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Heitz : Full line up is great, but I must admit a sentimental attachment as I’m still working on birth year cases of Martha’s and Bella Oaks.
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Dunn : Old examples changed my view of what Napa Cabs could be, young examples got me interested in buying current vintage Napa Cabs.
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Smith Madrone : For my money, best sub-50 Napa Cab for my palate.
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Diamond Creek : Only ever had one bottle, it was just that memorable.
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Placeholder : I’ll think of the last one…
Wines I’m currently buying include:
Ridge
Bedrock
MacDonald
Arnot Roberts
Turley (new single vineyards on the way)
Rivers Marie
I was thinking of Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red, which fits your definition. Probably not my top 5 but I like it. Lots of other good potential choices that are blends. Monte Bello and Dominus come to mind. This will take some serious thought.
That is my number 1 as well. For the same reason. I mostly now buy the Estate Cab. I have the 2012 but have not tried it. Just had the 2009, loved it. Loved the leaner 2011 even more. As good as Cab gets from Cali.
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- Dunn. Have not tried last several years of releases, and have heard hints of a slight change in style, but this is one of my favorite Cabs. Old school, honest, structured, large-scale, ages effortlessly.
I really have not bought many American Cabs in quite some time, with any regularity, other than those two. My 3-5 are from distance memories.
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- Togni - Like my beloved Sociando-Mallet, love the bell pepper note. Distinctive wine.
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- Heitz - Looking forward to trying the 2010 that this site seems to rave about. Used to be a regular purchase of mine. Like Togni, loved the distinctive notes, this one having mint and eucalpytus. Classic wine.
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- Dalla Valle - The 1991-94 and 1997 vintages were fantastic. I’m not sure how this wine is considered now, but back then that was a burly, chewy cab. This wine elevated my interest in California, until the later 1990s sorta killed it.
Do you have trouble counting to five? 
Mike can have my 5th spot.
This is a totally subjective list. I make no claims that these are the “greatest” by any means.
- Larkmead - Still relatively affordable, and a great track record of more fruit-driven, very Napa Cabernet.
- Spottswoode - When I spend too much money on Cabernet, this makes me feel like I really didn’t.
- Araujo - Fortunately I have a friend who can afford it and loves to open them when I am around. The only “Cult” Cab I really love.
- Robert Craig - Great. affordable under-the-radar Mountain Cabernet.
- Ramey - Love the regular and Annum bottlings. Big, but not too big.
This is a fluid list, ranked as of this exact moment:
- Togni
I’m just in love right now with this producer’s older Cabs.
- Schrader
They’re always great to amazing if not generally incredible.
- Myriad/Quivet
I love Mike’s Cabs.
- Rivers-Marie
I love TRB’s Cabs.
- Bedrock
Morgan makes the best Cabs for the money coming out of Sonoma imho. I think they’ll age incredibly well and I’m happy to have a decent stash.
HM: Ridge, Lewelling, Pride, Mondavi, Heitz, Schafer, Spottswoode
And writing a sentence about each one, Mr. Dildine?
Ridge – The Monte Bello tends to develop tertiary flavors better than any Cal Cab
Montelena – probably results in the best fruit profile of any of the wines on my list
Araujo – while i was never a fan of their customer service, this was my favorite of the Cults
Spottswoode – Classic in every way
Myriad – My one “newcomer”, but a great set of cabs at different price points
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Spottswoode - Beautiful wine year after year.
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Schrader - These are huge wines but manage to find a great balance and extremely consistent quality.
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Paul Hobbs - Also on the fruitier side but sooo good, especially the Dr. Crane.
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Vine Hill Ranch - Got to love a small producer that pours so much effort and quality into great Cabernet.
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Blankiet - Hitting their stride with real consistency.
Honorable mention: Araujo, Kapcsandy, Realm, Myriad
Ones to watch: Roy Piper, Outpost, Alpha Omega
- Myriad - Huge, ripe taste without losing balance. Still relatively affordable.
- Spottswoode - Prototypical, regal Cab.
- Vine Hill Ranch - The Calon Segur of Napa. Dark and deep.
- Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards - Relatively affordable Cabs that never, ever disappoint.
- Seavey Vineyard - Old-school producer that makes Cabs that age incredibly well but are still generous when young.
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Shafer. The HS and the 1.5 are both wonderful wines at their price points. I’ve never been disappointed in a bottle from this producer, but the HS is not inexpensive.
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Colgin. Lots of wow moments but so very pricey. Great wine though, and remarkable consistency.
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Dunn. Agreed with many here, very classic, ageable, excellent, reliable.
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EMH. Debated where to put the Black Cat on this list, but regardless of position, these have taken a strong spot in my cellar. Amazing combination of power and delicacy.
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Bevan. Kind of the anti-Dunn/EMH/Shafer … big smack-you-in-the-face vibrant Cabs but have I’ve enjoyed every bottle.
Lots of competition at many price points though for me … Seavey, Rivers-Marie, Myriad at one end, Blankiet, Schrader, Kapcsandy at the other.
No mentions for Harlan or SE
Dominus, Araujo, Forman, Ridge and a wine to be named later (with sentences)
Mike Smith
Thomas Rivers Brown
Todd Anderson
Robin Akhurst
David Jeffrey - Calluna
- Passenger
- Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley
- Dominus
- Myriad (admitted bias on winemaker)
- Checkerboard
- Bevan-all about textures and supple tannin.
- abreu-power with grace.
- harlan-just plush and dense.
- araujo-elegance
- colgin-pritchard hill sex juice.
honorable mention: lindstrom-celia’s elegance meets stags leap intensity, kind cellars-im a darnajou addict, realm-constant wow factor.
So I don’t know who most of these folks make wine for. Would appreciate you posting producer and not winemaker so I can include your votes in the tally.
Por favor, replace #2 with a California producer. Otherwise will just move 3-5 up.
FIFY, now you know why there are names and not brands