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by hana-lee sedgWICK

Exclusive, high quality, and hard to come by — these are just a few of the reasons why a wine earns cult status . When you’re ready to fill your wine cellar with something extra special, these sought-after California wines are sure to tantalize your taste buds while impressing your wine-loving friends .

This famed Napa Valley producer is known for high-quality, low-production wines that come with very high price tags . Their Cabernet Sauvignon will run you about $3,000-plus per bottle, and even the Sauvignon Blanc will cost you several thousands . A bottle from their 1992 vintage (their first) ranks among the most expensive wines ever sold, fetching an astonishing $500,000 at the 2000 Auction Napa Valley . Not surprisingly, Screaming Eagle wines are incredibly hard to come by (the wait list can take over a decade to join), but if you can get your hands on a bottle of Cabernet, expect a polished, silky wine that hangs gracefully on the palate .

The Scarecrow estate in Napa Valley’s Rutherford appellation was first planted to cabernet sauvignon in 1945, and is thought to be among the oldest cabernet vines in California . Today, under the Scarecrow label, this celebrated site produces perfectly dense cabernet sauvignons that continually wow top critics, regularly garnering top scores of 97 to 100 points . Naturally, Scarecrow has become a much-desired producer, whose wines typically go for $800 to $1,000 per bottle, depending on the vintage .

What started as a small syrah project with just four barrels in 1994 has since transformed into a cult-status California Rhône wine producer . Using fruit from the Central Coast and an artistic approach to viticulture, Sine Qua Non produces a variety of blends, each showcasing a unique name, label, and assortment of grapes, like syrah, grenache, roussanne, graciano, and touriga nacional, to name a few . Released to their mailing list only (expect to wait several years to clear the list), most bottles cost anywhere between $200 and $500-plus, depending on the specific blend . While no two wines are the same, Sine Qua Non wines tend to deliver a kaleidoscope of flavors with elegance, and are quite food-friendly .

Harlan Estate was founded in 1984 by William Harlan, whose vision was to produce a California “First Growth” from Napa Valley’s Oakville AVA . Known for their opulent, structured, and incredibly age-worthy Bordeaux-style wines, Harlan continually ranks among the top choices for collectors, with new releases of its flagship wine running $500 to $750 per bottle .

Focused on producing complex representations of Sonoma Coast pinot noir and chardonnay, Marcassin was founded in 1991 by acclaimed winemaker Helen Turley and her husband, John Wetlaufer . Together they produce fewer than 3,000 cases for their boutique label, with the majority sold to mailing list members at $125 to $200-plus per bottle . (FYI, the wait list is said to take years .) Though not the most expensive cult bottles on the market, these highly rated, Old World-style wines have earned a loyal following for their expressive flavors and finessed textures .