The Ultimate Vancouver Wine Guide: Must-Have Cabernets Under $60

We asked a dozen-plus of the city’s top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios…including wowing deep-pocketed friends.

The Scenario

You’re invited to a wine club where all the deep-pocketed members spend lavishly on Bordeaux and California. They’re having a blind tasting of cabs—what bottle of wine do you bring to blow them away…for under $60?

Sommeliers Say…

Haut Château Citran 2009 ($63)

One of the best vintages ever.—Jill Spoor, Fairmont

Girard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 ($44)

Great Cali cab sauv.—Sebastien LeGoff, Cactus Club

Painted Rock “Red Icon” 2016 ($55)

The fact that it is from B.C. and can go head-to-head with Bordeaux and Napa will make their heads explode.—Shane Taylor, CinCin

Castello di Ama Chianti Gran Selezione ($54)

Not cab, but Tuscany is reliably always the best ringer to offer the intensity and depth to knock some socks off.—Jason Yamasaki, JOEY

Laughing Stock Portfolio 2016 ($50)

When we did the fourth annual Judgement of B.C. in October, it beat out some very pricey Napa wines in the blind tasting. If I were feeling particularly brazen, I might even sneak in a bottle of our Chambar x Laughing Stock Project Cabernet Franc, which is technically still a “cab,” right?—Kelcie Jones, Chambar

Silver Heights “The Summit” ($63)

This will a) stump all possible guesses, and b) astound with deliciousness. Rich, intense and impressively well made—for this estate and for Chinese wine in general.—Kieren Fanning, Pepino’s

Hester Creek The Judge 2015 ($50)

A Bordeaux blend grown in the Okanagan’s acclaimed Golden Mile region. This will blow them away with power and finesse—and it’s from our own backyard.—Mirielle Sauvé, Wine Umbrella

We’ll be adding to our Ultimate Vancouver Wine Guide over the next few months… follow along with somms’ top picks here!