WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Wasn't a fan of this. There's a core of very rich, primary black fruit tinged with vanilla and a higher-toned green herbal note on the nose that I like, which adds freshness. But the palate feels foursquare; burly and extracted with a lot of tannin and a hot, alcoholic finish.
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The wine exhibits brilliance, although the initial sip reveals a slight prominence of its 15% alcohol by volume. Setting aside this observation, it boasts remarkable depth, volume, and ripeness, epitomizing a luxuriously rich and full-bodied palate. The fruit presents itself as dark and brooding, yet notably balanced after an ample decanting period. There is no urgency to consume this wine; in fact, I would estimate it to be approximately 2-3 years away from reaching its peak drinking window.
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1 hour in decanter. Spectacular. Spiciness, eucalyptus, black fruit, plumps, some earthy notes. Enormous power, well integrated though prominent tannins, superb freshness. Mind blowing. 96/97. This wine, in its youth, confirms, as Bordeaux lover, my long existing interest in high level Californian wines. I will start drinking the older vintages of this great wine.
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Wow! This wine is having a moment. Opened just for the hell of it on a Saturday night with Filet Mignon. Decanted for an hour. Absolutely stunning - especially with an extra 30 min in the glass. Pronounced aromas of fresh black cherry, black plum, blackberry and hints of mint and eucalyptus. Notes of chocolate and toast from oak. Tertiary aromas galore - dried fruit, tobacco and cigar box and earth/forest floor. The wine feel like it’s at its ideal moment on the palate - medium garnet color, solid acidity, perfectly integrated and velvety tannins, and full body. And the flavors are very pronounced following the nose - with tons of primary and tertiary fruit, well integrated oak and those great age-driven flavors. Finish is very long. So glad I opened this tonight!
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Ripe red lush fruits with creamy hedonistic flavors. Yummy sweetness and a sense of purity. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh, but lacking nuance and detail. Nice with a steak, no rush to drink up, but likely at peak.
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Identical to a bottle consumed last summer.....very good......but a little off from where it was a while back. One bottle left.....am going to have it over the coming months.
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Drank from a 3 liter. A little faded but otherwise right around peak. Brownish coloration. Ripe blue fruit, vanilla, cassis, aged leather and cedar. Drink up if you have them.
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Rarities dinner “Spectacular Californians” late Nov 2021: rubin red color; intense bouquet of cassis, red berries, cherries, fresh bread and mint; well-balanced on the palate; long finish. 94-95/100
Simultaneously tasted the Caymus Special Selection 2005 which performed a bit weaker (93-94/100, see CT tasting note).
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This is the second bottle I have consumed this year. Both have been off from where this one was two to four years ago. It is not bad, but just not what it used to be. My bottles have been well stored. I have two bottles left and will not let them sit much longer.
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Very good, but a little off from a couple of bottles consumed about 6 years ago. I have 2022 down as the last year of my drink window for this one and am going to stick with that year. I sensed that this wine is beginning to roll over......and the bottles have been well stored. However, the auction market does not agree with me, as values have held steady at a similar price for a good while.
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This is is overly sweet syrupy wine. Musty old nose - blows off with aeration. Sweet syrupy cough mixture, rich fruitcake, chocolate and leather. Super rich, high extraction with some acidity but not enough to balance the fruit. Tannins now are medium and of course it is full bodied. Persistent and complex. Drink now.
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Very good Napa Cab with all what is expected - warmth, power, ripe tannins, sweetness. Lacks a little of complexity, ends up with a slightly short aftertaste, and has a slightly over-ripe element that prevents a higher score. That said, this is a serious, excellent, hedonistic wine that just requires some BBQ red meat to get to heaven.
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Starts off with leathery and smoky notes followed by dark berry fruit, oak, and vanilla, which starts to emerge after about 15-20 minutes of being open. After an hour to an hour-and-a-half the alcohol starts to permeate the nose, then it comes to the palate, by this time I spun the bottle around and see that it is 15.2% - the alcohol has now come to play and stays there ... by the hour two-and-a-half hour mark it's chewy with mocha , black cherry, and chocolate but that alcohol keeps getting in the way. Rats.
