Why spend $250 per day in tasting fees when you can get the wine pass and pay less then half of that? 2013 Geyser Peak Alexander Valley ($12) With 220 acres of vineyards in Sonoma's Alexander Valley, Geyser Peak winemaker Ondine Chattan can be ruthlessly selective about which grapes go into her firm, cassis-rich Cabernet. Maybach Materium – This Cabernet Sauvignon wine has been around less than a decade.  During that short time, it has risen to the highest levels of Napa Cabs due to the attention to detail.  These wines are flat out delicious and reward cellaring as well.  This is the new wave of great Cabs from Napa.  So far the price has remained fair despite the accolades.  Let’s hope that keeps up.Â, 41. Jonata El Alma (Cabernet Franc) – This has been called one of the finest Cabernet Francs to come out of California.  I was skeptical, but after trying it, I agree.  This is a truly special wine.  The Cab Franc adds a fresh tobacco note to the typical Cabernet Sauvignon profile.  This wine is delectable and will develop complexities in the cellar.  It’s from an area not known for great cabs (Santa Ynez), but they get it right with this one.Â, 46. Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select – It’s always hard to name the number one wine. Pride Cabernet Sauvignon – This is ubiquitous.  While the Reserve Cabernet may be better, it is impossible to find and very expensive.  This is affordable, available and really good.  In past years, the oak demanded cellaring to allow time for integration, but the new regime makes these in a more accessible style.  I am sure they are built to last, but they can be enjoyed much earlier.Â, 61. F&W executive wine editor Lettie Teague, senior editor Ray Isle and frequent contributor Richard Nalley tried hundreds of wines made from these grapes to find the 75 best. Barefoot, a well-known brand of wine has been retaining its crown as the world’s best wine … Looking to amp up your beef stew but unsure where to start? 2013 Castle Rock Mendocino County ($12) The 2003 vintage of this wine won an F&W American Wine Award, and the '13 may be even better: Floral and graceful to start, it wraps up with sappy black raspberry flavor. 2015 Hanna Estate Russian River Valley ($17) Cardiac surgeon Elias Hanna started this estate in 1985 with 12 acres, which have since grown to 600 (230 planted to vines). Credit: Wine-Searcher currently lists 7108 Californian Wine Producers.  It can be drunk young but sometime in the cellar will help it come together.  One of the best expressions of this underrated grape.Â, 63. It doesn't even have a storefront; it's hidden away in a Napa Valley office building. 2014 La Crema Russian River Valley ($25) La Crema has been a source of excellent-value Sonoma Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs for some time. Juicy, ripe and supple, it's also unusually affordable for Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. 2014 Araujo Estate Eisele Vineyard Napa Valley ($96) This Napa cult Cab producer makes a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc from its famed Eisele estate. It took great-grandson and winemaker Fred to create this stellar Zin, a soft, beautifully weighted wine. Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon – It’s hard to pick the first wine. Araujo Eisele – In the last twenty or so years, these mostly cabernet blends have been as good and consistent as any winery on the planet.  While they can be consumed young, a few years in the cellar is almost mandatory to really see what’s special about them.Â, 58. Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Another old guard CaliforniaCabernet.  Despite what some would say, I think these drink just fine young, but they will last, certainly as long as a Bordeaux from an equivalent vintage.  And, they get better with age as well.Â, 8. 31. Shafer Relentless – Another wine from one of the great Napa wineries.  This is a blend of Syrah and Petite Syrah.  I personally think it needs about five years minimum to really show what it has.  It is not cheap and to really get one’s money’s worth, it should be aged.  Once mature, this is complex, with steely fruit and minerals.  Works great with food.Â, 68. 2012 Marston Family Vineyard Spring Mountain District ($150) Only the best fruit from selected blocks of Michael Marston's 40-acre Spring Mountain vineyard is used for this powerful, multilayered red, its blockbuster fruit framed by firm but velvety tannins. This expansive, silky wine has a wonderful citrusy acidity. Since California wine makes up such a large swath of American wine, you have an almost endless cache of varieties and price points. 19. The luscious 2013, its deep black cherry flavor lifted by black pepper, shows why. The Château Montrose comes up with two types of red wines the onymous grand vin and La Dame de Montrose. 14. Bond St. Eden – The Bond series of wines are produced by Bill Harlan.  They are single vineyard expressions of Cabernet and are all great.  The St. Eden has a bit more Cabernet Franc thrown in, which I think makes it just a bit more interesting, if I had to split hairs.  These are big wines that need time to develop.  Truth be told, in some years, they are as good or better than the Harlan at one third the cost or less.Â, 65. It’s good for the year at 250 California wineries. We’ll cover the Burgundian grapes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and two grapes that are often identifiable with California wine, Zinfandel and Petit Sirah. Paloma Merlot – This seems to have fallen off the radar lately, but I am not sure why.  One of the great expressions of Merlot in California.  Lush and complex, these drink fine in their youth and after some time in a cellar, they develop and intricacy that is delightful.  Classic Merlot traits such as chocolate covered cherries with a layer of earthiness.  Great balance.Â, 49.