quote:

Originally posted by BigTex22:
Thanks. I don't do much French wine, but if I wanted to pick up a couple of bottles, where would you suggest?

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Originally posted by BigTex22:
Thanks, but alas...the great state of Texas is not so great in that it limits internet retailers shipping to the state, with the exception of wine.com.

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Originally posted by winetarelli:
My easy educated guess is 2008 Montrose.

(If it has to be CA, my best educated guess would be to find a $10 bill in a seat cushion and 2009 Chappellet Prichard Hill. But really, 2008 Montrose.)

quote:

Originally posted by Redhawk:
At least in my market, both Ridge Monte Bello and anything from Dunn are in the $100-$140 range, but I agree that they are very good wines.

California Cabs under $100 I will recommend include Shafer One Point Five (strong consistent track record for me, and I've tasted examples that were as much as 20 years old).
O'Shaughnessy has been very good, but they've only been around for a few years. The oldest I've tasted was 11 years old.
Mayacamas never scores big (when it's tasted on release), but it's built to age, and my limited experience has been very positive.
Some other suggestions include Ridge Santa Cruz Mts. Home Estate, Honig and Keenan.

Big +1 on Montrose when you can find a vintage under $100. Also consider many of the other fine Left Bank Bordeaux. Note that most have some element of Merlot/Cab Franc/Petit Verdot blended in, so they are not pure cabs, but then again, wines labeled "Cabernet Sauvignon" from California can have up to 15% of non-cab grapes as well. Anything from St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, or Haut Medoc fits this bill. Obviously, the famous First Growths of Latour, Lafite-Rothschild, Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Margaux are waaay beyond the price point, and the big-name Second Growths are also almost always over $100 now, even in poorer vintages. But some "super seconds", or wines that are frequently mentioned in the same breath, can give you high quality in lesser vintages, where they sneak in at under $100. Montrose, Calon Segur, Lynch Bages, Leoville Poyferre, Leoville Barton, and Gruaud Larose are in this category. But most of the classified growth Left Bank Bordeaux will still be under $100 even in top vintages (2005, 2009, 2010), and many are still under $50 or $60 in decent vintages (2008, 2006, 2004). Some of my favorites include Clerc Milon, d'Armailhac, Haut Batailly, Haut-Bages-Liberal, Talbot, Lagrange, Giscours, La Lagune and Cantemerle. There are many others.

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Originally posted by Redhawk:
I don't think I have ever paid over $50 for Giscours, although I didn't pick up any 2009 or 2010, so I'm not sure where they are priced. But I think Giscours tends to bounce between $35 and $65, depending on vintage and RP scores. At my LWS, Dunn Napa is always around $100 regardless of the vintage. So if it's a choice of 3x Giscours or just one Dunn, I would tend to go with the Giscours, I think. I haven't had much Dunn, though.

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Originally posted by Merengue:


would you truly take Giscours (which I love) over Dunn Napa.

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Originally posted by wine+art:

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Originally posted by Merengue:


would you truly take Giscours (which I love) over Dunn Napa.

I had the '89 & '90 Giscours 5 +/- years ago at a dinner, and they were far better than any Dunn I have ever tasted.

I would also take Ric Forman over Dunn.