Scarecrow

Scarecrow is a California wine brand produced from the historic J.J. Cohn Estate in Rutherford, within the Rutherford American Viticultural Area of Napa Valley. Although the Scarecrow label emerged in the early 2000s, its identity is rooted in a much older vineyard property and in the career of Joseph Judson Cohn, an MGM film executive who acquired the Rutherford estate in 1943. Cohn was associated with films including The Wizard of Oz, a connection that later helped inspire the Scarecrow name. After acquiring the property, Cohn was encouraged by John Daniel Jr. of neighboring Inglenook Winery to plant vines. In 1945, approximately 80 acres were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, and fruit from the estate was sold to established Napa producers. Over subsequent decades, grapes from the J.J. Cohn Estate were purchased by or associated with wineries including Inglenook, Opus One, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, and Beaulieu Vineyard. The vineyard therefore had a significant role as a source of fruit before it became a consumer-facing wine label. The estate’s old vines became especially important after phylloxera forced widespread replanting across Napa Valley in the 1990s. Much of the original rootstock at the property survived, allowing Scarecrow to build its reputation around exceptionally old Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Cohn died in 1996, and an inheritance dispute eventually led his heirs to place the property on the market. In the early 2000s, Francis Ford Coppola acquired a substantial portion of the broader property in a transaction involving Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez. Lopez and Mimi DeBlasio retained the buildings, additional vineyard acreage, and a small portion of the original 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon planting. Lopez and DeBlasio subsequently developed the Scarecrow label and engaged winemaker Celia Welch. The first Scarecrow vintage, released from the 2003 harvest, quickly gained attention among collectors. Production has remained deliberately limited, generally described as approximately 400 to 800 cases annually, with the exact volume varying by vintage. The estate vineyard is devoted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon and is divided into named blocks, including the House block, Hillside block, and Old Men block planted with the original 1945 vines. Scarecrow’s commercial model emphasizes scarcity and direct relationships with customers. Allocation is centered on a mailing list, with repeat customers receiving priority. The wine is not generally open to the public, and private visits may be arranged selectively. The combination of very small production, old-vine provenance, Napa Valley location, and strong critical and collector interest has positioned Scarecrow as a cult Cabernet Sauvignon rather than a broadly distributed supermarket or restaurant brand. The label’s reputation was reinforced by exceptional auction results. Five-case lots achieved increasingly high prices at Premiere Napa Valley auctions in 2009, 2011, and 2017, with the 2017 lot, called Toto’s Opium Dream Scene 4 and made from Cabernet Sauvignon harvested from 72-year-old vines, reaching $200,000. In 2019, Vivino identified the 2015 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon as its highest-rated wine in a ranking based on user reviews and ratings. These events strengthened Scarecrow’s image as a scarce, highly collectible Napa Valley wine.

The history of Scarecrow begins with the Rutherford property formerly known as the J.J. Cohn Estate. Joseph Judson Cohn, an MGM film executive, purchased approximately 195 acres in Rutherford in 1943. The property stood beside Inglenook, the winery established by Gustave Niebaum. In 1945, John Daniel Jr., who was managing Inglenook, encouraged Cohn to plant vines. Around 80 acres were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, and the resulting fruit was sold to Inglenook. For much of the twentieth century, the estate operated primarily as a vineyard source rather than as a prominent bottled-wine brand. Fruit from the property was later sold to a number of respected Napa producers, including Opus One, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, and Beaulieu Vineyard. This history connected the site to the development of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon before Scarecrow became an independent label. The vineyard’s old plant material became a defining asset after phylloxera affected Napa vineyards during the 1990s. While large areas of the region had to be replanted, the rootstock in Scarecrow’s fields survived. Cohn died in 1996 at the age of 100. An inheritance dispute led his heirs to offer the approximately 85-acre property for sale. Its estimated value increased from about $4 million in 1996 to $33.6 million by 2002. Francis Ford Coppola ultimately acquired a large part of the estate in a package transaction involving Cohn’s grandson Bret Lopez. Coppola received approximately 140 acres, including most of the vineyard, while Lopez and Mimi DeBlasio retained the buildings, 25 acres of partially planted vineyard, and two acres containing part of the original 1945 Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Lopez and DeBlasio chose the Scarecrow name as a tribute to Cohn and his association with The Wizard of Oz. They hired winemaker Celia Welch, and the first vintage was produced in 2003. Its success established the label rapidly among collectors. The second release reportedly sold out in sixteen hours, while subsequent releases were managed through staged allocations that favored repeat customers. By 2008, the winery was producing roughly 400 cases a year and had a mailing list of approximately 8,000 people. The brand’s small production and allocation system contributed to a cult-wine reputation comparable to other highly scarce Napa Cabernet producers. Bottles also appeared on the resale market at substantially higher prices than their original allocations. Scarecrow was not generally open to the public, reinforcing its private, appointment-oriented character. Production is centered on approximately 25 acres under vine, planted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate identifies the House block, Hillside block, and Old Men block, the last associated with the 1945 planting. Annual production has been described as ranging from 400 to 800 cases depending on the vintage. Auction performance further elevated the brand. In 2009, five cases sold for $80,000 at Premiere Napa Valley. A comparable five-case lot reached $125,000 in 2011, and a 2017 lot called Toto’s Opium Dream Scene 4 reached $200,000. In 2019, Vivino ranked the 2015 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon first in a data-driven list based on its members’ reviews and ratings. Scarecrow remains a private, limited-production Napa wine brand whose value proposition rests on provenance, old vines, scarcity, and collector demand.