1 hour decant, enjoyed over two days: Big, hedonistic, full bodied almost port like. Dark red, black currant, blueberry, spice, dark chocolate, light tannins on finish. Overpowered my BBQ chicken but who cares?
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The wine is at a very good place now - classic nose, elegant mouthfeel, and long finish. I noticed a little tannin and spice at the finish which added some vigor despite its age. Great by itself and awesome with the wagyu striploin at dinner tonight.
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For out pre Mothers Day dinner of Roasted Rack of Lamb I allowed wife to choose the wine that we would drink and this was her choice. This bottle was given to me around Christmas of 2010 and has been sitting in my cellar for the past ten years. I opened the wine three hours before dinner. The nose was dark berries and coffee. The palate was dark berries, coffee, tree bark and just a touch of spice. The finish was long and lingering. A really good bottle of wine. 94+
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Enjoyed this wine in a blind Cabernet Tasting Jan 2020. Garnet color with rich black currant, blackberry, flint, and coffee aromas. Full-bodied, balanced, luscious mouthfeel, complex wine has improved with age and likely to continue for another 3-5 years. An exceptional cabernet sauvignon with a long finish with black fruit, cherries, and hints of vanilla on the palate. Caymus continues to demonstrate masterful winemaking skills in an exceptional organization.
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Excellent showing. Had that sweet violet and powdered sugar donut nose I always get on an SS, followed by piquant blackberry fruit, dark chocolate and cassis. Looooong finish. In a peak space but could coast here for years. I'm putting the drink-by date out to 2025.
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Serially sampled from a bottle purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this Cabernet has a youthful deep ruby/red robe and remains packed with dark bramble fruits and black currants, accented with notes of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and mulling spices. Full-bodied, low in acidity and very supple on the palate, it hides its 15.2% alcohol and has moderate residual tannins that are silky in texture. At this stage the oak has nicely integrated. Plump on the mid-palate and finishing long, this is in a real good place. Drink now-2024.
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From a magnum. Very nice. Supple fruit and oak. Tannins suggest it still has some good years ahead, but glad I opened tonight for some pre-Christmas cheer.
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On the decline but still halfway up the hill. Dense blue/black fruit, bit of charred pepper, graphite aromas. Medium acidity - tanins are a bit rough but integrated along with blueberry, bitter cocoa, berry jam, teriyaki.
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Absolutely stunning !!!! It is NOT past its peak and I really think it is at the best place it will ever be at. Fruit is still there and alcohol has subsided a lot. The integration of fruit and tanins is beatiful and I dont think it will improve more but neither I think you have to drink this beauty right away. It is my guestimate that this wine still has 5 more years ahead of it although I think it will not improve as it is now. Caymus is all about fruit, it is not a Bordeaux and you do not buy a fruity wine to lose its fruit....sooooo.....open those bottles if you have at your cellar and drink up and enjoy.
Just past it’s peak but still very enjoyable now. Soft tannins and pleasent finish. This is an eligent wine that kept improving throughout the evening.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, black currant and strawberry with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a medium finish - Always a great bottle of wine.
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From Magnum, not blind More Old than New World style. Reluctant but fruity and well riped tannins. Elegant and powerful likewise. Black currant, graphite, earthy and blueberries. At least 12-15 more years ahead. An accessible vintage. 94
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Drank along side the very sweet and lush fruit bomb 2015, this was in a better place for my showing good bright red cherry fruits with well integrated spices. Balanced and easy drinking, nice lift and finish. Quite solid.
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Fruit still vibrant. Plum, dark cherry. Small color break at rim. Thick legs. Intense. Capsicum, cocoa. Medium acid, medium refined tannins. Spectacular quaff.
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We decanted the wine an hour before drinking thru an aerator. The nose is a fragrant blend of ripe dark fruit, rosemary and oak. This wine is fruit forward without the fruit bomb sweetness that plagues many CSS, maybe because there are still enough remaining acid and tannins to balance the wine. It still does have the cassis / stewed berry sweetness that CSS have but not overwhelmingly. The mild oak and acid/alcohol in the background balances the flavor of blackberry/stewed prunes and cinnamon. The finish is smooth and lingers beautifully.
