California's Top 10 Collectible Wines
California produces over 80% of wine made in the USA, and is the fourth largest producer in the world. Some amazing wines come out of California. Here is our list of the California's TOP 10 Collectible wines!
- Pulido-Walker Mt. Veeder Cabernet 2018
- Futo Oakville Estate 2016
- Futo Estate 5500 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
- Futo OV/SL 2016
- QTR Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 & QTR Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
- All Casa Piena vintages 2012 - 2019 from Thomas Rivers Brown
- Realm Farella 2019
- Realm Beckstoffer To-Kalon 2019
- Schrader Beckstoffer RBS 2018
- Dominus 2006
Pulido-Walker Mt. Veeder Cabernet 2018:
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck & 98 Points Wine Advocate
Notes: There is none of the angularity in this wine that mountain fruit can sometimes produce. What dominates is luxurious black fruit, supported by an abundance of perfectly ripe, unobtrusive tannin. One of the hallmarks of better wines is that they drink well young, and that is certainly the case with the 2018 Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is packed with beautifully balanced proportions of fruit tannins and acidity, which will only make it more luxurious as it ages.
Futo Oakville Estate 2016:
98+ Points Wine Advocate & 97+ Points Jeb Dunnuck
Notes: A complex wine from a complex estate. The FUTO Oakville Estate Red Wine finds its feet with rich, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon but leans heavily on Cabernet Franc for poise and finesse. Petit Verdot is layered in for good measure. A wine of pure energy and vitality with a sense of total completeness.
Futo Estate 5500 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2016:
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck, 98 Points Wine Advocate
Notes: Reflecting its rocky volcanic hillside origins, the FUTO 5500 Stags Leap District Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is massively scaled but retains superb purity and energy. A timeless wine that resonates with refinement. The 2016 is unique in the way it seems to constantly change and evolve in the glass between its perfumed, and ample red fruit, and pie crust layering. The mineral core, a signature of the vineyard, frames the palate staining finish.
Futo OV/SL 2016:
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck, 95 Points Wine Advocate
Notes: The FUTO 2016 OV/SL showcases the synergy of our two estate properties. At its core are co-fermentations of fruit from these hillsides that we believe are perfect foils for one another. Oakville is imposing and impressive with its broad-shouldered stature, while Stags Leap is a timeless beauty with classic proportions. This wine is proof that 1+1 can equal 3. Plush with crystallized purple fruit and seemingly endless layers with chiseled florals and complex mineral stain lending to its poise and finesse. This mix of fruit and perfume will be a thrill ride either old or young.
QTR Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Ready to drink now through 2045.
Notes: This wine expresses a decidedly dark and sultry side of Napa Valley hillside Cabernet. In the glass, the wine displays a completely opaque dark purple core with a deep violet halo. Aromas of forest floor, umami, pine bough, toasted cedar bark, and black currant emerge in concert. The palate expression is dynamic given the defined acidity that is consistent throughout the entire trajectory. Throughout the core of the palate there are complex, layered notes of brambly compote, cocoa, roasted meat, crushed rock, baking spices, and lavender. The tannin structure is finely integrated and paired with a mouth-watering acidity, emblematic of a Cabernet that is not only approachable now but will also age beautifully.
QTR Cabernet Sauvignon 2018:
96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
Notes: The acidity, tannins, and multitude of layers showcase notes of red currant, ripe red cherry, black pepper, and spices of nutmeg and clove. Hints of tobacco leaf, black tea leaf, plum, and dried cranberry round out the palate. A beautiful long-lasting finish.
All Casa Piena vintages 2012 - 2019, Thomas Rivers Brown
Highly Rated Vintages, Aged and Ready to Drink.
Notes: Pairing the robust opulence of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with the graceful sophistication of a prized Bordeaux, Casa Piena is crafted to honor its Yountville roots while achieving a seamless balance between fruit and the earth. The stunning uniqueness of Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon is that though it is able to realize voluptuous ripeness, the resulting wines nonetheless reflect nuanced elements of cool climate elegance and soil-driven character. As a result, Casa Piena is receiving rave reviews for its powerful expressiveness. It evokes Bordelaise characteristics of ripe red and black fruit, spice and minerality, without compromising its Napa Valley heritage.
Realm Farella 2019:
98+ Points Robert Parker: Realm took over the management of Farella vineyard in 2018. Since then, winemaker Benoit Touquette explained their focus has been to open out the canopy, creating better exposure for the fruit, aiming to achieve riper tannins. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Farella Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color and a powerful, expressive nose of baked plums, juicy blackberries and blackcurrant pastilles, plus touches of black olives, lavender and cinnamon stick, with a waft of fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is seriously dense and muscular, featuring a rock-solid foundation of super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and energy. A spectacular showing for Farella!
Robert Parker 99 Points: Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color, requiring a little coaxing before it spills out of the glass with fantastically showy blackberry preserves, boysenberries and cassis notes, plus hints of black raspberries, clove oil and potpourri, with a touch of tobacco leaf. The decadent, full-bodied palate sports a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins with beautiful freshness. All that generous black fruit melds seamlessly into a very long, mineral-laced finish.
Schrader Beckstoffer RBS 2018:
99 points, Jeb Dunnuck
Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, balance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.
Dominus 2006:
96 points RP’s Wine Advocate, 96 Points James Suckling, 93 Wine Enthusiast, 93 Wine & Spirits
Notes: The Dominus 2006 epitomizes the best qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon in a great terroir of Napa Valley. This wine harmoniously integrates tremendous power, purity of fruit and lingering finesse. It clearly possesses an exceptional potential for aging.