Vintages - California Gold

These 10 rare, glorious finds will make treasured additions to any connoisseur’s collection.

The Wagner family has been a leading light in California’s wine scene ever since they founded Caymus Vineyards in the Napa Valley 50 years ago. Their latest venture, Caymus-Suisun Winery, is situated in the Suisun Valley just east of Napa in the California Coast Range of mountains. Caymus-Suisun makes just two wines. The flagship is this one from the Durif (a.k.a. Petite Sirah) variety, which thrives in Suisun Valley’s warm days and cool nights.

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich played a key role in putting California wine on the map when one of his wines toppled the titans of France in the historic 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. For nearly half a century since, Mike and his family have continued to wow the wine world. Situated in Napa Valley, Grgich Hills Estate is certified organic and makes all its wines from the family’s five estate vineyards.

Specializing in Chardonnay (and a bit of Pinot Noir) grown across 15 estate vineyards in Sonoma, Kistler Vineyards has built a reputation for producing some of the very finest Chardonnays this side of the Atlantic. The grapes, all from a single Chardonnay clone, are harvested in the cool of night to maximize freshness and vivacity. After spontaneous fermentation with ambient yeast, the wines are aged to perfection in French oak.

This estate is situated in the Napa Valley’s famed Rutherford region, the very place legendary California wine luminary André Tchelistcheff praised for its ability to grow great Cabernet. The lion’s share of fruit for the Reserve Cabernet comes from two estate vineyards in Rutherford, whose rich soils make for a deep, dark, intensely flavourful wine with the structure and character to evolve for years to come.

For over 50 years, St. Francis Winery & Vineyards has crafted fine wines from fruit grown in the mountains and valleys of Sonoma County. Certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance since 2013, the estate is a local leader in solar energy production and launched its own ambitious composting program in 2020. This wine was grown at high elevations in the Alexander Valley and matured for 20 months in French oak.

Founded in 1980 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer, Rombauer Vineyards has been crafting fine wines from some of California’s best regions ever since. The estate is still owned and run by the family, who are serious about stewardship. The winery is Napa Green certified, and the property is certified by the Fish Friendly Farming program. This Chardonnay comes from Carneros, where the San Pablo Bay meets the Napa and Sonoma valleys.

A fifth-generation winemaker from the family behind the legendary Caymus Vineyards, Joe Wagner knows a thing or two about Napa Valley terroir. Crafted from fruit grown on Napa vineyards hand-selected by Joe, Quilt wines are designed to express the character of the Valley. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blends fruit from the valley floor, which brings concentration and richness, with fruit from benchlands and hillsides, which brings structure.

First established in 1893, this historic Napa Valley winery lay dormant following Prohibition until its revitalization and reopening in 1971. Grapes for this Merlot come from the original estate vineyard in Rutherford and the Shiplette Vineyard in Yountville. These small-yielding vineyard blocks along Napa Valley benchlands were specifically selected to create a deeply concentrated wine of great intensity and character.

One of California’s most popular “cult” wineries, The Prisoner burst onto the scene two decades ago with their provocative label designs and bold winemaking. Today, director of winemaking Chrissy Wittmann and her team work with over 100 growers in northern California, bringing together exceptional fruit to produce a family of intriguing wines. This Pinot includes a splash of Syrah for a bit of extra body and weight.