Napa old guard vs. new guard

Much of my drinking of Napa cabs has focused on what I would term boutique “new guard” producers. By that I mean generally producers that have been around <20 years, produce wines generally in fairly small quantities (hundreds rather than thousands of cases per wine), made by well known consulting winemakers that make wine across multiple labels (e.g. TRB, Mike Smith, Phillippe Melka, Benoit Touquette, etc.), and often sourced from purchased fruit or estate vineyards purchased relatively recently (resulting in high fruit / land costs).

I recently was hearing positive reviews of wines from producers I would term more “old guard” and it made me wonder how these wines compare to the new guard wines in term of quality and value. By old guard, I’m generally thinking of larger producers that have been around for >20 years, often make thousands rather than hundreds of cases of their top-end wines, made by in-house winemakers that generally aren’t as well known, and are often sourced from long-held estate vineyards. I’m thinking of wines like Mondavi Reserve, Stags Leap Wine Cellars (Fay, SLV, Cask 23), Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, Montelena Estate, Phelps Insignia, Beaulieu Georges de Latour, Beringer Private Reserve, etc.

Which of these “old guard” producers do you think stand out as consistently producing wines that are of excellent quality and relative value? How do the top old guard producers’ wines stack up to the new guard at comparable price points. Do you think you get more value from the old guard that are able to source from long held estate vineyards, aren’t paying for big name consulting winemakers, and have higher volume with greater economies of scale? Or does the attention to detail the boutique new guard producers offer result in better value?

I drink very little Napa Cab, but Stag’s Leap Artemis is always a lovely encounter. And for Napa, it’s almost cheap.

Here is my take on the “old guard” that I would buy:

Corison (so classic)
Heitz (just sold, who knows what the future holds, but we have a bunch of 1999-2006 in our cellar and they are ALL singing)
Stags Leap (we stopped their wine club in 2016 as we found we find their bottles cheaper locally)
Dunn (plan on keeping them for EVER to get mature)
Joseph Phelps (we stopped the wine club in 2018, we didn’t want to be held hostage to get Insignia which is okay but not mild altering)
Togni (Never had a bottle, but everyone else speaks volumes of their wines)

I would also make mention of Ridge, while not Napa, you can’t talk about the “old guard” without having Ridge Monte Bello in the conversation. We are on the futures list and get 2 bottles per year @ 1/2 retail. Easily the best no brainer purchase in CA wine.

I also find there is a direct correlation of the older Napa names and more classic Cab profiles. Some of the hot new wineries are over ripe and over oaked grape juice. I find that the above mentioned wineries are more balanced than some of the new stuff.

edited for typos

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Age is one way to think of it but not sure it works perfectly, or at least I don’t think age correlates with style: “old school” (I’m thinking Montelena, Dunn, Togni, Mayacamas 1.0, Corison, Forman, Mondavi Reserve, Beaulieu Georges etc))vs “new school” (greater ripeness, more new oak, earlier drinking etc).

Value is in the eye of the beholder on this one, and in part is informed by the style you prefer.

Chateau Montelena
Forman
Dunn
Togni
Mayacamas
Stony Hill

Outside Napa

Ridge
Mount Eden

Note that most of these wines tend to be rougher when young but blossom with age, much like Bordeaux.

Good call on Mount Eden, Howard!

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I think Robert Craig would meet your definition from a quality and value perspective. They don’t have the production of some of your original examples but are a great example I think for what your asking. Their Howell, Spring, Mount Veeder and Diamond Mountain Cabs are excellent and if you’re in the wine club I believe they’re still under $80. Great wines that typically reward 7-10 years of cellaring.

cheers

Robert Craig is not particularly large, but I agree with the addition. Similarly, I would add Anderson’s Conn Valley. Larkmead belongs on the list IMO. I still buy Beringer but always wait for the sales either etc or retail. And, Turnbull- they have some great vineyard holdings and are turning out some fine wine.

+2 on Corison, Ridge, Mount Eden.
Really like Mondavi, especially the older ones
Joseph Swan (ok this isnt Napa but its the style you’re going for I think)
Diamond Creek
BV
Snowden
matthiason (not “old guard” but shares the style)

I think you can make the general statement that many of the “Old Guard” wines are still made for aging, have slightly less alcohol, and are slightly more European in style. Whereas the “New Guard” wines are often more expensive, have higher alcohol, and are made in a style that is more ready to consume early. There are many exception to be sure. Togni, mentioned several times here, is a classic example of an “Old Guard” wine. That winery on Spring Hill may as well be in Bordeaux as far as the style and potential for long-term cellaring.

I always like to add the old Chappellets to lists like this. The 70s Chappellets are some of the best wines I’ve ever had and have aged beautifully. I’ve got about a dozen left, mostly 75s and they are in a great spot. I can’t remember ever having the modern Chappellet Pritchard Hill bottling, but I wonder how much those are now more “new guard” style vs the old stuff? The 2016 Pritchard Hill says 14.5% alcohol vs 13.1% on the label of the 75s.

Great post, just perfect.

I would add La Jota up in the mountains and A Rafanelli over in Sonoma.

Dominus has rocketed out of my budget range, but their style is a touch old school, still. Plus, are they old enough to be old school?

Perhaps Forman, as well.

Not Napa, but Laurel Glen over in Sonoma has wines that are solid agers, with a little bit of Bordeaux hint to them. They can remind of a regular vintage of Sociando Mallet (not a solar year).

I agree with most of the others mentioned above too, but so many are really priced above where I can find replacements now.

A Raffanelli is killer

Excellent quality but pricing went up high over the last decade: Spottswoode. Still a buyer.

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Chappellet Pritchard Hill was already mentioned, I would say their signature cab is more of what you’re looking for. Good, consistent, and one of the best values in Napa.

The 1987 Chappellet PH is among the best Cali Cabs I ever tasted (that was about 10 years ago). I’m a huge fan of Togni — one of the few CA wines I’d rather have than most Bordeaux. Dominus was great when it was <$100. Mid-90s Etudes and Peter Michael LP were pretty terrific, but I haven’t had either in a while. Beringer’s early 1990s PR Cabs were outstanding. Lots of good wines from the likes of Ritchie Creek, Venge, La Jota, Dunn… I wish I had more left. Most is long gone…

Old Guard = Cabs which put Napa on the global vinous map which were modeled after Bordeaux, but with a mild CA fruit twist and capable of long term aging with improvement.
These wines are not worth pursuing, you know, Boomer wines; “nothing to see here… move along…move along”.

I still buy occasionally (only on sale or with coupon!) Insignia, Dominus, La Jota, Dunn, Anderson Conn Valley, Montelena, Spottswoode, Palhmeyer, Laurel Glen, and BV. Have been for a while since I first got into wine although I have slowed down immensely on red wine purchases that won’t be ready for decades. Dalla Valle (Maya), a favorite of mine, has been around a long time too about the same time as Dominus. But not sure that would be considered old guard. Pricing is thru the roof anyways.

I would consider Ulysses to be made in the Old World style. Owned by the folks at Dominus, the vineyard sits next to Vine Hill Ranch and Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper. Can typically be found around $150-ish.

Quality juice without the Dominus entry fee…

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