We Asked 12 Wine Pros: What ‘Cult’ Wine Is Actually Worth the Hype?

In the world of wine, there are certain bottles that carry a mysterious air of exclusivity and importance around them. These wines tend to be extremely hard to find or prohibitively expensive, or both. Eager consumers patiently join waitlists, sign up for members-only clubs, or cross their fingers for an allocation just for the chance to drop some serious money on a bottle, whether it’s a coveted Napa Cab or an elusive small-production cuvée from an obscure French region. Bottles with this kind of dedicated following fall under the category of “cult” wines.

Though it’s tempting to write off these wines as overhyped, they remain undeniably intriguing. Some have deep histories or captivating backstories, while others are interesting simply only because of how rare and unattainable they are. With hefty price tags that can easily reach hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars, it’s important to distinguish between the wines that can truly deliver an unforgettable experience and the bottles that fall flat compared to their lore.

That’s why we asked top sommeliers and beverage directors from across the country to share the wines they think stand above their “cult” status as truly incredible in their own right. Here are the bottles that are actually worth seeking out, according to wine pros.

Cult wines that are worth the hype, according to sommeliers:

Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Wines from Klaus Peter and Julia Keller
00 Wines EGW Chardonnay
Ganevat Vin Jaune
Le Macchiole Reds
Eric Pfifferling L’Anglore Rosés
Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Ultramarine from Michael Cruse
Forman Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Barolo
Matassa
Christian Tschida
Gut Oggau
Domaine Trevallon Red
Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Domaine de la Romanée Conti
Domaine Bernard-Bonin
Château Rayas
Giuseppe Rinaldi
Giacomo Conterno’s ‘Monfortino’

“Cult wines are an interesting, pricey gamble for consumers these days, meaning that just because some collectors think a wine is worth thousands of dollars doesn’t mean it’s necessarily something you’ll like. To me, one producer who makes wine that’s equal parts expensive and delicious is Harlan Estate in the Napa Valley. Part of the original gang of ‘Cult Cabernet’ producers in the 1990s, their wines ain’t cheap, but they’re consistently some of my favorites in all of California.” —Nick Walters, sommelier, Eleven Madison Park, NYC

“My pick here is anything from Klaus Peter and Julia Keller in Germany’s Rheinhessen. The grand cru wines are highly sought after and hard to get, but they’re incredibly complex, deeply fruited, and with a minerality unlike anything else in the region. For me, they’re standout wines and definitely worth the hype. Insider tip: The Kellers make incredible wines that are more accessible (from a price and availability standpoint) such as their young-vine Riesling ‘Von der Fels,’ and delicious non-Riesling bottlings such as Scheurebe and Grüner Sylvaner.” —Dana Frank, wine director, Langbaan, Portland, Ore.

“00 Wines’ EGW Chardonnay is absolutely worth the hype. Chris and Kathryn Hermann are crafting some of the most compelling Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley, using the labor-intensive ‘black Chardonnay’ method favored by legends like Coche-Dury and Roulot. Sourced from top vineyards, the EGW strikes with power and clarity, like a gong whose echo is carried by precise, electric acidity.” —Jacob Brown, beverage director, Lazy Bear, San Francisco

“Ganevat’s Vin Jaune or Vignes de Mon Père. These wines incarnate what white wines could be at their very, very best: They have an incredible complexity and depth, they embody tradition, and show us a way forward (old varieties, green farming, natural vinification, managed oxidation, and long aging, will be keys for white wine with the evolution of climate). They are unbelievably good, they are superb with food, and they can age forever. These bottles are treasures any wine lover should try once in their life. I cherish any time I can taste them.” —Pascaline Lepeltier, beverage director, Chambers, NYC

“When we talk about a ‘cult wine’ that’s worth the hype, Le Macchiole immediately comes to mind. They were trailblazers in Bolgheri by focusing on single-varietal bottlings of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah. This became a coveted producer, and although there is so much hype, it is authentic. They have an unwavering connection to origin and show how international grapes can express a sense of place in Italy.” —Amy Racine, beverage director and partner, JF Restaurants

