Thanks for the info and recommendations!
What a great board this is… You have some really good refs for sub $30 daily drinkers!
+1 for:
2013 Chappellet Cuvee
2012 Buehler Cab (I believe the 2013 needs time in the cellar but the 2012 drinks nicely now…)
2012 Smith Madrone Cab
2014 Dauo Cab
I would also recommend the 2013 Textbook Cab.
If David does like the Conn Creek, Daou is another that’s in the same vein and he’d probably enjoy it a lot.
Dude, does Daou pay you?
Are you referring to me? I don’t pimp them any more than Shafer, Arrowood, Ponsot, or JJ Prum. Actually, I mention them less than most of those producers. Pretty sure I’ve talked up Ambroise more than Daou too.
2013 Rutherford Ranch:
Still easily one of the best non-discount Napa Cabs for the $ I’ve ever had (if not the best), absolutely deserves a mention in this thread.
I might be crossing my wires, someone here talks about Daou so much it really seems like shilling.
“Coach Insignia” is a Fisher family label.
The Fishers were the founders of the “Fisher Coach” company, which built the original bodies for General Motors cars [about a century ago], and which was subsequently purchased by General Motors.
Their wine operation is a little unusual by California standards, in that they have a parcel down on the Napa Valley floor [where temperatures are much hotter], from which they make the “Coach Insignia” red, but they also have an estate way high up on Spring Mountain [where temperatures are much cooler], which produces most of their other wines.
So their “Coach Insignia” is a much hotter, softer, fruitier, more “Parkerized” wine than the “leaner” or more “European” wines which they make at a higher elevation on Spring Mountain.
Anyway, since you like Caymus and “Coach Insignia”, I’d urge you to take a long, hard look at Australian or maybe even Italian “Super Tuscan” Cabernet, for wines that you might enjoy at the $40 price point.
Sparky Marquis [and his “Mollydooker” label] is always the place to start for affordable wines in that style, and “Maitre D’” is his basic Cabernet. Just looking at Cellar Tracker though, people really like his “Enchanted Path” Cabernet/Shiraz blend:
Search tasting notes for 'mollydooker cabernet' - CellarTracker
And if you like Caymus & Fisher Coach Insignia, then you really ought to try some Barossa Shiraz.
In addition to Sparky Marquis, I can just about guarantee that you’d love the wines of Chris Ringland:
I don’t know whether he’s still involved with the “Three Rings” label, or whether he sold his interest in it. He’s been through an assortment of different labels in the last few years [which may or may not still exist] - if you can find his “Southern Belle” wines, they’re partially aged in old whiskey barrels, which produces some of the craziest flavors I’ve ever tasted.
Anyway, Sparky Marquis & Chris Ringland are on the short list of the very best winemakers in the entire world - even if you hate Parkerized wines [you have to admit that they know what they’re doing] - but especially if you love Parkerized wines.
Aw thanks Pete… 
Appreciate the info!
Does anyone else find the ~$20 Daou so be extremely sweet and fruit forward? Maybe it’s just me.
Textbook is a $20-25 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa that has the vanilla, caramel, super fruit flavors that should appeal to a Caymus fan.
I tasted it at a wine shop a couple of years ago; the Merlot was better, as I believe they had the Cab in bottle for only 8-weeks at that point…
The Daou and Textbook are good young daily drinkers… I would not compare them to a $60 plus Caymus…
Thought I would post my findings on a handful of cabs I tried. Please take it easy on me as I am green to describing wines.
Conn Creek 2013- Smells like plums, cherries and spices. A very spicy wine with lots of tannins.
Frank Family 2012- Smells like blueberries. Nice and smooth flavor. An easy drinker.
Earthquake 2013- Smells like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and hints of tobacco. Sweet and smooth.
Clio 2013- Smells like blueberries, blackberries, vanilla and licorice. Sweet, but tart and can really taste the alcohol. Long finish. It’s different. I’m kind of on the fence on this one. I think I need to try another bottle and decant it for a while.
Crossbarn Sonoma County 2013- Blueberries, strawberries and blackberry jam. Sweet, but not too sweet. Nice balance of fruit, tannins and alcohol. Probably the easiest drinking of the bunch that I have tried.
I’m looking forward to trying others you have recommended.
Thanks for the info.
David - Here’s another tip I haven’t seen mentioned in this thread. Generally speaking avoid the 2011 Cab vintage. It was a Murphy’s law kind of year. I’ve only consumed 2 good Cabs from that vintage and both were developed by the deft hands of Thomas Rivers Brown. Yesterday I had a 2011 Schrader RBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Cab and as good as it was I was pining for it to be an '07/'08.
If you like Chardonnay I’ve got a recommendation for you… 2014 Aubert Sonoma Coast CIX. Put 20 hours of air time underneath it and you’ll sample pure magic.
I have to disagree with that as a blanket statement. If you know what vineyards and producers nailed it, you can score some great Cabs:
Of course if you know what vineyards and producers nailed it’s ok to buy 2011. But many did not. Telling a relative newbie to Cali Cab to avoid 2011. generally speaking, is good advice. Some that are ITB said so themselves in that same post you referenced. Bottom line is there a lot more “bad” 2011 Cali Cab then there is 2010 or 2012.
Personally, I really like some of the 2011 cabs, as long as the winemaker didn’t use loads of oak to cover up shortcomings. That is probably because I am not a huge fan of fruit forward, ripeness. I really like green flavors in my wine, but that’s a completely personal preference. So, I am noticing more and more that there are a lot of 12s and 13s that are too much for me.
Back to the OP. I’m not sure exactly how much cheaper than Caymus you are looking for but I’ve had the Jamieson Ranch Double Lariat, the Ramey Claret, Freemark Abbey (Knights Valley), and Beringer. Those should all be at least $10-$30 cheaper than Caymus and I enjoyed them.
For the OP
Back in the early 2000’s, I used to sell as much of the Snoqualmie “Rosebud Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon as we could get in the wine shop. The production was around 2,500 cases/year, so that we could even get any at all (in Louisiana) was a miracle. Retail price was about $12.
One week, the order invoice said “Out of Stock”, as did every delivery for the following month. I called the winery, and was told that they realized how good the juice was, so the Snoqualmie Winery decided to create a $25/btl Cabernet Sauvignon with the base juice sourced from the Rosebud Vineyard.
Anyway, I have not tried the “Reserve” Cab from Snoqualmie but, based on other experiences with the bargain reds, it ought to have good fruit with the flawless oak integration that they usually pull off.
For the money, many Washington state bottlings are killer QPR reds:
• Columbia H3 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Château St Michelle “Indian Wells” or “Cold Creek” Cabernet Sauvignon
• Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Aaaand…
From California:
• Dry Creek Vineyards Sonoma “The Mariner”
• Franciscan Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (oaky)
• Louis Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon
