Opulent, rich, and full-bodied. Napa Valley’s sun-drenched terroir yields singular Cabernet Sauvignon that has a cult following worldwide. But for those who want to taste Napa wines, the experience can be as expensive as it is incredible. The most iconic Napa wines cost well over $300.
Here’s the truth. You don’t need to shell out $400 for a bottle of Opus One to taste the distinctive profile and terroir of Napa Valley. There are many wines that exemplify the classic characteristics of Napa, without the price. Here are our top 5 Napa Valley wines that are all critically-acclaimed, but cost less than $100.
To note: due to the high cost of Napa Valley land, the best wines are all over $30. We find that $50-$90 is the sweet spot for value Napa Valley red wines, and $30-$60 for white wines.
Dominus Napanook – $74.99
Tucked into the Mayacamas Foothills lies the legendary Dominus Estate, its vineyards farmed neatly into verdant squares. Winemaker Christian Moeiux, former manager of the famed Pétrus in Bordeaux, now is singularly dedicated to crafting unparalleled wines from his Yountville estate. Napanook is created from Cabernet Sauvignon that is entirely dry-farmed, sustainable, and organic. The resulting wine is beautifully layered, with aromatics of dark fruit, graphite, earth, florals, and velvety tannins. While this wine is approachable now, it will also age well over the next 10-15 years.
Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – $77.99
Like a calm sea at night, the smooth, inky purple Pride Vineyards cab is polished, dense, and mouthfilling. It offers a beautiful balance of dark fruit, including black cherry, black plum, and blackberry, structured-yet-supple tannins, and chocolate on the long finish. From our experience, this wine has tremendous consistency across vintage years. It never fails to deliver concentrated fruit and exceptionally silky tannins.
Teeter Totter Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – $65
The Teeter Totter is one of Napa Valley’s hidden gems — but it might not remain so for much longer. Benoit Touquette, formerly of Screaming Eagle and Ovid, is masterfully crafting opulent, complex Cabernet Sauvignon at a fraction of the price of his counterparts. His wines win critical acclaim, making occasional appearances on the French Laundry wine list. Teeter Totter hits on all of the flavors of a classic Napa Valley Cabernet. It offers intense blackberry and blueberry fruit, backed by cocoa, spice, and vanilla notes, smooth tannins, and a lingering finish. This is a wine to stock up on and age over the next decade, with incredible value.
Brown Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel – $50
Removed from the bustle of central Napa, the rural vineyards of Chiles Valley are more known for Zinfandel than Cabernet Sauvignon. With its 1000-foot elevation, Chiles Valley has cold nights, allowing grapes to cool off rapidly and retain acidity. Brown Estate arises from these prized vineyards. If you can get a bottle of their Zinfandel before it sells out, you’ll experience a wine that is singularly expressive of the region. The Brown Estate Zinfandel offers beautifully perfumed dark fruit and spices, balanced by vibrant acidity, silky tannins, and a lengthy finish. Brown Estates is also the first Black-owned vineyard in Napa Valley.
Shafer Vineyards Relentless – $89-$95
We would be remiss to have a Napa Valley wine list without including Shafer Vineyards. While its iconic Hillside Select® Cabernet Sauvignon tops $300, its Relentless bottling at 1/3 the price is just as exceptional. Relentless is the only Napa Valley Syrah to hit #1 on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. It is also one of the top-rated wines on Vivino, with over 5,800 reviews averaging 4.5 stars. Its expressive aromatics are rich, opulent, and powerful. of black cherry, plum compote, meat, vanilla, and black pepper and smoothed out by refined, lusciously smooth tannins.
Photo credit: Dominus Estate