Sebastiani Alexander Valley
Huge +1. Also, why are we bottom quoting? 
Unfortunately, according to Wine-Searcher, they don’t seem to be available anywhere in Illinois, but [u]Powers[/u] is where I’d start.
If you could go $5 over budget, then you could even order one of their Champoux wines from the winery.
Also, we used to get dynamite sub-$30 Cabernets from Australia.
For instance, Hart Davis Hart is showing [u]5 bottles of the 2002 Marquis-Philips Cabernet Sauvignon, at $15 each[/u], which might just be about as good of a gamble on $15 as you could make in the wine world right now.
St Francis Claret is a Bordeaux-type blend
Clos du Bois, Rodney Strong, and Simi Alex Vly Cabs–along with the Sebastiani Cab mentioned above. I think these are all mid-to-upper $20s.
A JB Neufeld bottling might fit the bill although it is more like $35. A Browne Family Vineyards Cab?
In fact, I’ll go way out on a limb, and say that, if they were brought to the tasting, then these five wines:
2002 Marquis-Philips Cabernet Sauvignon, WA 90, $15
1997 Fox Creek Reserve, WA 89, $30
1998 Maxwell Wines Lime Cave, WA 94, $30
1998 Red Edge, Heathcote, WA 92, $25
2001 Elderton, Barossa, WA 92, $30
would be the runaway choices as the five best wines of the tasting.
Unless maybe some smart aleck were to show up with a 1961 Latour which he had bought for less than $30 in the 1960s.
Ladera Napa Valley. Right around 30 bucks, Howell Mountain fruit.
Would love to sneak one of these in, but no time to source- love these options though
Honig is my favorite in this range. A bit on the oaky side but with some time in a decanter it comes together very nicely.
How much is Ridge SCM lately ? Thinking it’s a bit higher.
Well they’re right there in Chicago - HDH & TCWC - unless maybe that’s a long drive across town?
Anyway, given the hyperinflation that we’ve been seeing in fine wine prices, and the quality of the fruit that Australia used to ship in their wines at that price point [even if the wines were Parkerized], it makes you wanna cry when you think about having to spend $75 to $125 to try to find something similar in, say, a recent California Cabernet.
Huge second on the seven hills cab. Probably my favorite accessible value cab. I think k and l has it for $20 or so.
Scott
Best under $30 is Hardin Napa. $22 and drinks like $35-40
Call me crazy, but I love the 2011 Broadside Margarita Vineyard. It has some bright Paso Robles fruit, but made with good acidity and balance so it doesn’t feel heavy at all! It’s not going to win a fruit-bomb competition, but it’ll surely stand out as the most refreshing wine in a fruit-bomb competition.
Are we talking about the $12 Clos du Val?
If you can find Clos du Val at $12, buy a case or two or three.
+1
Must be thinking of Clos du Bois
Are you thinking of Textbook?
No brainer for me, although i admittedly do not drink much cab.
2007 Anthill Timbercrest Vineyard if you can find it. $25 and I like it more than most.