wine covet these wines

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Covet these cult wines

by hana-lee sedgWICK

Exclusive, high quality, and hard to come by — these are just a few of the reasons why a wine earns cult status . When you’re ready to fill your wine cellar with something extra special, these sought-after California wines are sure to tantalize your taste buds while impressing your wine-loving friends .

Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon

This famed Napa Valley producer is known for high-quality, low-production wines that come with very high price tags . Their Cabernet Sauvignon will run you about $3,000-plus per bottle, and even the Sauvignon Blanc will cost you several thousands . A bottle from their 1992 vintage (their first) ranks among the most expensive wines ever sold, fetching an astonishing $500,000 at the 2000 Auction Napa Valley . Not surprisingly, Screaming Eagle wines are incredibly hard to come by (the wait list can take over a decade to join), but if you can get your hands on a bottle of Cabernet, expect a polished, silky wine that hangs gracefully on the palate .

Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon

The Scarecrow estate in Napa Valley’s Rutherford appellation was first planted to cabernet sauvignon in 1945, and is thought to be among the oldest cabernet vines in California . Today, under the Scarecrow label, this celebrated site produces perfectly dense cabernet sauvignons that continually wow top critics, regularly garnering top scores of 97 to 100 points . Naturally, Scarecrow has become a much-desired producer, whose wines typically go for $800 to $1,000 per bottle, depending on the vintage .

Sine Qua Non Blends

What started as a small syrah project with just four barrels in 1994 has since transformed into a cult-status California Rhône wine producer . Using fruit from the Central Coast and an artistic approach to viticulture, Sine Qua Non produces a variety of blends, each showcasing a unique name, label, and assortment of grapes, like syrah, grenache, roussanne, graciano, and touriga nacional, to name a few . Released to their mailing list only (expect to wait several years to clear the list), most bottles cost anywhere between $200 and $500-plus, depending on the specific blend . While no two wines are the same, Sine Qua Non wines tend to deliver a kaleidoscope of flavors with elegance, and are quite food-friendly .

Harlan Estate Bordeaux Blends

Harlan Estate was founded in 1984 by William Harlan, whose vision was to produce a California “First Growth” from Napa Valley’s Oakville AVA . Known for their opulent, structured, and incredibly age-worthy Bordeaux-style wines, Harlan continually ranks among the top choices for collectors, with new releases of its flagship wine running $500 to $750 per bottle .

Marcassin Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Focused on producing complex representations of Sonoma Coast pinot noir and chardonnay, Marcassin was founded in 1991 by acclaimed winemaker Helen Turley and her husband, John Wetlaufer . Together they produce fewer than 3,000 cases for their boutique label, with the majority sold to mailing list members at $125 to $200-plus per bottle . (FYI, the wait list is said to take years .) Though not the most expensive cult bottles on the market, these highly rated, Old World-style wines have earned a loyal following for their expressive flavors and finessed textures .