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PnP, tasted over 4 hours. Good cork. Ready to drink. Over the past five years, have tasted this wine many times and this was definitely the best bottle yet. Having said that, this bottle was a little "over ripe" - not a new thing for Caymus. Otherwise enjoyable, but quality does not justify price. 92
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Keowee Wine Mixer; 12/2/2017-12/3/2017 (Seneca, SC): Tasted blind. This wine was not very well received by the group. I failed to identify this as a cab and thought it was a petite sirah or zin. It was very robust and full bodied with forward tannins and a moderate-to-long finish. I didn't really write any more notes because I was a bit uninspired by this wine. It was a big surprise to the group that this was the Caymus when we identified the wines at the end. This was the worst QPR of the entire flight.
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Richly extracted showing sweet bing cherry fruits that dominate the wine. Nice concentration and depth with nice balanced. Fruit forward and drinking great. Yummy
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Fun blind tasting of Napa Valley Cabernets, we decided to choose two from 2011 while my Dad selected two different vintages of Caymus Special Selection.
Deep ruby core with garnet edges. A touch stinky ok the nose straight from the bottle, light dark fruits, and sweet spices. Heavy tannins (7/10) and medium plus to full bodied. Dark palate with dark cocoa, dark fruits, plums, cassis, gunpowder and vanilla. Long finish. Drink till 2025. (92+)
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Slo-oxed for 1 hour, then decanted for 1 more hour; suggest ~2 hour decant. On the nose there was a definite progression during the decant -- from heavy underbrush with a touch of green pepper, to dark fruit delight. The wine presents a medium+ body on the palate with plenty of dark berry fruit, cassis, and a touch of chocolate. The fruit almost seemed to have a touch of sweetness to it. The oak was fully resolved, as were the tannins. The wine should hold for a few more years, but don't hesitate to enjoy it now (with AIR).
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Drank this with my bone in filet mignon at Ruth's Chris along with cremini mushrooms.
Upon opening it did have some tannins left, however, after a decant and breathing in the glass the wine was perfectly balanced. Extremely smooth and of course fruit forward, but not overbearing like their less expensive Cabernets.
Overall this bottle was good, but on the lighter end for a Cabernet, but it is perfectly balanced; not oak, fruit, or tannins over powered. I would have preferred it to have a little bit more oak come through and acid, but that's definitely my personal preference. Also the mid-palate was lacking complexity. I would consider drinking this now if you have the bottle as tannins are barely there and I do not know how much longer it would last in the cellar. It is a 13 year old bottle now.
My wife thought this bottle was much better than the 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia we had about two years ago, where I preferred the Insignia. So just depends on your palate.
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Tasted at CBCC in the wine room with friends. My notes are:
A very good showing for the eleven year old. This was tasted under a short decant and as expected a fruit forward style with all of the evident notes of blackberry, cassis and a finish of some still evident tannin which tells me that this wine has more room to improve. Very enjoyable
Tasted alongside the following: 2013 Rombauer Chardonnay 2013 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2010 Silver Oak Alexander Valley 2012 Stags' Leap The Leap 2012 Tor Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarosa Vineyard 2004 Château du Cèdre Cahors Le Cèdre 2004 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry with a full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Always a great Cab.
Very nice wine that is drinking great right now! The flavors are all integrated, and nothing stood out as overbearing (including the oak!). This is what a great Cabernet should taste like! I don't see it improving much more, but it should keep ok for a few more years....My advice would be drink it more sooner than later (why chance it and it is drinking excellent right now! This is a wine sure to please everyone's palate (even those that don't care for Caymus because they think it is over-oaked).
The body is full, and tannins are smooth and has a wonderful perfumed nose. On the palate, you have a complex wine with layers of black fruit, chocolate, some spice, earth notes, bark and, of course oak...it is silky with no heat, and each sip leaves you wanting another. Very enjoyable wine that is drinking great right now!
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Complex with unctuous dark berry fruit and hints of licorice, pencil and dried herbs. Tannins are fine and fading. Fruit still alive but disappointed in the body -- more medium than what I expected. Doesn't live up to the reputation.
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Last opened a bottle in mid '13, which showed exceptionally well. This bottle didn't: dense, syruppy fruit on the mid-palate, cloying-sappy finish. Opening two hours in advance brought no miracles, but it became drinkable by adding a little water to each glass poured. The result didn't taste watered down; but fresher, revived.
