Tag Archives: Best Cabernet Sauvignon under 20

Franciscan Estate Winery | An Under the Radar Overachiever

Franciscan Estate Winery | An Under the Radar Overachiever

Franciscan Estate

I have been buying and drinking Franciscan Estate wines for years now. In fact, shortly after tasting the 94 point 2007 Franciscan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon I promptly added a few cases to my stores. Considering that I paid just under $20 at the time, these wines were amongst the most reliable, consistent values I had come across in Cabernet, especially Napa Cabernet, in some time.

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Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon | Embracing Sustainability

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon | Embracing Sustainability

Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon

In the late 1980’s, Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon became the first ‘premium’ wine to be exported from Chile. It was a runaway success for Montes, and despite being one of the more expensive Chilean wines in the marketplace it now sees distribution in over 100 countries.

A vanguard in the nascent stages of the Chilean wine industry, Montes was determined to lead the way for the world to one day associate Chilean wines with quality. Fast Forward twenty years, and they are attempting to raise the bar for Chilean wines again – this time by focusing their efforts to incorporate sustainability measures into their winemaking practices.

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Black Stallion Cabernet | Top Cabernet’s Under $20

Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon Review | Top Cabernet’s Under $20

Black Stallion Cabernet

It’s been a while now since I’ve featured a Costco wine discovery. Too long, I decided as the Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon caught my eye on my most recent bargain wine run. From the stellar 2012 vintage and priced at well under $20 from Cab country? I decided to give it a shot. The winery itself is prominently located on Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail and despite driving past it many times, I’ve sadly never committed to investigating…

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Ty Caton Sonoma Cabernet | An Estate Grown Gem

Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Caton Vineyard | An Estate Grown Sonoma Gem

Ty Caton

As the hunt for good Napa Cabernet under $20 becomes an increasingly arduous one, you might consider treating your taste buds to a sojourn in Sonoma.

If it’s Pinot Noir that comes to mind when you think of Sonoma, keep in mind when you head further west towards Sonoma Coast is where you’ll find the highest concentration of vineyards dedicated to Pinot (and Chardonnay). But just across the Mayacama mountain range from Napa Valley you’ll find warmer days along with some great Cabernet’s such as this example by Ty Caton Vineyards.

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Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet | Costco Wine Review

Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet | Costco Wine Review

Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet

After having such great success with the Northstar Merlot from Columbia Valley Washington, I decided it was about time that I try another Washington State wine – except this time I wanted to try a Cabernet and wanted the price to be around the $10 range rather than the $20 price range that the Northstar Merlot falls in at Costco.

It’s tough enough to find good Cabernet around $20 so as you can probably imagine it can be quite a bit more challenging to find a well-made, quality Cabernet Sauvignon around $10.

To keep the playing field level and to get a great price, I went back to the Costco Wine Section and chose the Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 for $10.99. I’m pretty intrigued to see how this popular Columbia Valley Cabernet offering stacks up against others in this highly-competitive price category.

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Hess Select Cabernet Review | Your House Cab Has Arrived

Hess Select Cabernet Review | Your House Cabernet Has Arrived!

Hess Select Cabernet

On a recent trip to Costco in Arlington I was originally on the hunt for one of my new favorite Spanish bargains, the Tarima Hill Old Vine Monastrell, when I spotted the Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.

I had tasted prior vintages by the glass at several restaurants who pour this as their house Cabernet Sauvignon, but I had never actually committed to a full bottle. It’s not often you order house wine that actually tastes somewhat varietally correct and like…real wine. I decided at under $12 it was about time to pull the trigger and give it a shot.

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Big Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Big Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Big Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Big Vine Wines is cooperative of industry professionals based in the Oxbow District of Napa Valley. With two state of the art production facilities (One in Napa and one in Dry Creek) they leverage their extensive relationships within the wine industry to bring appellation-specific wines of incredible quality and value.

Though the business model of Big Vine includes purchasing already crafted wine lots, the Big Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 was handcrafted from scratch by none other than Scott McCloed of Rubicon. One of my absolute favorite wines is still Napa Cabernet and I welcome any iteration that has the character and style that I’ve come to expect without the high price tag all wine lovers have come to expect!

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Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Clos Pegase Cabernet

Today we’re highlighting a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon I’ve discovered from Clos Pegase Winery via Wines Til Sold Out. Located in the northern section of Napa Valley, just outside of Calistoga, the owners of Clos Pegase sought to create a world-class destination where wine would be celebrated as one of many art forms.

The winery itself is it’s own piece of artwork. 96 architects entered into a competition to design the winery, with Michael Graves winning the hard fought competition. The winery has become a destination for those who appreciate fine artwork and first-class hospitality. But I’m getting distracted… Can you tell I want to visit? Let’s get back on track and pop the cork on the Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2009!

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Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

I have to admit that I am a sucker for a good mystery, especially when it relates to wine and where the fruit is sourced. It’s always exciting to find a wine that is relatively inexpensive yet made with fruit from well pedigreed growers or producers that charge considerably more for their wines. Take the Pine Ridge Encantado Red Blend I recently reviewed for example.

I feel like these opportunities are few and far between in the wine world. As a consumer we usually have a good idea where the fruit used to make the wine was sourced (particularly when estate grown), or we have little to no idea (the winery sources their fruit from various growers). But with the Waterstone Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, it is rumored that the fruit was sourced from declassified Harlan Estate lots!

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