15 Cult Wines From Napa Valley You Should Invest In (2024)

The term “cult wine” was loosely used in the 1900s to describe Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines that sold for astronomical prices. 

In 1992, Jean Philips, Screaming Eagle’s founder, on the advice of her good friend, Robert Mondavi, created a small batch of her estate wine. It was such a flawless creation that Robert Parker couldn’t help but give this Cabernet Sauvignon wine a perfect 100. 

This brought Screaming Eagle (and, in turn, other Napa cult wineries) under the radar of wine collectors across the globe. 

Let’s explore what makes the cult wines Napa so expensive. We’ll also discover 15 iconic Napa Valley cult wineries, including their origin, wines, best bottles, and how you can easily invest in a Napa cult wine through Vinovest!

Why are Napa Valley Cult Wines Expensive & Investment-Worthy?

Napa cult wines are some of the most expensive and cellar-worthy wines in the world. 

What makes Napa cult wineries different from others?

Unlike traditional wineries, Napa cult wineries aren’t multi-generational family businesses. Instead, they are founded by newer, innovative, passionate winemakers. 

Napa cult wineries produce wines from smaller vineyards, resulting in limited production - an average of 500-1000 cases annually.

Additionally, most Napa cult wineries are not open to wine tastings, which creates an air of mystery around them. Even though some offer tasting experiences to their members, these cult wineries usually have an endless waiting list with extremely long waiting periods. 

In the case of Screaming Eagle, for instance, you’ll have to wait for around 12 years to enter its mailing list!

Why are Napa cult wines so expensive?

Because of limited production quantities, Napa cult wines are tough to source. 

Also, since these high-quality wines are highly-regarded among wine critics, wine lovers are ready to offer huge amounts to buy a fine cult bottle. 

Besides, if stored properly, Napa cult wines can age gracefully for decades, developing delicious nuances while still keeping their black cherry and dark fruit flavors intact. 

So, naturally, their prices increase dramatically with age.

• The 1992 Screaming Eagle, released at $75, sells for more than $23,000 a bottle today!
• Harlan Estate’s inaugural 1990 vintage that was released in 1996 for $65 a bottle costs over $5,500 today.

They also shine at auctions worldwide.

• At 2019’s Napa Valley Auction, a VGS Chateau Potelle Mount Veeder barrel was sold for $85,250. That’s $710 per bottle.
• 10 Harlan estate magnums sold for $700,000 at the 2000 Napa Valley Wine Auction.

How long can Napa Valley cult wines age?

Napa’s cult Cabernet Sauvignon wines can age for at least two decades. The best vintages can even age for up to 50 years. 

Take Hundred Acre’s ‘Wraith’, for example. The 2014 vintage will continue to give you pleasure until 2080. That’s over 60 years of cellaring!

But, here are two key questions to consider:

How do you know which Napa cult wine bottle is worth investing in? 

How can you make sure what you’re buying is not a counterfeit bottle? 

Luckily, a world-class wine investment company like Vinovest can help you invest in rare, authentic Napa Cab Sauvs, fine Burgundian Pinot Noir bottles, and more, easily!

15 Napa Cult Wineries (Including Best Wines To Invest In, Prices)

If you’re building a wine collection, you should consider the finest bottles from these prestigious wineries:

• Screaming Eagle, Oakville
• Harlan Estate, Oakville
• Opus One, St Helena
• The Mascot, Napa Valley
• Promontory, Oakville
• Bryant Family Vineyard, St Helena
• Hundred Acre, St Helena
• Scarecrow, Rutherford 
• Schrader Cellars, Calistoga
• Colgin Cellars, St Helena
• Dalla Valle, Oakville
• Araujo Estate, Calistoga
• Abreu Vineyards, St Helena
• Hunnicut, St Helena
• Silver Oak Cellars, Oakville

1. Screaming Eagle, Oakville

Napa’s most iconic cult winery, Screaming Eagle, was founded by a vineyard realtor, Jean Philips. 

When Jean bought the estate, the vineyard was planted with only one acre of Cabernet Sauvignon vines. She replanted the vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. 

However, she started making wines only in 1992, when Robert Mondavi advised her to do so after seeing the quality of her fruit. Mondavi introduced her to Heidi Barrett, an upcoming winemaker and wife of Bo Barrett of the famed Chateau Montelena.

Together, they produced the iconic 1992 Screaming Eagle vintage.

Today, the winery produces three fine wines - Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc, and the second wine, Second Flight.

A bottle of Screaming Eagle wine costs over $3,000 on average. 

The winery produces only around 800 cases annually, making this California wine hard to source.