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Very good wine, not sure the difference in cost with the regular Caymus is validated. Somewhat reserved, well integrated, probably as good as it will be.
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C: Garnet red with bricking in the edges N: Very complex. Started off savory and a little dirty with some meaty notes. Opened up with some perfume and anise. Oh and you can't forget the subtle undertones of cassis and blackberries through out the nose. P: Moderate plus tannins (7/10) with a moderate plus body. Insanely sweet with a ton of cassis and literally like sugar on the palate. Still a little harsh due to some heat. Solid acidity in the finish. Very long finish, lingers for at least 30 seconds. Definitely had a few savory notes and quite a bit of baking spices. O: Absolutely stunning wine. Had some tougher competition than we would have thought but a great wine. Drink till 2022. 92-93
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Dark red with a dark fruit and light boiled sweet nose. Alcohol on the nose too with some rose perfume.
Lovely body with moderate tannins (7/10) and a medium to heavy body and very long finish. The fruity and I have to say sweetness (not just fruit) lasts right through the finish to the end. A good 60 sec and longer finish. A great wine but also see my note on the Witchery.
There is a little heat in the finish.
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Decanted about an hour and tasted over the next 24. Moderate amount of very fine sediment, cork in very good condition. Slightly lighter and thinner than expected, perhaps on the downward slide. Typical Caymus fruit forward profile, but the fruit toned down. Very enjoyable, but I'd expect more intensity at this price point.
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Really in good shape. Paired with steaks and this wine did not disappoint. Held its own to a younger 2007 Hundred Acre. Tannins have softened, and dark inky look to it. Fruit ever present and nice long finish. A pleasure to drink.
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Didn't realize I'd had my only other bottle of this 6 months earlier, but glad to see my notes are consistent. Guess I've just evolved away from Caymus SS (or vice versa). This struck me as big grape juice. Nothing much going on, except maybe last couple of sips second night under pump. Well made, but just not a great wine (by today's mid-90 point standards)
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I'm usually a fan Caymus SS, but this was disappointing. Obviously well made and in balance, but only prevalent flavor was oak. No fruit to speak of. True over two nights under pump. Balance was good, but at the core, no good taste.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and black currant with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Slow forming legs and in great harmony. A wonderful well balanced Cab
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This one could of been open 15 to 20 years from now and still be drinking perfect. I did decant it for about an hour before I drink it throughout the night. A great bottle of wine.
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I was surprised at how little this wine showed tonight. The nose was very primary and the overall flavor profile was extremely restrained. We should have decanted this for at least an hour. As it turned out, it was only decanted for 10 minutes before consuming. It is our own fault that this wine didn't show better. Should have decanted it.
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A very pretty cab from a historic CA estate. A nice balance of currant fruit and soft tannis with a great texture - not thin, not too thick, just right. Excellent.
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I've given this a full ten years before a re-taste. Dark purple hues turning violet at the rim with lots and lots of sedimentation. The tasting notes since the last time have hardly changed except, as expected, slightly more mellow and refined. Still powerful, full-bodied, and heightened, but flavors are more easily discernable at this stage. This is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to provide drinking pleasure for the next ten years. Looking forward to taste this on 2019.
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I rated this 3.5/5 (I have my own rating scale, translated: 88/100), my wife rated it 4/5 (92/100). I said it was fruity, too fruity, with insufficient anything else. I said that, but we drank the entire bottle with our steak, and I must admit that this wine, like a Burgundy, goes well with food. Some people on Cellar Tracker said, “better on the second day.” I bet they're right, but we didn’t leave any so we could not find out. I opened it and we drank it. So I rated in 4/5. I do agree with the comments that it was “silky smooth.”
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Classic Caymus.....at its best. Dark fruit, complex, jammy. Had this bottle at a restaurant. Hence, it was decanted for only a short while.....did not need more.
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- Ruby color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Just a wonderful bottle of Cab. I think this wine is in total harmony and ready to go.
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The 2005 and 2001 may have blown this vintage out (we opened 2000-2005 for a long dinner with friends (good friends)). It's all you expect and has years to run still.
