About Scarecrow
J.J. Cohn ran the art department at MGM through the studio's golden years and bought eighty acres in Rutherford in 1943, planting Cabernet Sauvignon there in 1945. Those vines are still in the ground and are among the oldest producing Cabernet in Napa. The family sold fruit to Inglenook and later Niebaum-Coppola for decades before Cohn's grandson Bret Lopez made the first Scarecrow in 2003, with Celia Welch as winemaker. Production runs to a few hundred cases and the wine is sold through a closed allocation list. M. Étain is the second label.
Rutherford's gravelly benchland holds some of the oldest Cabernet plantings in California. Our Napa Valley Wines and Cabernet Sauvignon pages cover the neighboring estates, and Collectible Wines holds the wider selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Scarecrow wine so expensive?
Three things compound. The fruit comes from vines planted in 1945, which yield very little. Production is a few hundred cases. And the allocation list has been closed for years, so almost every bottle available to buy has passed through the secondary market at least once.
Why is it called Scarecrow?
J.J. Cohn's department at MGM built the sets for The Wizard of Oz, and the family kept the original Scarecrow costume. Both the name and the label come from that.
What is M. Étain?
The second wine, made from the same Rutherford vineyard using lots not chosen for Scarecrow. It is easier to find and costs considerably less.
Who makes Scarecrow?
Celia Welch has been the winemaker since the first vintage in 2003. Bret Lopez, grandson of J.J. Cohn, owns the estate.