I wasn’t aware there was a waitlist
Anyways empirewine has the 19 cab for original offering price and tcwc has a ton of different vintages below initial release price as I posted in the other thread.
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A few suggestions:
Keenan Cabernet Sauvignon ($80)
Corison Cabernet Sauvignon ($~100)
Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($80)
Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon ($40)
Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon ($50)
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Late to the game. Great lineup .There are some great wines on this list that I would not necessarily call “crowd pleaser style”, but I love.
One more that is in the crowd pleaser style for $45-60 depending on vintage: Aaron Pott makes a great event wine for Blackbird Vineyards called “Arise”. Cab Sauv/Merlot/Cab Franc blend (with smaller amounts of Syrah and Petit Verdot depending on vintage). It is a bit more fruit forward than I typically enjoy, but it is not a fruit bomb and has good structure and solid acidity. When I pour this at parties, I always get a lot of positive feedback.
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Recommended in post #35 & Justin is incorporating into his tasting.
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Week 2 - Flight 2
I Coravin’d ~150ml into Pyrex bottles and labeled them by number about 2 hours before tasting and then capped them. Tasting was double blind for my in laws and single blind for me as I knew the wines but my wife poured the order. Wines poured at ~55F.
MIL picked #2 and #4 and FIL picked #1 and #4. Because it’s the way the world works, and because MIL called #1 overly jammy and “I’d never buy it,” #2 and #4 advance to the next round.
Here’s my very brief notes and scores. I’m also going to give MIL/FIL scores starting now as well as their notes. I also asked them to give a price point at which they think the wine is worth/sells for since their goal is to find value.
1. 2020 DAOU Reserve Cabernet
Me: Nose of cherry pie, smells confected, sweet & oaky, awful and no desire to taste again
78 points
MIL: Too Jammy
85 points, $70
FIL: Good tannins, Could be jammy, Is it Malbec?
90 points, $60
2. 2018 Chateau Beychevelle (50% Cab, 41% Merlot, rest PV/CF)
Me: Still sweet core of fruit but not nearly as much/bad; much more serious wine; nicely balanced though ripe; nice structure; very good length
94 points
MIL: Good Nose; I liked it
95 points, $125
FIL: Brighter, not as much tannin, lighter
88 points, $45
3. 2019 Chappellet Signature Cabernet
Me: Vanilla Overload on Nose; Decent balance and pleasant fruit but little woody; can’t decide if oak will integrate or if this will stay out of balance; kinda short
89 points
MIL: Pretty good; pleasant nose
90 Points, $85
FIL: Lighter/Brighter, Tart, Not much tannin
90 points, $150
4. 2018 Lerner Project Project 18 Cabernet
Me: BlackBerry Pie; Sweet Oak; Similar to #1 but more grip and not as soupy; COATED my glass
87 points
MIL: Good Nose; Tastes Great
92 Points; $85
FIL: Flavorful; some tannin
95 points, $100
5. 2019 Cheval des Andes (50/50 Cab/Malbec)
Me: Little funky on the nose; nice fruit on the palate, much cleaner on the palate than the nose; solid structure, nice complexity and balance
92 Points
MIL: Not good nose; not full bodied enough
80 points, $n/a
FIL: Bright; tart
88 points, $50
Except they’ve jacked the price up to $90
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I sense MIL will have the final say? 
Very late here- I assume it’s too late to provide other insight that would be a home run?
Adding in the ‘18 Beych Bordeaux would not be the wine to showcase as ‘18s have started to shutdown on many cases and that wine in particular doesn’t for the Napa crossover. Pull a ‘19/‘’20 Bordeaux if only looking for primary (can provide suggestions if want).
Any idea what Napa wines they drink? If it’s more fruit extracted or reserved makes a huge difference. Do they like Caymus or Dunn or something in-between.
Some mentioned some not that are available either DTC or in FL
La Pelle
Caterwaul
Ontogony
Myriad entry level
Pott entry level
The Bard from Realm
Austin Hope
Teeter totter
Barnett Spring Mountain
Double Diamond
Laroque
Tour st Christophe
Gravete de Certan (VCC 2nd wine)
Carmes haut Brion
Malescot st Exupery
Calon Segur
Pichon Lalande Comtesse Reserve (2nd label PLL)
La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou
Feytit Clinet
Blue eyed boy or carnival of love AUS Syrah
Happy to expand on anything but assume I am late to the party.
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I saw Beau Vigne “Juliet” at Costco for about $45. It’s been ages since I’ve tasted, but used to like it.
Aren’t they all in-between those two?! 
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Week 3 - Flight 3
Note: Added a few wines to finish out with 6 wines per flight. Having too much fun with it…As usual, I’m single blind. All wines are essentially PnP as they’re Coravin’d all the way to the top of a 150ml Pyrex and sealed 2 hours before tasting, then poured and consumer right away. Notes are informal while trying to avoid being clipped in the ankle by a 2 year old on a scooter.
In laws scores will be short lived as their papers were thrown away in cleaning up dinner. My notes and scores are below. Wines #2 and #4 will move on, though they liked #1 and will be buyers given the price point.
1. 2021 Educated Guess Cabernet
Black fruited, little spice, extracted and oaky but not overly confected/cloying. Structure is meh - drink now.
86 points
2. 2018 Mt. Brave Mount Veeder Cabernet
More reserved nose, striking purity of fruit with a sweet cranberry flavor with nice acidity and balance. Good length and structure. Drying but very fine tannins. Buy and hold.
94 Points
3. 2019 Chateau Canon
Napa? Tastes sweet on immediate comparison to #2, but coming back 3 mins later not so bad… Wine is in balance and has solid length. Spice notes linger on finish.
89 Points
4. 2019 Elyse Holbrook Mitchell Vineyard Cabernet
Nice bouquet of fruit on the nose, but also smell ethanol. Wine is HOT. Not for me - out of balance, alcohol sticks out badly.
80 Points
5. 2021 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz
Must be the Shiraz. Ripe fruit, hot but not like #4.
83 points
6. 2019 Caterwul Cabernet
VERY reserved nose. Cloying texture, Sweeter than all but #4. Woody tannins.
85 Points
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Similar tasting experience with the caterwaul. Every time I drink Mt Brave, I kick myself for not buying it more often; just really good wine.
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Coincidence? First Bottle just sent out an offer for Mt. Brave - Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Napa Valley 2019
$124 / $118 3+
Not really bargain pricing compared to other retailers though
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Faust, Hall, Mt. Brave, Frog’s Leap are all crowd pleasers in that price range.
Since you also opened it to Syrah, I’d consider Tensley or Calcareous (which I have seen at a Costco), which does Syrah from Paso Robles well. There are obviously lots of other Paso Robles Syrahs and Rhone blends in this price range, though I think the better ones are allocated.
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Thanks for the heads up on Empire having the 2019 Detert as the wine seems to have a strong following and I’ve been meaning to try it.
I picked up a bottle after the post - last one on the shelf - and enjoyed it last night. It was probably the most enjoyable $100 bottle of Napa cab that I’ve had. Looking forward to checking out other vintages and the Cab Franc too.
Second vote here for Faust Napa Cabernet. Incredible Napa Cabernet for the price
**Disclaimer I do represent Faust in Quebec.
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Two new finds and one reminder from our recent Napa trip:
Fait Main Napa Valley
Mi Sueno Napa Valley
O’Shaughnessy Napa Valley
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Beringer single vineyard Cabs can be had for under $100 when they run one of their 40% off SVD sales. The St Helena Home Vineyard and Chabot Vineyard should please most people and are my favorites.
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Sometimes 50% off, at least for club members
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