Screaming Eagle

Screaming Eagle Winery and Vineyards was founded by former real estate agent Jean Phillips in 1986. After purchasing a 57 acre Oakville vineyard Phillips sold most of the land but kept one acre for himself. The steep hillside that rises from Highway 29 proved perfect for growing quality wine grapes as it faces due south with open exposure to sunlight all day long allowing its vines to be exposed directly to the full sun making this location ideal for producing high-quality wines. It took Phillips a year to decide on planting grapes and she eventually decided upon Cabernet Sauvignon before taking advice from Robert Mondavi Winery employees and replanting with a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Screaming Eagle wines became well-known amongst wine critics with their quality and exclusivity which translated into high prices: originally ranging up to $4000 for some vintages. The success of the Screaming Eagle Winery led to a buyout by billionaire Stan Kroenke, who still owns the property. Since its initial playing, the vineyard has expanded to 48.21 acres and has an annual production of around 48.21 acres Screaming Eagle wines went on to receive a lot of critical acclaim and praise from wine critics such as Robert Parker who gave the 1991 vintage 99 points. The winery now produces three different types: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with Screaming Eagle brand label which comes in two styles – classic series (Meritage) and single vineyard designate. The small number of cases produced by Screaming Eagle, coupled with highly positive reviews has led to them becoming very expensive and it is often said that Screaming Eagle wines are the most expensive in America.