1. 20192015 vintage receives Vivino’s top ranking

   Vivino names the 2015 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon its best wine in a ranking based on user ratings and reviews.

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2. 2017Toto’s Opium Dream Scene 4 sells for $200,000

   A five-case lot from 72-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines achieves a $200,000 auction price.

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3. 2011Auction record rises to $125,000

   A five-case lot sells for $125,000 at Premiere Napa Valley.

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4. 2009Premiere Napa Valley auction lot reaches $80,000

   Five cases of Scarecrow sell for $80,000 at the Premiere Napa Valley auction.

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5. 2003First Scarecrow vintage is released

   The first Scarecrow wine is produced with winemaker Celia Welch and quickly attracts collector attention.

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6. 2002Property ownership is divided

   Francis Ford Coppola acquires much of the broader property, while Bret Lopez and Mimi DeBlasio retain the buildings and a smaller portion of the vineyard.

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7. 1996Joseph Judson Cohn dies

   Cohn dies at age 100, and an inheritance dispute later contributes to the property being placed on the market.

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8. 1990Old rootstock survives phylloxera replanting

   The estate’s original rootstock survives the widespread vineyard replanting prompted by phylloxera in Napa Valley.

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9. 1945Cabernet Sauvignon vines are planted

   Approximately 80 acres are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, establishing the vineyard foundation later associated with Scarecrow.

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10. 1943J.J. Cohn acquires the Rutherford property

    Joseph Judson Cohn purchases approximately 195 acres adjacent to Inglenook in Rutherford, California.

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A highly scarce, collector-oriented Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon built around historic 1945 vines, limited estate production, mailing-list allocation, and cult-wine prestige.

• Scarecrow Cabernet SauvignonNapa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon2003

  The core Scarecrow wine is a limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon from the Rutherford property in Napa Valley. It is made from estate vineyard fruit, including grapes associated with the historic 1945 planting and newer blocks. Its scarcity, old-vine provenance, and mailing-list allocation make it the brand’s principal collector offering.

• Toto’s Opium Dream SceneAuction cuvée2017

  Toto’s Opium Dream Scene is an auction-designated Scarecrow lot associated with Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate’s very old vines. The 2017 auction lot was described as coming from 72-year-old vines and was sold in a five-case format, underscoring its role as a special collector release rather than a regularly distributed product.

• 2004Mailing-list allocation strategyStrategy

  Demand for the early releases exceeded the available production, with the second release reportedly selling out rapidly.

  What changed. Scarecrow used staged releases and gave repeat mailing-list customers priority over new requests, including requests from celebrities.

  Aftermath. The allocation model reinforced scarcity, customer loyalty, and the wine’s collector-oriented positioning.

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• 2003Launch of the Scarecrow labelProduct launch

  Bret Lopez and Mimi DeBlasio controlled a retained portion of the historic J.J. Cohn Estate and sought to develop a bottled wine identity around its old Cabernet Sauvignon vines.

  What changed. They introduced the Scarecrow label with winemaker Celia Welch, using estate fruit and the property’s historical association with J.J. Cohn.

  Aftermath. The debut vintage gained rapid attention and established Scarecrow as a small-production cult Cabernet Sauvignon.

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• 2019Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 receives Vivino’s top ranking

  Vivino identified the 2015 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon as the best wine in its ranking based on user-generated reviews and ratings collected through 2018.

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• 2017Scarecrow auction lot sells for $200,000

  A five-case lot named Toto’s Opium Dream Scene 4, made from Cabernet Sauvignon produced from 72-year-old vines, sold for $200,000 at Premiere Napa Valley.

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• 2011Scarecrow wine achieves a record Premiere Napa Valley auction result

  A five-case lot of Scarecrow Wine sold for $125,000 at the Premiere Napa Valley auction, surpassing the brand’s earlier auction result and setting a new record for the event according to the cited reference. The lot was purchased by Ichizo Nakagawa of Tokyo-based Nakagawa Wine Company.

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1. Scarecrow (wine)