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decanted for 3 hrs, enjoyed with chocolate blueberries with friends at my 50th birthday. The wine looks violet colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, gooseberry and black pepper. The body is full. The wine finishes long.
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2004 Caymus Special Selection is such a consistently great wine to serve with dinner... this with a ribeye tonight. Scents of fresh fruit, forest floor after a summer rain, chocolate/coffee; tastes silky smooth, well integrated tannins, dark fruit, cassis, a little fig, bacon and a very long, balanced finish.
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Prototypical Caymus, but didn't reach the heights of some SS. Also did a comparison with 04 Caymus and the differences were minute (much less than other years). PDQ93
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This wine has fine tannins, with a very nice viscosity in a lighter bodied cabernet. There was not as much fruit showing as I would hope at this point for the wine, but it is drinking nicely. This wine was consumed over a couple of days with consistent notes.
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"Fairwell Summer, Welcome Autumn" Wine Cellar & Al Fresco Dinner Party (La Jolla, California): Still having the appearance of a new-release wine, this opaque crimson Cabernet is packed with dark berries and currants, supported by aromas and flavors of licorice, chocolate and earth. Full-bodied, round and supple on the palate, it hides its 15.2% alcohol well. The tannins are massive but extremely sweet, giving the wine its backbone without any off-putting astringency. Solid in the middle, it ends in lengthy fashion. This wine's low acidity and refined tannins give it a "feminine" character. The forward fruit defines this gorgeous "lady" as being clad in bikini rather than evening gown. Drink now-2024.
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Delicious bottle. Still young but not that much. I think it is close to its prime, maybe 1 or 2 more years in the cellar. I had this wine along with the regular Caymus and believe it or not the regular Caymus was prefered over the SS by all of us but the reason was that it was more austere and better integrated. The SS will be a 95 pt wine in 2 years I think.
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Ripe in colour, with violet and garnet, and a lighter rim. Blackberry jam (not in a bad way), hot bricks, medium roast coffee and guava chiffon cake, then showing black tea. Long and full-bodied, bordering the extremities, then finesse shines through. Very youthful and deep; velvety tannins. Drink now - 2024.
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It has been so long since I had a CSS that I forgot how truly gorgeous these wines can be. Same floral nose I remember from the '91 a friend opened a few years ago, with complex, concentrated layers of fruit and spice. Silky, opulent, swoon-worthy. Popped and poured over the backyard fence to follow neighbor's 04 Karl Lawrence which was great but no competition for this wine. Will outlive the KL but it's drinking so well now that it will be hard to leave my remaining bottles alone.
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Echoing the 2013 comments below, this is in it's drinking window right now and is simply stupendous. I have another bottle and will probably wait 6-12 months to pop it. It may have a little more evolution left, but certainly ready now. Great on its own, but even better with food.
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Terrific bottle that needs no further cellaring. Surprised at how quickly the tannins have softened over the past 3 years. Maybe there is truth to the notion that these aren't really built for long-term cellaring. Still great wine, just don't waste 'em by waiting too long to drink.
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- Brick color. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Shared with my study group.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, raspberry, strawberry and strawberry jam with a full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - Dark ruby red in color. Always a great bottle of Cab.
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Complex nose of dark cherry, dark chocolate, coffee, toasted oak, vanilla, rich, ethereal Rutherford earth with heightened alcohol (15.2%). Full-bodied, powerful, yet comes in a creamy, smooth, velvety texture with toasted nutty vanilla, red cherry upon layers of chocolate fudge and spice. Finishes very smooth, long and sweet. This is, by far, the best Special Selection I've tasted. Drink from 2012 to 2024.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Very American style cab 15.2% alcohol. Dark fruits toasty oak. Finish a tad hot. Big price tag in my opinion not worth the 130 bones....
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Not the best bottle ive had. Fruit seemed over whelmed by the alcohol last night. Decanted for 2 hours. Wondering if it needed more time or is it at the end. Still very nice wine, with very strong and present tannins.
