>> Try an Insignia '94.
>
> Insignia is the vineyard/winemaker? What kind of wine?
http://www.jpvwines.com/94_insignia.html
It's mostly cab with a little bit of merlot. It's overblown, overpriced crap.
> I'll look and see how much it is.
You'd be lucky to find one for $150 at auction.
Bleah.
Most of these super-ultra-premium California products are just a pale reflection of the only "bordeaux style" success in California: the Ridge Monte Bello. Save your money, unless of course Michael is buying. Somehow or another, California has managed to absolutely blow all the advantages in weather, technology, and root stock and make almost every cabernet and chardonnay taste like doo-doo. Not only that, but they are expensive :-)
Here's a more useful suggestion, tho: I think there are "a few" California producers that are worth trying, but they all boil down to this:
- They haven't given in to the "get over the top, then shoot it to the moon" school of over-producing fruit-bombs for $40 (which typically sells out, don't get me wrong -- but perhaps not THIS year! Ha ha!) - They typically have a niche that they think is underrepresented in California and could use a second look - Often look to using "old world" methods with locally grown grapes, skipping super-high-tech digital methods and exchewing the new popular taste ("I just LOOOVE chardonnay!" ... "Uh ... this is sauvignon blanc") - Usually (but not always) has a charismatic/eclectic visionary/leader
Bonny Doon ----------
- Randall Grahm is a true classic winemaker and self-styled "vitizen of the world"
- Le Cigare Volant stands up to just about anything under $60 from the Rhone (at half the price), and many of his < $10 (ca del solo) wines can be had at anytime of day.
- http://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/home.html
Ridge Vinyards --------------
- Paul Draper is a genius
- Their small-batch (often only available through their 'club') stuff is interesting, unique, affordable, and never clever.
- I've never had a mediocre Monte Bello, and even though they are pricey these days, I recently found a '74 for under $100 that blew the doors off anything I've had at any price ever (and that includes some doozeys, I'm not exactly proud to say)
Navarro Vinyards ----------------
- Tucked up in Mendocino, it's a long drive to visit if you're trying to do a Napa/Sonoma tour; but worth it! They often have 15+ wines open for tasting, and they still don't charge
- Probably one of 2-3 TOTAL vinyards in the US that do anything at all respectful with pinot noir.
- http://www.navarrowine.com/main.php
I agree with Michael: great wine CAN be made in California. It rarely is, though. At each of the price-points {$10, $15, $20, $25, $30 and $30+} dollar-for-dollar you'll find a better experience in France than California.
Oh: and you can skip Oregon and Washington, too: they have the same disease but without the raw materials :-)