Cult Wines and Wineries

Usually when someone talks about cult wines, they are thinking of wines from Napa Valley, California that are made in small quantities. I prefer not to put a specific limit on the quantity, but generally speaking these wines have started as family projects, or side projects for famous wine makers. We're usually talking about production below 500 cases, or 600 bottles. We're almost always talking about Cabernet Sauvignon, although not always. This makes sense to most wine drinkers because Cabernet Sauvignon is typically thought of as the grape which leads to the widest range of tastes, as well as the greatest cellaring potential, let alone the grape which seems to grow best in Napa.

How does a cult wine differ from a small producer? A lot of it has to do with the critics and general public's reaction to the wine itself. All of these wines are universally thought of by critics as great wines, often scoring 95 (ninety five) points or higher from major wine critics.

These wines are also completely sold out to their own distribution lists or wine clubs, making them impossible to find locally. Some high end online retailers have been able to find their way on to distribution lists, but prices on the resale market tend to be astronomical, with brands like Screaming Eagle priced at or above $2,000 per bottle in a good economy.

The natural question that most people ask me then, if they are just starting to be able to afford cult wine, or if they have a truly special occasion coming up----what brands should they look for?

Perhaps the winery with the longest waiting list in the entire cult wine world is Grace Family Vineyards. Grace is now a 2nd generation producer which now has a waiting list of approximately 4,000 people, just to have the right to buy their wine as a wine club customer.

If you're able to find a Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, what should you expect? I've never been able to find a bottle for myself, but the critics have universally praised the wine as the closest thing made in Napa to a first growth French Estate in Margaux. This comparison is not meant to be taken lightly, being held to that high of a standard for a winery only 40 years old is truly amazing.

What do you think happens when you get two people intensely passionate about wine, with virtually unlimited money at their disposal?

In the cult wine world you get Rhys Winery.

Much to my delight as a Pinot Noir fan, Rhys makes some truly majestic Pinot Noir from the Santa Cruz mountains. Again, much like Grace Family Vineyards Rhys has taken a stab at some more characteristically old world techniques, by using whole clusters of grapes, which would hardly be notable in Burgundy, but in Napa it is fairly uncommon to this day.

If you can find a bottle of this Pinot, what should you expect? You will be enjoying perhaps the most balanced and understated Pinot Noir's in the world. This is the type of wine that would make you stop drinking Merlot forever.

Does Maybach have a familiar ring to it? Can you put your finger on why? It is a German family name, with quite a bit of history. To start one generation some time ago created the first high speed internal combustion engine. A later generation helped to make the same advance with diesel engines and most importantly for our 21st century memory: A top of the line Mercedes is named after the family.

So we have a family known for personalized, precise engineering with an amazing attention for detail.

To me, that sounds exactly like a Napa cult winery...which is exactly what they have become.

The story behind the wine itself is simple, they started with a small plot of land ideally located just off the Silverado Trail and then hired a truly great winemaker known for making an elegant, understated wine which interestingly enough is how the car is often described.

Robert Parker has scored the line 94 points or better each year it has been produced, so it definitely has the critics ratings to make it a cult wine.  We have seen this wine sold for as little as $55, which makes it an incredible deal.

I hope you have enjoyed this short look into cult wine. If you're looking for an exceptional wine club or or just a one time wine gift-please look into these exceptional wines.