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What can you say about this wine that hasn't already been said. Super ripe, super extraction and a unique wine by California standards. The color is purple and will remind most of a syrah instead of a cabernet. The wine is still young, I don't think the wine will change much if it's opened for a couple of hours or several hours as the tannins are still very strong yet not overpowering. For me, this is a wine of contrast and to show a style of California Cabernet that I don't think is duplicated. That being said, it's also not a wine that I want to drink everyday even though it is incredible. For those that drink a lot of this wine, you know what I'm talking about. I would like to drink this wine as it is starting to plateau but I couldn't begin to tell you when this might be, maybe 5-10 years from now.
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My Classic Trio; 6/17/2012-6/25/2012: This is a powerful fruit bomb straight from the bottle. Strong tannins yet silky. This fruity style I enjoy as outstanding with cheese and before or after the meal - too fruity for me with the steak and meal. It actually didn't work well with the meal. Will age for a number of years still. I tried it the next day and still the same; the fruit has not subsided.
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Drank this bottle alongside a 2005 Sherwin Estate cab. The Sherwin was great but didn't compare to the Caymus. It was outstanding right out of the bottle and even got better as it got air. This is one of my favorite wines ever! What a great way to cap off an incredible night!! Celebrating my son's graduation from college.
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Popped and poured. This vintage is ready to drink and doesn't lose anything over the evening. Very jammy with hints of chocolate, berries, and leather tones. Tannins have softened very nicely. Really enjoyed this wine later as it gained more complexity and finish. Great experience.
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Very much like the last bottle about eight months ago.. The nose delivers trainload of red fruit with just a hint of dark red fruit, touch of cedar and mineral earthy notes. The palate is plush. The touch of sweetness of the fruit is nicely balanced by the underlaying acidity; tannins are subdued and fine. Good finish. This time the alcohol stayed hidden, maybe the temperature of the wine was little lower than last time. Very nice.
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Drank these two with one of Charlie's. Some bottle variation between them. The best was very open and inviting, with rich Caymus flavor. The worst was still good, but more like a base Caymus (still very good).
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Just a pure classic expression of California Cabernet. Vibrant aroma with complex finish lasting at least 30 seconds. Hints of coffee, berry, cocoa still with some tannins. The wine improved over the evening. This is great to drink now, definitely still has at least 5 more years of cellaring. Can be drank by itself or with food. This is just a great wine.
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Huge nose, eucalyptus, darker fruits... mid palate is class cali cab of chocolate, cherry, leather, but long finish shows pronounced tannins that tighten up the experience. Great but definitely has many years ahead of it.
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Agreed that this is a great bottle now, not at all past it's prime, but could probably still go a couple more years as well. Enjoyed it on Christmas with a nice prime rib. The high alcohol finish is the only draw back as previously mentioned here. Very little nose upon opening but it decanted for a little over an hour and opened up nicely. Sad to see it go!
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2004 caymus special select. Really coming of age. Beautiful wine with great delicacy and balance. Nose had light backing spice AMD red fruit. Body was very smooth and many layered. Finish for a minute. Not a single misstep. Pdq96
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Fantastic wine. Huge nose. Very smooth although quite the bruiser. Lots of fruit on the nose with at least a 60 second finish. This could still use another year or two.
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I'll stick with my previous notes. Had this one at the end of the night to enjoy its port-like qualities...it didn't disappoint on that front. Top fuel, as my wife called it. Came up a bit flabby at the end, not surprising for what it is.
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2004 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 2011 07 30 Dinner at Inn on the Twenty. Reviewing the Community notes after the dinner I see wide divergence of opinion. So here is my view. This is a very decent wine to drink now. The colour does not reveal much about aging, still bright and intense. The nose delivers trainload of red fruit with just a hint of dark red fruit but certainly not overripe, touch of cedar and mineral earthy notes. The palate is, in one word, plush. The touch of sweetness of the fruit is nicely balanced by the underlaying acidity; tannins are subdued and fine. Decent finish. But then that is where I find fault with the wine. The alcohol takes over on the finish. I would score it much higher if the alcohol did not show up at the end. And time is not going to help that.
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Big brooding monster. Seemed even bigger than the 15.2% alcohol would predict. Not overly hot, but fully extracted while still in balance. Some might like this style, but I'm for at least a bit of nuance...this is about as nuanced as a aluminum bat to the head. Typical Caymus style, just dialed to 11 on every aspect.
