Because $50 is the new $30, or because I’m now a snob, I’ve been thinking about clearing out the cheaper cellar defenders I’ve bought up over the years and replacing them with wines that wow me ever time. Not wines that are “oh, that’s pretty good for $25” but wines that are "holy crap, that’s amazing for $50.
What are the $40-$60 California wines that blow your mind rather consistently? Vintage not important, because we want consistency. All varietals fair game. Big or small, whatever your tastes.
Here are a few that are at the top of my list:
Chappellet Signature Cabernet ($55 – $46 or so with wine club)
Myriad Napa Valley Cabernet ($55) – drinking this one as I type. 2013. Amazing.
Drifting a bit but I just had a bottle of 2010 Sociando Mallet last night, next to a 2012 Napanook can, and it nearly made me want to abandon California entirely for Bordeaux…
Most of the best Zinfandel from the greatest vineyards are in the $38-$50 range. Some less. Carlisle, Bedrock, Turley, Scherrer (less) Ridge, Ravenswood, Biale, Limerick Lane, Radio Coteau, etc.
Laurel Glen Cab. Otherwise this is a country/price combo I try to avoid. Not saying there are not good candidates, but $50 USD gets you some very fine juice from other locations around the globe as others have mentioned.