Screaming Eagle draws a fool`s ransom

News item: Two lots of 1997 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon - 36 bottles of wine - were auctioned on the Internet for a combined $69,100. The same anonymous bidder bought the first 12-bottle lot Sept. 13 for $24,000 and the second 24-bottle lot Oct. 2 for $45,100. The transaction was reported by WineCommune.com, an Internet auction site.

What is impressive about this transaction is its monumental ignorance. Though Screaming Eagle is a very fine Napa Valley wine, and the 1997 vintage was bestowed a rating of 95 points by the Wine Spectator, $69,100 for 36 bottles of wine is a fool`s ransom. The concealed identity probably is a good idea.

The size of the sum has little to do with wine appreciation. This is merely speculation that others will be foolish enough to keep bidding up the price for this rare wine. That may be true, but the buyers and sellers might as well be trading in pork-belly futures. Wine is made to be drunk, generally with good food and among good friends. If the buyer truly desires an exceptional bottle of wine and money is no object, there are any number of wines the equal of Screaming Eagle at a fraction of the price. Several of those wines are recommended below.WINE FINDS:

The most outstanding wines are rated Exceptional. Wines that earn high marks for complexity, balance and flavor are rated Very Good. Wines that represent excellent quality for the price are rated Good Value.

Exceptional:

Robert Mondavi 1997 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($120), epitomizes Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon, the grape that is the backbone of America`s most important wine district. Even at Mondavi, which has produced its share of impressive cabs, the `97 reserve stands out. The 1997 vintage was the best of the 1990s in the Napa Valley, yielding rich, concentrated red wines.

Mondavi Reserve`s showy aromas of spice, cassis and cedar make a strong impression in the glass. On the palate, the wine is deeply layered with pure dark-berry fruit flavors, has firm, ripe tannins and an ultra-smooth finish with superb length.

Beaulieu Vineyards 1997 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($100), is a monumental wine, one of the best of this great vintage from the Napa Valley.

BV is celebrating its centennial this year, and what better way than with a wine for the ages? The `97 Georges de Latour is a massive wine, with the fruit and structure to age beautifully for several decades. Unlike many other California cabs that are made to drink now, the Georges de Latour needs additional time in the cellar for maximum enjoyment. It would be criminal to drink this wine too soon.

Beaulieu Vineyards 1997 Reserve Tapestry, Napa Valley ($40) earns a spot on the short list of tremendous bargains in the luxury wine category. This is a pretty wine, one that seduces with the aromas of violets, vanilla and clove that accent its bright black-cherry, blackberry flavors. Excellent structure for cellaring but supple enough to enjoy now. The blend is predominantly cabernet sauvignon, with merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot.

Merryvale 1997 Profile, Napa Valley ($85), is an immensely appealing wine with massive fruit and splendid texture. It has the exceptional concentration of fruit that is typical of the vintage in the Napa Valley.

Although sweet tannins give this wine the element of immediate drinkability, additional time in the cellar will bring out more of the coffee, chocolate and wood notes that contribute to its broad palate of flavors and aromas. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cab franc make the blend.

Very Good:

Mumm Cordon Rouge, Champagne ($30), has found the secret to consistency over the past few years, recovering nicely from a spotty patch in its history to become one of the better values in nonvintage brut champagne.

Black Opal 1998 Barossa Cabernet Merlot, Australia ($16), comes at you with layers of rich, jammy dark-berry fruit and a minty nuance that is characteristic of many Aussie red wines. This wine is opulent and satisfying.

Stellenryck 1996 Cabernet Sauvugnon, South Africa ($15), strikes a very Bordeauxlike flavor profile, with hints of cedar, coffee, leather, earth and dark cherry. The tannins are firm. Not only a very good wine, but also a tremendous value.

Fleur Du Cap 1998 Merlot, South Africa ($10), has many of the earthy complexities and dark-berry aromas of the Stellenryck cab but is softer and fleshier and more agreeable for immediate consumption.

Good Value:

Villa Mt. Eden Coastal Zinfandel, California ($10), hits the high notes of soft, ripe red fruits. One of the most drinkable California red zins at this price.

Black Opal 1998 Cabernet Merlot, Southeastern Australia ($10), doesn`t have the depth of character nor the weight on the palate of the excellent Black Opal Barossa, but it has very good color and richness on the palate, pure blackberry and black-currant flavors, and an appealing nuance of mint.

Black Opal 1998 Cabernet, Southeastern Australia ($10), is not as rich as the blend, but it has pure cabernet flavors that will appeal to those who love cabernet. It, too, is an exceptional value at the price.SERVING SUGGESTION:

When planning sparkling-wine purchases for the holidays, consider buying magnums when serving up to six guests at a time. Champagne and sparkling wine are fresher and more appealing from magnum and will age more gracefully. A magnum serves approximately 14 glasses of champagne, though the exact number of servings will vary with the size of the glass.

Visit Robert Whitley online at www.whitleyonwine.com or send e-mail to him at whitonwine(at)aol.com.

(c) Copley News Service

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Author: Robert Whitley