If you're looking for a high-end Cabernet Sauvignon that has a taste to back up its price, Cakebread Cellars' 2005 vintage might be the one for you. Or not.

"It's one of those wines that sells itself because it has such a great reputation," Chris Anderson of Wine Lovers (2284 John Rolfe Parkway) said. "It's such a recognizable name, I don't have to hand-sell it. It's one of the most high-profile wines coming out of California."

High profile usually means high price, and such is the case this time. Cakebread's Cab goes for $79.99, a price Anderson said is fair.

"It's a very well-made wine," he said. "The Cab gets high marks from people who travel because they see it on menus all of the time, and they want to buy it."

Anderson said history, quality and marketing have merged to create a stellar Cakebread reputation.

"All of those things add in," he said of this Napa winery that also produces standout Chardonnays and Merlots among others. "It is certainly a wine that almost any restaurant that's worth its weight wine-wise is going to have on the menu."

But Anderson has his own ideas on the subject.

"If you came into my store and said, 'Hey Chris, I've got $60 to spend on a Cabernet, what would you recommend?' (Cakebread's Cabernet) probably wouldn't be on my list."

How's that?

"I think there's some better bang for the buck," Anderson said. "What drives prices for every other commodity is supply and demand. There's a very high demand for Cakebread. The supply is X. They sell out every year.

"But there are some little guys under the radar screen that aren't as well known where I might go."

He quickly named Cabs from Neal Family, Judd's Hill, Koenig and Parallel as alternatives at somewhat lower prices with similar high quality. (See accompanying list).

Cakebread's Cabernet, however, still is a major player and sometimes tough to get in a wine shop, which makes it alluring.

"If I said [to the distributor], send me three cases of Cakebread Cab, I'm not going to get it because it's on every restaurant list, and in the wine world in general, restaurants rule the roost," Anderson said. "Everybody wants to have it on their list and they don't want to run out of it, so it has to be available to them all the time, even before retail."

So if you feel like splurging for a special event -- Sunday is Mother's Day -- pull a bottle of the Cakebread Cabernet from the shelf and enjoy this richly textured wine that is so noted for its flavor and finish.
"Vines & Wines" appears alternate weeks in the Food section. Contact Jack Berninger at jberninger@timesdispatch.com.