Suggestions for a 2015 Napa cab that will age at least 25 years. Price range $100-$150. If there are none in this range, anything up to $200. I’ve heard Monte Bello but I believe that’s $225 or more.
It’s not Napa and it’s not $100 and it doesn’t yet have the track record but I believe that the Calluna wines are made in a balanced style that will allow them to age for 25 years. I had a 2011 CVC last spring that was singing and way better than a few years ago and seemed to me to have more to give yet. Given that this is the $30 entry level merlot based blend from a “bad” vintage, it reinforced my belief about how the Estate and Colonel will age.
Chateau Montelena Estate
Ridge MB (look at Wine Searcher. I see prices between $150 and $200)
Forman
Dunn (either Napa or Howell Mountain)
Montelena, Ridge and Dunn have a very long track record. Forman’s track record is long but not as long - however, the owner made wine at Sterling in the early 70s that have aged quite well - the 1974 was outstanding a few years ago.
For a lot of traditional estates in California, it is harder to know if the wines will age as well as they used to because of changes there. For example, Heitz, Mondavi Reserve, BV Private Reserve, Diamond Creek, etc. Some of these likely will and others will not but I would not have the same level of confidence as at the four listed above.
+1 on Dunn HM, Spottswoode, Forman and Montelena Estate for Napa. I would also add Mayacamas. And Monte Bello from 2015 is excellent if you are looking to go outside of Napa.
When searching through tasting notes, you’ll want to be looking for descriptors such as “green”, “tight”, “lean”, “vegetal”, “bell pepper”, “tobacco”, “acidic”, “mouth-puckering”, “backward” and “brown”.
Those are the Cabernets which are built for the long haul.
Steer clear of wines with descriptors such as “soft”, “plush”, “velvety”, “sweet”, “fruity”, “black”, “purple”, “vanilla”, “chocolate”, “delicious” and “crowd pleaser”.
They’ll be dead in five years*.
Also, as a general rule of thumb, look for the highest elevation & most northerly latitude possible [Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain, Mayacamas Mountains, etc], and always try to steer clear of fruit from the floor of the Napa valley.
*Unless maybe you purchase them in 1.5L or 3.0L formats, and store them at 45 degrees, which would essentially amount to just holding them in suspended animation - they won’t actually be aging at all. And of course large formats will bust the budget real fast.
After falling in love with California Cabernets from the mid 80’s…the only ones I buy 30 years later are built for long term aging and definitely resemble the wines that seduced me then. Number 1…Dominus. Number 2…Ridge Monte Belllo. Number 3…Philip Togni