A winery known for extraordinary Cabernet, Caymus Vineyards has gained worldwide prestige for their Cabernet wines. Caymus Vineyards has been in the Napa Valley for decades. Chuck Wagner and his children continue the Napa Valley family winemaking legacy that can be traced back over 150 years and eight generations. Chuck’s parents, Lorna Belle Glos and Charlie Wagner, were both born to families that helped shape Napa Valley’s wine industry in the late 1800’s. Facing numerable problems including rootvine decline and Prohibition in the 1920s, the Wagners finally replanted grapes in the 1960s, including Cabernet. Their 1973 Cabernet caught attention of wine critics. Then in 1989, Wine Spectator awarded Caymus the “Top Wine of the Year Award” for their 1984 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, and again awarded them five years later for their 1990 vintage. Caymus ‘Special Selection ‘Cabernet Sauvignon is the only wine in the world twice honored as "Wine of the Year" by Wine Spectator Magazine.
I have had bottlings of ‘Special Selection’ for more than a decade and the last two releases of this wine are up there with the best bottlings that I have sampled. The latest effort, the 2013 Caymus ‘Special Selection’ Cabernet (WWB, 95) was a heavyhitter of a wine that is an intense and exotic treat that really needs at least another year in the bottle. For a slightly less full-throttle effort but still decadent, the 2014 Caymus Cabernet (WWB, 93) is one for Cabernet lovers and shows incredible range of black fruit and aromatics. Here are the fantastic new release Cabernet wines by Caymus. Learn more about Caymus at caymus.com
2014 Caymus Cabernet- The 2014 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon follows up the past two highly impressive releases from this estate. Coming from another hot vintage, this wine is a blend of eight Napa sub-appelations and displays the rich fruit flavors that Caymus has been known for. This plush and silky Cabernet opens with aromatics of black cherry, tar, clove and creme de cassis. This leads to ripe flavors of creme de cassis, anise, black olive, mocha, pipe tobacco and blueberry compote. The wine has an exceedingly plush texture and gorgeous mouthfeel as there is a wonderful array of dark fruit flavors at play. This has some very good cellaring potential and will drink beautifully for the next twenty years. Drink 2016-2035- 93
2013 Caymus 'Special Selection' Cabernet -The 2013 Caymus 'Special Selection' Cabernet Sauvignon is a memorable wine that shows the heat of an epic vintage for Napa Cabernet. Initially aromatically subdued, this wine needs a one hour decant to better assert itself. This intense wine starts with aromatics of mocha, tar, sagebrush, black cherry and black plum. There are exceedingly deep flavors of anise, creme de cassis, coffee grounds, creosote and blackberry cobbler. The fruit weight is exceedingly broad and the plush texture coats the mid-palate. This is a massive, masculine Cabernet that isn't for the weary. Try to give this heavyhitter of a wine at least another year for the fruit to fully amalgamate. Drink 2017-2040- 95