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Charlie's Retirement Party: This came after the St. Henri, and before the CdP. This bottle was much better than the first of these. Cassis and plum on the nose. Super fine tannins. Started with cherry flavors, then transitioned through red fruit to blueberry and boysenberry. Just outstanding in the mouth. Only lacking a little structure from being classic.
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This bottle was such a dissapointment. Maybe I waited too long to open it. Was purchased direct from the winery and stored at 55 ever since. This is typical of what is wrong with so many Cali wines: high alcohol, too much jammy ruit, no complexity, generally boring.
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This wine has a deep dark purple color to it, heavy body and an overwhelming 15.2% alcohol. It gives off aromas of dark fruits, licorice, graphite, cassis and a little cedar. It tastes of dark fruits, mineral, cassis and a little of what seems like cedar. Overall, not the most impressive Caymus Special Select. This wine does not have a prayer at aging like the older Special Selects will. If you like a meal in a glass and something that really does not pair well with any type of food, this is a good wine for you. I do not see this being much more than a 12 to at most 15 year wine from vintage date. Hopefully it improves, but I have my doubts given the lack of acidity to balance out the tannin. The alcohol is not a pleasant aroma nor is it really good in the flavor as well. The fruit will not outlast the tannin.
My first SS, and likely my last at this price. Although there was nothing wrong with this wine, and it provided pleasurable drinking, there wasn't anything special about it either. Rich black fruit, ripened beyond variety typicity. Could be cab, could be Syrah - who knows. Sweet and toasty. Nice tannin quality though. With air, nice lingering grippy finish. Not much else to say.
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I was reluctant to pull this wine based on other reviews indicating the wine was 12-18 months over its prime. After decanting for several hours, I found this wine to be really nice and thought it could easily lay down a bit longer.
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New Year's Day Party: Wow - this is a rich. thick and juicy bomb (on the palate not on the nose) of a wine that can lie down for a decade or more still. Decanted for 3 hours but still extremely powerful. A light nose that doesn't jump out at you, but strong chocolate and moderately heavy tannins on the palate (with a little touch of heat from its youth I imagine) I left a glass for 12 hours by mistake and tasted it again alter (thus 15 hours equivalent in the decanter) and it had mellowed amazingly. Rich chocolate and dark fruit. I will leave the rest of my case to lie for at least 1 to 2 years before trying another one.
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Had with a grilled whole tenderloin and was a good match. I'd agree with earlier posters that it is in a VERY fruity, overly extracted, almost jammy state. Would've been nice to have had some more tannin and/or oak. Raspberry, cherry, a bit of chocolate. Wondering if it will evolve or if this is it?
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This bottle was perhaps a bit past its prime with fruit having receded a bit too far. However, we thought it was well balanced between fruit and wood. Nice silky mouth feel and decent finish, with both fruit and wood notes carrying through. There was an alcohol "hotness" but not enough to derail a nice wine. Wish I had opened it 12-18 months sooner. Had it with roast beef tenderloin which was a nice combination.
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Holiday Gathering: One hour decant. Aroma of forest floor, tobacco with very light, background plummy blueberry. Intermittent alcohol was noticeable on the nose. Same flavors but finishes with clear soil/dust. The primary fruit has almost completely faded. In the mouth big, ripe, dense, and long finishing with light/medium fine tannin. Enjoyable but lacks fruit purity/complexity due to extreme ripeness. I would wait on this.
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Very good, but disappointing bottle. Fruit is pretty much gone, and secondary flavors are not completely integrated (at least yet). Result is a pleasant but not compelling mix of meat, licorice, and cedar flavors on a nice structure, with very good residual tannin.
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continues to impress. Great nose, with tons of fruit and some spice. Licorice/anise are the top notes of an extremely smooth bottle of wine... Finish for days.
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Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. This was consumed alongside a 2003 SS. Rich cassis flavors and aromas. It continued to evolve and improve during the meal, smooth tannins on a long finish. Was the clear favorite of the two vintages
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I have to change my rating on this wine. The last note I entered was on 11/14 from wine we had on 11/13. We did not finish the bottle but (vacuum) recorked it and put it back in the cellar and finished it tonight 11/15, two days after first opening it.