“I’m a sucker for Eric Pfifferling’s wines. The rosés of his domaine L’Anglore are captivating, soulful, divinely complex yet somehow ethereal, focused, and sharp. The wines somehow straddle finesse and elegance while also being chuggable.” —Arjav Ezekiel, beverage director and co-owner, Birdie’s, Austin

“Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier is one of the rare talents in the world of wine wherein each vineyard site that he works with in Burgundy, France, sings to the vintage, the site, and the purest form of the grape he represents. In this case, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Each reference, from Musigny Grand Cru to Clos de la Maréchale 1er Cru and everything in between, are exceptional expressions of the true notion of sense of place, or terroir.” —Chris McFall, wine director, SingleThread, Healdsburg, Calif.

“Love me some heavy-hitting cult Italian reds (Emidio Pepe, Masseto, etc.), but I absolutely can’t get enough of any Ultramarine from Michael Cruse. White, rosé, which vineyard doesn’t matter — every bottle I’ve opened has been nothing short of fascinating, no matter what I’ve paired it with (or simply drank on its own). I frequently spend money I don’t have in retail stores or restaurants anytime I can find it on shelves or menus. I had to beg my distributor for over a year for an allocation, and we finally have a (small) stash of white and rosé in house for the wine nerds.” —Caden Worley, beverage manager, Don Angie, NYC

“When it comes to domestic ‘cult’ wines, I’m particularly drawn to those made by Ric Forman. He crafts exceptional wines under the Forman Vineyard label, and now works alongside his son, who’s beginning to take the reins as the next generation. Forman is, in my opinion, one of Napa’s true ‘cult’ producers — delivering wines of incredible quality that consistently over-deliver at their price point. At Charlie’s, we currently have their 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon on the list for $220 a bottle. Internationally, I’m a big fan of Cavalotto — a ‘cult’ producer and one of my favorite expressions of Nebbiolo. I recently added the 2018 Cavallotto Bricco Boschis Barolo to our list at Charlie’s for $135. It’s an outstanding wine that, again, offers remarkable value for the price.” —Dane Campbell, beverage director, Charlie’s, St. Helena, Calif.

“The value of cult producers comes from why they became cult producers in the first place — they introduce a place, a time, and culture that is unfamiliar to most wine drinkers. I think that is worth the hype: Tom Lubbe at Matassa showing us the ability to grow vines and create fresh wines in a hot Roussillon climate; Milan Nestarec and Pheasant’s Tears introducing us to winemaking traditions that had been suppressed by communism; Christian Tschida and Gut Oggau spearheading the biodynamic wine movement in Austria and creating incredible wines to match. What is not worth the hype is the extreme allocating, label chasing, and price gouging (to be clear, usually not on the winemaker’s side) that usually follow these cult-status winemakers that makes many of these wines inaccessible to the everyday wine drinker.” —Kevin Chiang, wine director, Little Blue, Dallas

“The term ‘cult wine’ is a bit ambiguous and every wine person has their own understanding of what it actually means. The wines I generally associate with the term are from producers like Screaming Eagle and Sine Qua Non that started to hit the market in the ‘90s with the common thread of very small production, mysterious vineyard sources, and very high prices. The secrecy about where the fruit was grown contrasts the conventional European outlook that a vineyard was the most important factor that influenced the price of the wine. There are a couple European producers who make wines that are singular and much more expensive than ‘equivalent’ bottlings made by their neighbors that I do shell out for and am always happy I did. My two favorites are Domaine Trevallon’s red (a blend of 50 percent Cabernet and 50 percent Syrah from Provence) and Valentini’s Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo.” —Ben Roan, wine director, Le Pigeon and Canard, Portland, Ore.

“There are a million ways to determine a wine’s worth, and price and rarity are certainly one of them. I am not sure if this falls into the ‘cult’ wine category, but producers like Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine Bernard-Bonin, and Château Rayas in France, along with Giuseppe Rinaldi and Giacomo Conterno’s ‘Monfortino’ in Italy, certainly come with high price tags. However, in my experience, these are some of the most transformative wines on the planet. So, personally, if I had the money and opportunity, I would probably splurge.” —Steven McDonald, sommelier, Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Texas

*Image retrieved from Pixel-Shot via stock.adobe.com

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