Best Screaming Eagle Wines to Invest In:

• 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon ($23,746)
• 2007 Screaming Eagle 'The Flight - Second Flight' ($1,494)

2. Harlan Estate, Oakville

Bill Harlan, the founder of the Harlan Estate, set out to craft a true “California First Growth” wine, on par with Burgundy’s Grand Crus. Robert Mondavi introduced Harlan to Europe’s best winemakers. 

In 1984, Harlan bought a 240-acre vineyard on the east-facing slopes of the western hills of Napa Valley, which is today’s near-mythical Harlan Estate.

The estate produces a bunch of age-worthy, collectible single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines. This Napa cult winery only produces around 1,800 cases annually. 

These wines sell for around $1,000, but exceptional vintages can sell for $1,000+.

Robert Parker describes Harlan Estate wine as “the single most profound red wine, not only in California but in the world.” 

The winery also produces a second wine, The Maiden.

Best Harlan Estate Wines:

• 1990 Harlan Estate ($8,112)
• 2018 Harlan Estate The Maiden ($572)

3. Opus One, St Helena

Opus One is the star child of two iconic winemakers, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. It was founded four decades ago in 1979.

It is famous for its Bordeaux-style California wine made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon with small quantities of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. This cult wine costs $400+ on average.

Best Opus One Wines:

• 2007 Opus One ($527)
• 2013 Opus One Overture ($178)

4. The Mascot, Napa Valley

The Mascot began as an experiment to produce a fine Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine from the young vines from Harlan, BOND, and Promontory vineyards.

This great wine is a hedonistic blend of power and balance. Like other Napa cult wines, the wine is produced in meager quantities. You can only get your hands on the bottle directly through the winery’s mailing list or through the secondary market.

Best Mascot Wines:

• 2009 The Mascot ($235)
• 2012 The Mascot ($179)

5. Promontory, Oakville

Sitting on the hillsides of Promontory, the Promontory winery is hidden between the luscious forests and the ephemeral fog.

Promontory only crafts a single high-profile Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wine from its mineral-rich vineyard. The well-balanced wine showcases the perfect symphony between freshness, energy, and tannin. 

Wine Spectator awarded the 2015 vintage 95 points for its “lush and seductive style.”

Best Promontory Wines:

• 2008 Promontory ($1,354)
• 2016 Promontory Penultimate ($645)

6. Bryant Family Vineyard, St Helena

Bryant Family Vineyard is a small 13-acre situated on Pritchard Hill, overlooking Lake Hennessey.

It crafts fine Cabernet Sauvignon wines that are powerful and long-lived. The 2006 vintage got a perfect 100 from Robert Parker.

Like Screaming Eagle, it has a long waiting list. If you’d gotten onto the waitlist in 2010, you’d be added in now! 

Best Bryant Family Vineyard Wines:

• 1997 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,197)
• 2014 Bryant Family Vineyard 'Bettina' Proprietary Red ($629)

7. Hundred Acre Vineyard, St Helena

The Hundred Acre Vineyard, situated in the St Helena district of Napa Valley, was founded in the late 1990s by an investment banker, Jayson Woodbridge.

It is known for its opulent single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines that beautifully capture the essence of the terroir. In fact, they’ve achieved the impossible - getting 22 perfect 100 pointers from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. 

Best Hundred Acre Wines:

• 2016 Hundred Acre 'Dark Ark' Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,095)
• 2010 Hundred Acre 'Few and Far Between' Cabernet Sauvignon ($824)

8. Scarecrow, Rutherford 

Planted by winemaker JJ Cohn in 1945, the Scarecrow vineyard initially supplied grapes to the top Napa wine producers, including Inglenook, Opus One, and Joseph Phelps. 

After JJ Cohn’s death, his grandson, Bret Lopez, acquired 25 acres of this vineyard. He used these old vines to produce one of Napa’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines that often steal the show at the annual Napa Valley Wine Auction.

In 2014, 5 cases of 2012 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon were sold for $260,000. That’s over $4300 a bottle!

Best Scarecrow Wines:

• 2007 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,273)
• 2016 Scarecrow 'M. Etain' Cabernet Sauvignon ($363)

9. Schrader Cellars, Calistoga

The Schrader estate is known for its sublime Cabernet Sauvignon wines produced from the fruit of the iconic To Kalon Vineyard.

The To Kalon vineyard is known for its terroir and some of the world's most expensive and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons are born here.

Between 2002-2008, the Schrader estate has produced nine exceptional wines that got a perfect score from Robert Parker.

Best Schrader Wines:

• 2007 Schrader Cellars 'Old Sparky' Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,558)
• 2007 Schrader Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($614)

10. Colgin Cellars, St Helena

Colgin Cellars was established in 1992 by Ann Colgin, a renaissance woman. She was the first Napa winemaker to implement anti-counterfeit measures.

