had in 05. Smooth velvet with some leather and dark cherry. A real keeper!

Scarecrow 2003

Starting at $765^.00 Snoothrank: 3/5

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HondaJohn wrote in the forum topic: Busiest time of the year for a wine consumer …

February 2009

HondaJohn

As it turns outs the busiest time for a wine consumer like me is not around the ... • Loring Wine Company • Scarecrow Wine • Arista Winery • Paul Hobbs Winery • Pahlmeyer • Flowers Vineyards & Winery...

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pauleboo commented on this page:

Jan 17

pauleboo

I open a 2003 scarecrow during the holidays and loved it! waiting to open the ghost block until later part of 2009.

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HondaJohn wrote in the forum topic: Who are the new cult wineries?

June 2008

HondaJohn

I'm in with Ghost Block and Scarecrow. I've gotten to try both of those and really enjoy them. Other then them, I'd add in Kosta Browne and Sea Smoke as two cult Pinot producers. Both of them are not that 'new'....

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CuriousWine wrote in the forum topic: Multiplicity and Its Discontents

December 2007

CuriousWine

Something is going on. It has been on my mind for a while, but it has taken me ... also a fourth with a scarecrow on it) Gaia wines were the same: Other wines that have taken to this trend include the Italian producer...

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