California Cults and Classics: Our Top Selections

We have added some exceptional Californian wines in the last few weeks ranging from the classics to both the old and new schools of cult winemakers. Despite the constant threat of drought and fire, we believe that California, particularly Napa, is in a golden age of winemaking. The classics continue to impress, honing their craft vintage after vintage, with Dominus, Dunn and Opus One leading the pack.

The first wave of cult wines (think Abreu, Colgin, Schrader and Screaming Eagle) continue to dominate the secondary market yet still maintain their ability to lure new collectors seeking to find a place on years-long waiting lists. The singular Kongsgaard Judge continues to be the standard for California chardonnay, and arguably one of the best white wines in the world. If you are still waiting for a mailing list allocation, bide your time with the vertical below.

Finally, we are thrilled to bring you what we consider the new wave: productions so small that bottles can’t be spared for the critics, like some of the Kinsman-Eades bottlings; an under-the radar self-starter (Roy Piper) whose brainy approach to crafting beautiful wine is revolutionary; and William & Mary, a combination of both maker and vineyard pedigrees that’s unmatched. Because we’ve tasted these wines, we can attest that the hype is real!