It is also one of the only wineries that achieved cult status for its Syrah wines. However, the estate’s Cab Sauvs are just as cellar-worthy.

Best Colgin Cellars Wines:

• 2019 Colgin Cellars IX Estate Red ($949)
• 2018 Colgin Cellars Tychson Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($854)

11. Dalla Valle Vineyards, Oakville

Founded by the husband-wife duo Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle, the Dalla Valle Vineyards gained a cult following for its flagship wine Maya.

Maya is a bold and structured Bordeaux-style wine made exclusively from the 20 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot plantings. 

Best  Dalla Valle Wines:

• 2016 Dalla Valle Vineyards 'MDV' Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,495)
• 2007 Dalla Valle Vineyards Maya ($584)

12. Araujo Estate, Calistoga

Araujo is an organically-farmed estate situated at the base of the Palisades Mountains.

It is dedicated to producing robust, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon wines that reflect the best of Napa’s terroir. It is most well-known for its flagship Eisele Vineyard wine.

The Eisele Vineyard wine showcases excellent depth, elegance, and longevity, thanks to the vineyard’s old alluvial soils. 

Best Araujo Estate Wines:

• 2016 Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($588)
• 1994 Eisele Vineyard Syrah ($331)

13. Abreu Vineyards, St Helena

David Abreu, who spent his youth working in Napa vineyards, crafted his first Abreu wine in 1987. He dropped off his inaugural vintage at various local restaurants asking for their opinion.

His Bordeaux-style wine quickly became a hit among wine lovers for its ripe fruit flavors and silky tannins.

Today, he manages four fine St Helena and Howell Mountain vineyards and has a substantial waitlist.

Best Abreu Vineyard Wines:

• 2008 Abreu Vineyard Las Posadas ($832)
• 2007 Abreu Vineyard 'Thorevilos' Cabernet Sauvignon ($1,550)

14. Hunnicutt Wines, St Helena

Founded just two decades ago in 2002, the Hunnicutt winery has already established a cult following. 

The cult winery produces a range of single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines and varietal wines like Merlot, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay. It is one of the few Napa cult wines available for you to buy directly from the winery website.  

Best Hunnicutt Wines:

• 2016 Hunnicutt Brinkman Block Cabernet Sauvignon ($160)
• 2013 Hunnicutt Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon ($115)

15. Silver Oak Cellars, Oakville

Silver Oak Cellars was founded by entrepreneur Raymond Twomey Duncan and winemaker Justin Meyer in 1972. 

The winery produces two California cult wines - a Sonoma County wine and one Napa Valley wine.

While the Sonoma wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon varietal, the Napa Valley wine is a rich Bordeaux blend.

The wines are quite age-worthy and sell for $100+ on the secondary market - perfect for new wine collectors.

Best Silver Oak Wines:

• 1986 Silver Oak Cellars Bonny's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($357)
• 2012 Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($160)

Other notable Napa cult wineries are Beau Vigne, Lail Vineyards, and Dana Estates. 

How To Buy A Napa Cult Wine

You can secure a fine Napa cult wine in these ways.

• Get help from a professional wine investment firm: The easiest and safest way to source an authentic Napa Cab cult wine is through a trustworthy wine investment company like Vinovest.

It will help you select the most cellar-worthy bottles, store them in bonded warehouses, and sell them to earn maximum profits. What’s better, you can buy them at wholesale or below-retail prices.

• Get on the winery’s mailing list: This is the safest and the most time-consuming way to source a Napa cult wine. Since most wineries follow first-come-first-service, you’ll have to wait for years (and possibly a decade) to get on the winery’s mailing list.
• Napa Valley Wine Auction: Attend the four-day Auction Napa Valley and bid on the most promising barrels after tasting them. However, you need to be a seasoned wine investor and have extensive wine knowledge to be able to spot the best investment wine.
• Buy it on the secondary market: You can also buy a Napa cult wine on the secondary market. Only, you might have to pay a heftier price paying the distributor fee and the brokers’ and wine merchants' commissions! Also, if you buy it online, you’ll have to pay a delivery fee.

If you're in the UK you can get a case of fine Napa Valley wine at VinoSelect.

Outside Napa, there are several other California cult wines worth your attention. 

Take Sonoma’s Kosta Browne, for example. In 2011, the 2009 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir was awarded Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year.

Invest in a Fine Napa Valley Cult Wine Today!

The cult wines from Napa Valley have become one of the most preferred wines among seasoned wine collectors and investors. 

Sign up on the Vinovest website and start building a rewarding wine portfolio of the best Napa Valley cult wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc and other great wine bottles from around the globe.