Caymus Vineyards Wine Dinner

Very nicely done, with excellent food and a good line-up of wines. The pours were generous, and the other couples at our table were very friendly. We'll definitely come back for more of these wine dinners at Pappas.

This was the second of two back-to-back nights with the same menu and wines, so the Salmanazar of 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection had been opened the night before and preserved with inert gas. Apparently, it benefitted from the extra air, as it was reportedly a little shy on the first night. I found it lovely at first, but unfortunately a bit short-lived, and would have liked to try it on the first night.

• 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Œil de Perdrix Brugioni 88 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Strawberry, cherry, melon, and violets on the nose. Slightly fat and rich on the dry palate with moderate acidity and some minerality. Medium-plus bodied for a rosé. A pleasant quaffer.

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• 2009 Mer Soleil Chardonnay Silver Unoaked 86 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Very ripe tropical fruit flavors with pineapple and lychee. Medium to full bodied, with moderate acidity. No one is going to mistake this for Chablis, that's for sure.

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• 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Clark & Telephone Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley

  Ripe blackberry, black cherry, cola, and vanilla. Moderate acidity and soft tannins. I preferred the Las Alturas from the same vintage, as I found it more elegant and with better balance.

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• 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Ripe cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, and vanilla with nice acidity and good balance. Preferred this to the Clark & Telephone from the same vintage, which I found slightly overripe and lacking acid comparatively.

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• 2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Jammy blackberry, cassis, vanilla, and mocha. Moderate-low acidity. Ripe tannins. For drinking in the short term. Definitely not my style.

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• 1987 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  From 9L bottle opened the night before. Tart blackberry, cassis, green pepper, leather, and dried herbs on the nose. Aged palate with blackberry and currant. Was drinking extremely well at first, but seemed to fade rather quickly. Was apparently drinking better tonight than last night when it was opened - would have been nice to compare.

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• 2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Cassis, cocoa, and plum on the nose with some slightly earthy herbal notes. Rich, tooth-staining palate with dusty tannins. Best in 3 to 4 years. A nice wine, but too ripe for my tastes. Interestingly, this is the first vintage of Special Selection that is blended with Merlot (a full 14%). Having tasted the 1987 Special Selection on the same day, I can honestly say I prefer the older, less ripe style to this modern, overripe one.

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• 2004 Mer Soleil Late

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  No notes or score on this, as it was pretty late in the evening and my judgment was slightly, shall we say, impaired? But I remember it having a honeyed peach flavor profile, not cloying, and with good acidity. Would definitely try again.

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