About Scarecrow Wine
Scarecrow occupies a storied corner of Rutherford on the historic J.J. Cohn Estate, one of Napa Valley's oldest continuously farmed vineyard sites. J.J. Cohn was a longtime MGM production executive who purchased the Rutherford ranch in the 1940s and planted Cabernet Sauvignon on St. George rootstock in 1945, vines that remain in production today and rank among the oldest Cabernet plantings in the valley.
The Scarecrow label itself is a more recent creation: Cohn's granddaughter, Bettina Rouas, relaunched the estate as a commercial winery with the 2003 vintage, choosing the name as a nod to her grandfather's best-known production credit, The Wizard of Oz. Winemaker Celia Welch has been the guiding hand behind the wine since the relaunch, working the old vines alongside adjacent estate parcels to build a Cabernet Sauvignon-focused portfolio released vintage by vintage.
Scarecrow has since earned a place among Napa Valley's most sought-after 'cult' Cabernets, distributed almost entirely through a mailing list rather than retail or a public tasting room, a model shared by other allocation-only Rutherford and Oakville producers.
Ninety-year-old vines on a Hollywood legend's Rutherford ranch, poured only for those on the list.
✓
Old-vine pedigreeEstate Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1945 on St. George rootstock, still in production on the original J.J. Cohn ranch.
✓
Hollywood provenanceFounded by MGM executive J.J. Cohn; the label's name and story trace back to his production of The Wizard of Oz.
✓
Allocation-only accessNo public tasting room, wine is released through a mailing-list allocation, with demand historically exceeding supply.
"A true Rutherford cult Cabernet with genuine old-vine history, but plan on the waiting list, not a walk-in visit."
Visit Pending
Score Breakdown
Ratings will appear after verified reviews
Wine Quality
Not yet rated
Tasting Experience
Not yet rated
Value for Money
Not yet rated
Family Friendly
Not yet rated
Dog Friendly
Not yet rated
Reviews Across the Web
loading...
WN
Wino Notion
Not yet rated Awaiting reviews
Scores from
Google Maps via its official API · Updated every 24 hours · Click any row to view full reviews
Featured Wines
Red - Cabernet Sauvignon
Scarecrow
Inquire (current release varies by year)
Flagship estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1945-planted J.J. Cohn vineyard in Rutherford; allocation-only release.
Scarecrow releases a single flagship Cabernet Sauvignon under vintage-dated labels; current vintage, production notes, and pricing are allocation-list information not published for public verification — contact the winery directly.
🌽
Mailing List Allocation
Scarecrow does not operate a public tasting room; access to the wine is through its mailing list, subject to waitlist and allocation.
Inquire
Photo Gallery
Recent Reviews from Our Community
No Community Reviews Yet
This winery does not have any published Wino Notion community reviews yet. Be the first to share a recent visit and help other wine travelers know what to expect.
Write the First Review → 
Not Yet Reviewed
Saldo Wine
California · Napa Valley
Not Yet Reviewed
Salvestrin Winery
California · Napa Valley
Not Yet Reviewed
Savant Wines
California · Napa Valley
Not Yet Reviewed
Scarlett Wines
California · Napa Valley
Not Yet Reviewed
School House Vineyard
California · Napa Valley
Not Yet Reviewed
Schrader Cellars
California · Napa Valley