What Is a Cult Wine? (18 Best Bottles, Investment Tips)

What is a cult wine, and what are the finest bottles to invest in?

In simple terms, cult wines are some of the world’s expensive, high-quality, and investment-worthy wines. They’re often produced in small quantities and are lauded by esteemed critics like Robert Parker.

They’re perceived as trophy wines and are usually collected for investment purposes and not for immediate consumption. In fact, committed enthusiasts would be willing to pay large sums of money to add these fine wines to their collections.     

Let’s check out the 18 best cult wines to invest in, why you should invest in these bottles, and how Vinovest could help you.

The 18 Best Cult Wines to Invest In

Here are the finest cult wines from around the globe:

1. California Cult Wines    
2. French Cult Wines
3. Italian Cult Wines
4. Australian Cult Wines
5. Spanish Cult Wines

1. California Cult Wines

The term “cult wine” was coined in the 1900s to describe Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines that sold for large sums of money.

Today, several other Californian wineries produce these extraordinary cult wines. However, most of these drinks are still made in Napa Valley.

California cult wines are produced in limited quantities (around 500 cases annually) and are usually super expensive compared to other cult bottles.

Best California cult wines:

• Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $4,864): This cult cru classe expensive wine is made by one of Napa Valley’s best California Cabernet wine producers - the Screaming Eagle winery.

It typically boasts sweet red berry flavors and floral notes. Wine critic Robert Parker gave the 1992 vintage a perfect score (100 points.)

• Harlan Estate, Napa Valley (Average price: $1,441): This Californian wine from the Harlan Estate winery is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It shines with dark fruit aromas, cherry flavors, and light tannins.

The 1995 vintage bottle got 24th position on the “Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines” in 1998.

• Dalla Valle Vineyards 'MDV' Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $1,205): This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine is made by the Dalla Valle Vineyards winery. It's a fine cult cru classe Napa Cab revealing elegant red fruit aromas and crisp acidity.

• Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $650): This California cult wine is produced by the Bryant Family Vineyard winery. It’s a remarkable Napa Cab with fine-grained tannins and red fruit flavors.

The 1997 vintage bottle got 11th position on the “Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines” in 2000.

• Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red, Napa Valley (Average price: $618): To produce this California Cabernet drink, the winemaker blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The wine is full-bodied and boasts dark fruit flavors.

• Abreu Vineyard Madrona Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $593): This Californian wine is made by the Abreu Vineyard Madrona Ranch winery. It’s a remarkable Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine with fine tannins and dark fruit flavors.

• Schrader Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $470): This Cabernet Sauvignon California wine is admired for its silky texture, red fruit flavors, and subtle wine tasting notes of citrus fruit.

• Opus One, Napa Valley (Average price: $418): This drink from the Opus One winery is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape varieties. It’s a smooth California cult wine with cherry aromas and red fruit flavors.

• Grace Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Average price: $362): This Cabernet Sauvignon red wine boasts dark fruit flavors, fine-grained tannins, and black cherry aromas.

• Sine Qua Non Entre Chien et Loup, Ventura County (Average price: $328): To produce this cult cru classe white wine, the winemaker blends Chardonnay, Roussanne, Petit Manseng, and Viognier grapes.

The wine displays medium-bodied richness, incredible freshness, and tropical fruit flavors.

• Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($289): Any fine wine collector will love this California wine for its good acidity and delicious dark fruit flavors.

2. French Cult Wines

France also produces extraordinary cult wines. Some of the best Bordeaux cult wine producers include Château Haut-Brion and Château Le Pin. 

Meanwhile, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti is one of the best Burgundy cult wine producers.

Interestingly, cult wine production volumes are usually higher in France compared to California. For example, French wineries can produce around 600-30,000 cases annually.

Best French cult wines:

• Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru, Burgundy (Average price: $25,378): This expensive wine is made from Pinot Noir grape varieties. It has raspberry aromas and red fruit flavors with subtle wine tasting notes of citrus. 

• Château Le Pin, Bordeaux (Average price: $4,078): This fine wine from the Chateau Le Pin winery is made from Merlot grapes. Any fine wine collector will love this drink for its full-bodied richness, dark fruit flavors, and cherry aromas.

