Well I am trying to get a handle on these. Im not sure if these are cult wines or just big cali cabs or what. But my question revolves around how I am trying to make my collection and what I should try next. i am looking at a certain price range of between $100-$200. I know that I like caymus special select and Realm the bard. Lower on the price range i have enjoyed jones the sisters, caymus, vineyard 29 CRU, round pond and chimney rock. So would i like any of the following
dominus Estate
opus one
Silver oak
tor kenward
Hourglass
Realm to kalon or dr crane
Kongsgard
Any others you can think of in this price range. Specifically napa cabs.
And yes I know the answer is that I need to try them but am more looking for a direction of which might be more to my liking.
Also, though not in this price range, i really liked the shafer hillside select and harlan.
Joe, based on your tastes from previous posts, I really think you’d like TOR Kenward. It’s a great well made wine, and a little off the beaten path vs. some of the other large producers like Caymus.
Mix in a Thomas Rovers Brown cab to see if you like his strong style. Outpost True Vineyard, Rivers Marie. Mike Smith also makes good cabs that might fit in well with your profile without gong broke.
Try a Pride Reserve cab or the standard Pride bottling. Dominus is a bigger wine than the Caymus; have you tried the Dominus yet? I like all the wines you listed but wouldn’t necessarily purchase them again. I would like to pick up some older vintages of Dominus.
?? I haven’t had either in years, but certainly wasn’t the case historically and a lot of people say that the Caymus wines are very, very ripe and massive these days, while Dominus was always known for its relative restraint.
I’m a newbie here and I don’t know your palate or many of the referenced wines (nor am I in a position to provide TNs). For what little it’s worth, however, I am a big fan of Tor Kenward cabs. Great wines IMO. Just ordered a mixed case earlier this month. The first expensive wine purchase of my life and what started my further research that led me to this board.
It’s always a cab dominated blend. The last vintage I had was the 2008, which was 86% Cab Sauv, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, 1% Cab Franc, and 1% Malbec. So according to Cali labeling laws, it’s a cab. However, I wouldn’t put it in the “big” Cali cab category along with something like Caymus.
That might be the case John, I haven’t tasted any current vintages of Caymus. The last Dominus I had was 2 years ago; it was rather young but came together rather nicely after several hours. It was a big cab but still an infant; no doubt it will integrate with time but like you said Caymus is “very ripe”. I have one bottle of 09 Caymus SS but I don’t plan on drinking it anytime in the near future. I just looked at TNs in CT and the scores are off the wall…for Caymus. For the money I’d rather pick up some Ridge or Pride.
Off year Shafer Hillside Select is generally within budget and still offers very good quality. In particular thinking about the 98/00. As far as a new producer, have been super impressed with Kristine Ashe Entre Nous Cabernets.
On your list, I think you would like Hourglass, Realm and Hourglass best. You might also seek out O’Shaugnessy (both mountains), Lewis Reserve, Pride, Sherwin Family, Maybach, Robert Foley and many more.
Joe- Here are some producers worth considering. I wouldn’t call them big wines. Some are a bit riper and larger in scale or extraction and some might be a bit more restrained. IMO all are top notch and worth seeking out and ones your best bet is to sign up for the mailing list. These will all range from $65 for general appellation wines to $115 for their top end SVD wines. Most will come in around $85
Rudius- multiple single vineyard wines. Jeff Ames lable( He is the winemaker for Tor)
Anthem- another Ames wine
Rivers Marie- multiple svd wines made by TRB
Myriad- Mike Smith owner/winemaker
Quivet- another Mike Smith wine. Between his 2 lables terrific vineyard sources
Forman- quickly becoming one of my favorite. The 2010 is outstanding and worth every bit of the 97 points it got. $85 from the winery. they might have a little left
Bressler- under the radar St Helena gem. wonderful wine.
I’ll be tasting most of these next week and will try and post notes.
Large Scale
Tor- I am a fan but usually buy retail or auction
Carter- To Kalon and some other great vineyard sources. If you want big this is it.
My top cults- these tend to be a touch more restrained in style and the direction i am drinking more of. Pretty sure the mailing list is open for all of them
Blankiet
Kapcsandy
Fairchild
Spottswoode
A few qpr’s
Drinkward Peschon- everyone needs a great $60 wine. Case purchase for me each year
Bedrock- Mostly zin and cali field blends. everyone really needs great wine in the $20-50 range. Get on this list now
As Jim stated, many many more options. Do a trip to Napa when you can and be ready to buy a bigger wine fridge by the time the trip is over…
Snowden Reserve is a little under 100 but worth a try. The style is pure Napa, but with a hint of restraint.
Don’t overlook the blends recommended by others so far. Continuum and Ovid (a little above 200) are fantastic.
Also consider Harris, O’Shaughnessy and Beau Vigne.
Kinsella trb
Jones trb
Rivers marie trb
Round pond trb
Gts trb
Outpost trb
Maybach trb
Schrader trb
Riverain trb
Hobel trb
Harris was trb just got sold I think trb is still on
Revana trb
Pulido walker trb and I dont recall how much it is but I think more than u want to pay
Non trb:
Bucella
Gallica
Vhr
Tor
Alpha omega svds
Corra
Fortunate son
Realm
Pride
Foley
Switchback ridge
A few that are a little more but worth trying
SHS
Fairchild
Pott
Continuum
Hundred acre
Araujo
Bevan
This is a list off the top of my head, Joe. By no means comprehensive. I like and buy everything on your list except Opus and I like and buy everything on this list with the exception of Pulido Walker (I have enough trb wine fairchild is not as big as the rest on this list but man is it good. Also I strongly disagree that dominus is bigger than caymus. Hope that helps.
I apprecite all the info here. As with everyone though, or maybe not, i have found that i really only drink about one bottle per week. Add in a few for bringing to parties and a few more for parties at my house. Total number comes out to about six cases per year or 72 bottles. While i want to add a few wines (about 10-12) in for the price range of $100-$200, i am also adding in about 2 bottles above that, which appears to be the Shafer Hillside Select at this point. Leaving me five cases under the $100 price point. I keep looking at what i buy on CT and realize how difficult this is with Caymus, Bedrock, Carlisle and Turley. All a case plus.
Anyways, i dont like the idea of one offs, so a min. Of two bottles per label. Leaving me just six big california cab labels I can reasonably add.
At this point buying one bottle at a time is the correct path so I can find those six producers.
This thread has led to more than six to try. Im hoping someone starts an offline in the area in the next few months. The last offline certainly helped me figure a few things out.
fairchild is not as big as the rest on this list but man is it good. Also I strongly disagree that dominus is bigger than caymus. Hope that helps.