The world of high-end Napa Cabernets is experiencing a shake up as Screaming Eagle is no longer the region’s most expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. That honor now belongs to Ghost Horse who has put its nose in front, grabbing the title by a hair, or an appropriate price for a decent Cab, $38.
Napa is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, as bottles of the red grape varietal have long been at the top of must-taste lists of the region’s wines. Cabernet remains the world’s favorite grape, which continues to make the California county a must-stop for all wine enthusiasts. As a result, prices for Napa wines have continued to be exorbitant, increasing year after year.
For what seems like forever, the wines on the list stayed the same year after year, and increased dramatically in price with each passing harvest. Recently, however, prices stagnated with the top priced Napa Cabernets from 2019 and 2020 only showing modest price increases. But 2021 sees all that change.
Wine-Searcher’s 2021 list of the most expensive Napa Cabernets features different wines than in years past, with some completely new bottles and prices ones again shooting upward. According to the outlet, “last year’s top 10 had an average increase in average global retail price of just 3.5 percent each, this year the figure is 12.5 percent.” And while last year’s list featured four wines with average prices below $800, this year $800 is slotted as the last on the list.
The Most Expensive Napa Cabernets on Wine-Searcher:
| Wine Name | Score | Ave Price | |
| Ghost Horse Vineyard Spectre Cabernet Sauvignon | N/A | $4200 | |
| Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | $4162 | |
| Shafer Vineyards Premiere Napa Valley Sunspot Vineyard Cabernet | N/A | $1077 | |
| Scarecrow Cabernet | 95 | $876 | |
| Tusk Estate Cabernet | 96 | $869 | |
| Beaulieu Vineyard Rarity Cabernet | 90 | $849 | |
| Schrader Old Sparky Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet | 97 | $823 | |
| Promontory | 95 | $819 | |
| Amici Cellars Premiere Napa Valley Missouri Hopper Vineyard Cabernet | N/A | $809 | |
| Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard Cabernet | 93 | $800 |
Ghost Horse Vineyard Spectre Cabernet Sauvignon now sits at the top of the list for the first time. Todd Anderson opened the vineyard in 2000, when he decided to concentrate on super-premium Cabernet. Wildly enough, the Spectre isn’t even the most expensive wine in Ghost Horse’s portfolio, that honor belongs to the Premonition Cabernet which sits at an average price of $6000 a bottle, but there isn’t enough available to warrant inclusion on Wine Searcher’s list.
As investment value goes, Schrader’s Old Sparky saw the largest increase in price over the last 12 months, enjoying a massive upswing of 38.9 percent on last year.
It seems like the world of high-priced Napa Cabernets is only getting more exciting as the prices skyrocket.