Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon: The Affordable Luxury from Napa's Legendary Wagners

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Ever wondered what happens when legendary winemakers decide to create something affordable? Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 7 answers that question beautifully, offering a fascinating glimpse into the Wagner family's winemaking philosophy without the premium Caymus price tag.

The Wagner family has deep roots in Napa Valley dating back to the 1880s, and their flagship Caymus Cabernet has earned a devoted following over 45 years. What makes Bonanza special is that it's crafted by the same hands—Chuck Wagner himself—who produces those high-end bottles often selling for over $100. As Domain Dave aptly puts it, "It's like if Ferrari made a Honda Civic."

This non-vintage approach isn't about cutting corners; it's a deliberate strategy. By sourcing grapes from vineyards throughout California, each contributing unique characteristics, Bonanza achieves remarkable complexity for its price point. At 13.3% alcohol—notably lower than many contemporary Cabernets that reach 14-15%—it maintains beautiful balance without excessive sweetness. The flavor profile delivers chocolate and vanilla notes that evolve in the glass, revealing different nuances with each sip.

What you're getting is a genuinely approachable Cabernet that still offers depth and character. The Wagner family's long-standing relationships with growers throughout California translate directly to consumer value, allowing them to create a wine that punches well above its weight class. If you appreciate California Cabernet but don't always want to splurge, this bottle deserves a spot in your regular rotation. Subscribe to our podcast for more hidden gems and affordable wine recommendations that don't compromise on quality!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, it's Domain Dave CheapWineFindercom again with
another wine review, like we do.
This one is the BonanzaCabernet Sauvignon, lot 7.
Bonanza is kind of like thevalue wine for Caymus, of like

(00:30):
the value wine for Caymus.
Caymus is a Napa ValleyCabernet Sauvignon.
For the most part that's beenaround for 45 years.
The Wagner family makes it.
Wagner family has been in NapaValley since the 1880s.
One interesting thing about theWagner family is like each of
the kids of the family got theirown wine label.
Uh, and Joe Wagner startedMiomi Pinot Noir which he sold

(00:55):
for a third of a billion dollarsand everybody else has really
good, I mean, they have a nice,a nice well-priced array of
brands.
Then you got the top of theline camas, which can go over a
hundred dollars.
Uh, chuck wagner makes thecamas, that's his, that's his

(01:16):
brand and this wine which Ifound for, uh, I think, 10.98
but normally sells around 20.
This is lot seven.
It's a non-vintage wine.
A lot eight is out, so youmight be able to find some.
Um, you probably won't find.

(01:36):
I think I was lucky to find itat that price.
But you start, you might beable to start to find a couple
of sales to move the 7 out whenthe 8 is coming in.
One thing about these oldervintage wines which I was
looking for is like LAT 3.
Lat 6 is actually not anon-vintage wine, it's a 2023.

(01:58):
But like if there's someoneselling LAT 3 for $65, it's a
$20-something wine.
People are looking for some ofthese older Lat wines, and why
are they not vintage wines?
Well, I said 6 was vintage 2023.
For some reason, 7 isn't.
But the one thing I can prettymuch guarantee is it's not to

(02:23):
save money.
A $20 wine.
You're not saving money.
And since they've been withCaymus for 45 years and in the
Valley for 145 years, they havecontacts and friends everywhere.
Getting good grapes at a goodprice is not a problem for them.

(02:44):
They know everybody.
They have the magic touch whenit comes to selling wine.
So if you got a contract withthem, you got a vineyard owner.
You're gonna like that becausethey're gonna probably have a
fit on their hands and keep yourcontract for a long, long time,
which is profit.
So how is the wine?

(03:04):
Take a sip.
This is a Cabernet Sauvignonthat's easy to drink.
It's got rich flavors.
It's got some textures.

(03:26):
It's got different kind ofspice, since it was sourced from
vineyards throughout California.
Each vineyard is going to bringa little bit different to the
table, a little bit differentcharacteristics, flavors,
textures, whatever.
So you're going to get a winethat's far more complex than if

(03:46):
it was just a single vineyard,sometimes depending on the
vineyard, and that's what you'regetting here.
You're getting a lot ofdifferent flavors.
It's crowd-pleasing, it's gotgood, there's gonna be
chocolates, there's gonna bevanilla in there, but it's gonna
be balanced.
They're known for havingfruit-forward wines, but this is
a balanced wine.
The alcohol is only 13.3.

(04:07):
The more alcohol you get, themore sugar you get, and that's
not much, for today you can find14 and 15% alcohol in wine.
So I'm going to take anothersip and it sips really easy,

(04:29):
really easy, and there's a touchof complexity to it.
Every sip might be a little bitdifferent.
You know there's some winesthat keep evolving in your glass
.
We're not quite there with thisone, but it does do enough
changes that it is interesting.
Yeah, this is a nice,easy-to-drink Cabernet Sauvignon

(04:51):
.
You should be able to find itfor under $20.
It's made by the same guy whomakes the expensive Caymus,
which I'm always fond of Everytime I see a high-end winery
make a value-priced wine.
Yeah, that's fine.
It's like a Ferrari made aHonda Civic.
They don't, but you know,anytime that happens I'm all for

(05:17):
it.
And I never had Bonanza beforeand didn't really know what it
was.
Start to look into it.
What I found out it was is apretty good wine.
You know, it used to benon-vintage wines I would stay
away from, but not anymore.
People are doing non-vintagebecause they're looking for
something very intentional andthey found different vineyards

(05:37):
to give it to them.
So this is a good wine.
This is the Bonanza CabernetSauvignon Latte 7.
I like it.
It's easy to drink, it's gotgreat flavor and it's kind of a
value price wine.
So there you go.
Keep it cheap.
This is domain dave.
Cheap wine findercom like us,really like your podcast and

(06:00):
adios, I'll talk to you in acouple days.
I uh, keep it cheap.