3. Italian Cult Wines

Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions also make incredible cult wines that are globally sought-after by collectors.

Best Italian cult wines:

• Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Masseto, Tuscany (Average price: $966): This Super Tuscan fine wine is made from Merlot grapes. It boasts aromatic complexity, a tannic structure, and red fruit flavors. 

• Bruno Giacosa Barolo DOCG, Piedmont (Average price: $203): This cult cru classe wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes. It’s a smooth red wine with cherry aromas and red fruit flavors.

4. Australian Cult Wines

Australia also produces a few incredible cult wines worthy of investment. Most of these are wines that are highly rated in Langton’s Classification of fine wine.

Here are the best Australian Cult wines:

• Penfolds Grange Bin 95, Southbank (Average price: $637): This great wine is made from Shiraz grapes. It’s a fine red wine with a blackcurrant aroma, crisp minerality, and dark cherry flavors.

• Mollydooker Velvet Glove Shiraz, McLaren Vale (Average price: $212): This fine wine is made from Shiraz grapes. It’s a complex red wine with plum flavors, a velvety texture, and smooth tannins.

5. Spanish Cult Wines

Spain is globally renowned for producing remarkable red wines using Tempranillo grapes. Over the years, some of the region’s Tempranillo wines have gained a cult status and are in high demand.

Best Spanish Cult wine:

• Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero (Average price: $485): This great wine is made from Tempranillo grapes. It’s a crisp red wine with ripe plum flavors, full-bodied richness, and dried flower aromas.

Now, is it worth adding these drinks to your wine investment portfolio?

Should You Invest in Cult Wines?

The finest cult wines deserve a spot in your investment portfolio. These trophy wines usually have brilliant aging potential - you can cellar the best bottles for over 50 years!

Also, wines with a cult status show excellent price appreciation:

• The 1996 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon grew in value by an amazing 106% - from $3,499 in May 2020 to $7,205 in November 2021.
• The price of the 1999 Chateau Le Pin grew by 85% - from $2,369 in June 2020 to $4,394 in February 2022.

Cult wines also perform exceedingly well at auctions:

• In 2000, a 6-liter bottle of the 1992 Screaming Eagle wine (produced by winemaker Heidi Barrett) was sold for an incredible $500,000 at Auction Napa Valley!
• A 10-case lot of the 2016 Chateau Potelle VGS Jean-Noel Les Fourmeaux Red sold for a whopping $114,300 at Auction Napa Valley in 2018.

Now, wines with a cult status (like the Screaming Eagle wine) are usually produced in small quantities, so they’re often hard to find. 

So, how do you easily get your hands on these drinks and start your cult wine investment journey?

Also, how do you ensure you’re not buying a counterfeit bottle?

What Is the Easiest Way to Invest in Cult Wines?

The best way to start your fine wine investment journey is through a reliable platform like Vinovest. 

It’s a wine investment company that helps you buy, store, and sell Pinot Noir, Premier Cru wines, and other bottles from the United Kingdom, New York, St Helena, Sierra Foothills, and worldwide. 

Here’s how it works:

• Sign up on the Vinovest website.
• Complete a questionnaire to help Vinovest’s professionals determine your investment style.
• Fund your account with $1,000+.
• Sit back and watch your wine investment grow.

What are the benefits?

• Vinovest sources authentic wines at wholesale prices. So, it offers you the finest bottles at the best possible prices.
• Your wines are safely stored in a temperature-controlled bonded warehouse, and you don’t have to pay any excise duty or VAT for this.
• Vinovest only charges you a 2.5% annual fee (1.9% for portfolios of $50,000+). This covers insurance, storage, portfolio management, and fraud detection.

So, if you’re one of the committed enthusiasts, visit the Vinovest website and start your cult wine investment journey today!

This AI-powered platform will help you buy, store, and sell cult wines, Premier Cru wines, Cabernet Franc wines, and other bottles from renowned wine producers in the United Kingdom, New York, St Helena, Sierra Foothills, and all over the world.