Recommendations for Under $20 solid QPR Cabernet?

My friend is getting hitched in a few months, and went to me asking for a recommendation on a California cabernet to serve at the table during dinner. Food type is south east asian food, so choosing a Cali Cab seemed like a head scratcher to me, but that’s what they want to serve. Looking for under $20 a bottle. I’m thinking BV Napa cab, but open to suggestions for a nice people pleasure cab.

Daou?

Educated Guess

Marietta Arme is $18.00 - $23.00 a bottle depending on the retailer and gets high critic ratings if that is important to your friend. Easily as good as many Cabs costing 2-3X

Tom

Bishop’s Peak by Talley is excellent.

Go to Costco, and pick the Justin & Silverghost and let him try them side by side.
Both are good QPR for $22.

Charles Smith/Substance Cabernet Sauvignon should be a pretty safe bet.

Alexander Valley Vineyards Cab. Great QPR.

Daou’s base wine, can find for 17-18 if purchasing in bulk.

The Arme has been a hit as our club’s BTG Cabernet lately.

I would also recommend Ancient Peaks. Buying in bulk should be able to get it for $18.

Jax Y3. The Taureau (cab/merlot/syrah) is more widely available but there’s also a straight up cab. Very good value.

As mentioned above Substance. From Washington but the crowd will love it.

+1 on Substance— can be surprisingly good for the money (as low as ~$14). I find Daou to be too extracted, but I get it— it’s as good as similarly styled cabs at much less.

Great rec, probably one of the most drinkable supermarket Cabs out there.

On that note, I’d add the regular Buehler and Rutherford Ranch as very drinkable $20ish Cabs.

All excellent recs up above. I’ll suggest something a little different: Daniel Cohn Bellacosa Cab.

Camp (Sonoma) is a very solid cabernet that you should be able to find under $20. It’s laid back and balanced, so should do okay with SE Asian.

Tuck Beckstoffer’s 75 Cab.

+1 on Daou and Justin. Broadside used to do solid cabs for $20 too, though it’s been 5 years since I’ve had one.

I’d grab 3 or 4 of the above and try them with the cuisine you’re eating, then choose.

I also like the Arme but stylistically it’s a bit different from the crowd pleaser lushness of Substance. Another one that I used to go to was Tensley Fundamental, haven’t had the new release though.