Dedalus Cab-Fueled Euphoria – Your Guide to Great California Cabernet

Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape that rockets to the front of the line whenever cork-dorks start talking about the American wine scene. Arguably, Cab may be the grape responsible for more highs and lows, more joy and disappointment, and more great wine and miserable plonk than any other. The Napa Valley’s entire reputation has been built on wines produced by a handful of pioneering, rough-and-tumble Cab lovers. As word spread that a bunch of farmers up in northern Cali were cranking out small lots of world-class wine, interest grew, and another California Gold Rush kicked off. This time, the gold wasn’t in the hills, but on them, hanging on vines in that California sun. As more people showed up, planted vines, and bottled wine, Napa’s reputation grew. But so did our chances of buying bad wine at a very steep price. Today, there’s no shortage of Cabernet Sauvignon. What there is a shortage of, are exceptionally good wines. It sure is easy to find the ones designed in a lab, made by machines, and moved by advanced marketing programs. They’re the big, opulent-but-sloppy wines with snazzy labels and slick websites. In an effort to guide you past the crowd of marketing-department wines, we’ve put together this small, but powerfully composed selection of Cabs from some of Napa’s finest artisan producers.

Many of these wines are produced in very small batches. Vineyards are meticulously cared for, and the grapes are always harvested by hand and generally fermented in blocks. The resulting wines have style and grace – they can age for years or, with a bit of decanting, they can bring great pleasure to your table now. Drink them with food, or drink them alone. Either way, you’re in for a wild ride through cult-cab land!

This is one seriously killer selection of Cabs. If this wasn’t our shop, I’d be very jealous of us. But it is; and we’d rather spread joy than jealousy. So stop by, pick up a few bottles or a case, and join the Dedalus crew in our Cab-fueled euphoria.

Below, you’ll find a list of great Cabs. Many have reviews on our site. Click on the wine link to read the review. We’ll be adding more in the weeks to come, so tune in regularly for an update.

Honig Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
$33.25

Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2005
$43.95

Ramey Wine Cellars Claret, Napa Valley, 2005
$33.50

Ramey Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Jericho Canyon, 2005
$96.50

Neyers Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Conn Valley Ranch, 2003
$39.95

Togni Tanbark Hill Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001
$63.25

Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005
$35.95

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Vogt Vineyard, 2003
$70.25/bottle

Nickel & Nickel Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Carpenter Vineyard, 2003
$70.25