California Wines

California Wines
With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world’s most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region’s produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it.
While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California’s most talented.
Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover worth their salt would die to visit. California’s quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine, making it feel like a unique, standalone piece, rather than a derivative.
A New World region rises to join its viticultural forebears. Its meteoric rise to fame has been nothing short of stunning, and today California can compete with the world’s most prominent wine regions.
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1987 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - 750 ml93JGAvailability: In Stock(Beringer “Private Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon) After the extremely disappointing showing of the ’87 B..." Learn More- 750 ml$165.00
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1990 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - 3L96RPAvailability: Available SoonThe 1990 Cabernet Sauvignon-Reserve looks to be a worthy rival of the great 1987 Mondavi Reserve. Although slightly less..." Learn More- 3L$1,325.00
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1990 Opus One - 750 ml96WSAvailability: Available SoonDramatic, with its ripe, rich, plush core of exotic currant, anise, cedar, vanilla and berry notes that are enormously c..." Learn More- 750 ml$645.00
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1994 Opus One - 750 ml97WSAvailability: Available SoonLike the '87, there's a wonderful sense of harmony and finesse to this graceful, elegant wine. Lots of complex flavors, ..." Learn More- 750 ml$565.00
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1995 Joseph Phelps Insignia - 3L98RPAvailability: In StockA wine of great intensity and richness, it displays classic notes of licorice, barbecue smoke, creme de cassis, cedarwoo..." Learn More- 3L$1,699.00
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1995 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red - 1.5L96RPAvailability: In StockPahlmeyer's proprietary red table wine tends to be Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated (usually 80-85%) with small portions of ..." Learn More- 1.5L$479.00
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1995 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - 750 ml96RPAvailability: In StockProduction: 18,000 cases; Alcohol: 13.98%; Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc; Harvest Dates: October 9..." Learn More- 750 ml$155.00
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1995 Dominus - 750 ml94DECAvailability: In StockThe 1995 Dominus is very much cut from the same cloth as the 1994, with a deep bouquet of baked black cherry, cassis, tr..." Learn More- 750 ml$255.00
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1996 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red - 1.5L95RPAvailability: In StockThe 1996 Proprietary Red (a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet ..." Learn More- 1.5L$465.00
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- 1.5L$1,799.00
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1996 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon - 750 ml94RPAvailability: In StockThe saturated purple-colored 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard offers an attractive nose of black fruits intermixe..." Learn More- 750 ml$219.00
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1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia - 3L100RPAvailability: In StockAn inky/plum/purple color is accompanied by a stunning bouquet of violets, charcoal, creme de cassis and a hint of toast..." Learn More- 3L$1,799.00
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1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon - 1.5L98RPAvailability: In StockThe 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon has to be one of the great buys left for profound Napa Cabernet. He’s done the aging f..." Learn More- 1.5L$845.00
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1997 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red - 1.5L98RPAvailability: In StockThe finest proprietary red produced by Pahlmeyer to date is their 1997 (a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, a..." Learn More- 1.5L$589.00
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1997 Harlan The Maiden - 750 ml94RPAvailability: In StockReaders should not overlook the dense purple-colored 1997 Maiden, a creamy-textured, full-bodied, unctuously thick, rich..." Learn More- 750 ml$259.00
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1997 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon - 1.5L92+VMAvailability: In StockFull ruby-red. Expressive nose combines black raspberry, currant, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco and sandalwood. Lush ..." Learn More- 1.5L$649.00
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1997 Abreu - 750 ml100RPAvailability: In StockAs I reported last year, the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch is a perfect Cabernet Sauvignon. It has been in bottl..." Learn More- 750 ml$725.00
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1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia - 1.5L100RPAvailability: In StockAn inky/plum/purple color is accompanied by a stunning bouquet of violets, charcoal, creme de cassis and a hint of toast..." Learn More- 1.5L$995.00
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1997 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select - 750 ml96DECAvailability: In StockShafer's 1997 Hillside Select is a magisterial wine, and my favourite example of this cuvée. Seriously endowed wi..." Learn More- 750 ml$539.00
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1998 Bryant Family - 750 ml93RPAvailability: In StockThe 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a fine wine. While it does not reveal much weight, it is a dense plum/purp..." Learn More- 750 ml$349.00
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1998 Harlan The Maiden - 750 ml91RPAvailability: In StockThe 1998 Maiden is prodigious. I know it is tempting to pooh-pooh second wines, but this is no afterthought from owner B..." Learn More- 750 ml$159.00
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1998 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon - 750 ml92RPAvailability: In StockThe 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard was bottled earlier than usual as this vintage is not as massive or concentr..." Learn More- 750 ml$165.00
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1999 Abreu - 750 ml93RPAvailability: In StockThe 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch (90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot) exhibits a saturate..." Learn More- 750 ml$219.00
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2000 Harlan The Maiden - 750 ml92WSAvailability: In StockBeautifully defined Cabernet, smooth, rich and deftly balanced, with a firm, concentrated core of spicy currant, blackbe..." Learn More- 750 ml$175.00
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2000 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon - 750 ml92VMAvailability: In Stock(a blend of 83% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot and 3% merlot) Good medium red-ruby. Sappy black ..." Learn More- 750 ml$165.00