In the two days since opening it the wine lost nearly all of its structure and became quite one-dimensional, fruit-laden and almost jammy. A huge let down after how enormously good it was on the day we opened it. I believe this is signalling that its near the end of its time, although I would have expected the opposite, for it to lose its fruit, not for it to become fruit dominant.
It's still a very good wine but not the wine it was two days ago and given the conditions it was stored for two days it would not have been expected to move very much at all given the structure it showed on opening day.
Any wine acting this radically is approaching the end of its time. I wouldn't recommend aging this wine much longer and would strongly recommend opening it on a day when it will be finished.
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Fantastic. Purple to the edge on the pour, delicious fruity aromas filled the air as it poured, my how I love it when that happens! Very good on pour but needed about an hour in the decanter to really show its stuff. Unbelievably round and silky, so, so smooth. Red cherry chocolate, kirsch, cassis, nutmeg and a dash of mint hidden in there somewhere. Superbly smooth finish, I don't think I've had wine with a finish this smooth, just goes on and on.
Had a bottle of this in 2008 and another in 2009 and it was very good but the difference this year was remarkable. I'm not normally a big Caymus fan but this one got me, time truly did it for this wine. It was great fun watching it change and mature into what it is today. Got two left and see no reason to risk any longer in the cellar as I really don't know what I would want from it that's not there today. The future of the other two is without a doubt gonna be short lived!!
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This wine is spectacular. Beautiful fruit-filled nose, with devine silky smooth tannins. This may not be the 2007 for depth and complexity, but it really stands up to top flight 2nd growth Bordeaux and top Super Tuscans. Really nice wine. Definitely ready to go.
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Wow! Decanted for about 30 minutes. Magnificent nose - full of fruit (cherry and blackberry) but also tasted the earthiness. Plenty of acidity and tannin and lots of legs on the glass, yet smooth as silk. Definitely ready to drink now, but appears that it could last many more years. Tasted next to the. Barnett Spring Mountain (2007) which was also really nice, but the Caymus was truly "Special".
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Served to Billie and Greg with beef tenderloin. No notes. Amazing wine: beautiful, fruit-forward, balanced, focused, the whole package. Drinking really well. Wish I had more. This is a strong candidate for WOTY.
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Overall I gave this a 93 on the first night and a 92 on the second. Jess gave it a 91 on the first night and a 90 on the second. I appreciate this style, which is why I rated it so high, but it was a too much for me. The oak was so over the top I almost had to pull splinters out of my mouth; the oak monster is alive and well. I even opened one of my favorite Napa cabs (2006 Chappellet Signature) as a comparison to make sure my palate was in check. Other than that, this is a well built big Napa cab with great balance and a huge finish.
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One of five different cabs or cab blends served at a "Filet and Cabernet" dinner party, including 2002 Insignia, 2004 Rudd Oakville Estate, 2005 Pahlmeyer and 2006 Far Niente Oakville. Hints of coffee and caramel paired beauftifully with filet and gorgonzola dolce. Back of the throat finish, smooth and silky. My rating in this expecptional group of wines was number five, but still rated at least 93 - 94 points. One guest used it as his control when tasting the other wines and rated it number 2.
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Spectacular! What can I say. Best Caymus I have had to date. Classic Caymus nose and more. Tons of flavors, complex and a fabulous finish. Drinking beautifully. Next time I will take notes. RP had it right on this one.
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This followed a 96 Harlan Maiden, and a 2002 Harlan Maiden, so it was in tough competition. In contrast to the Maidens, this wine seemed overly tannic. I would wait. It is not ready yet, and the fruit was hiding.
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First Offline of the Decade (Boca Raton, FL): Currant, plum, and cherry fruit, with higher acidity than most Napa cabs, and still some tannin to resolve, but still was smooth and drank well. Will likely improve in the future.
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Decanted for 2 hours prior to tasting. Great nose that permeated the room! Nose of vanilla, chocolate cedar and black fruit. Wonderful soft tannins and a very approachable wine now. Very complex and layered wine that should evolve for years to come.
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Dark ruby. Nose of dark berries, currant and mocha. Palate is medium bodied, complex and polished with fairly silky tannins providing good structure. Nice long finish.
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Dark color can only see a hint of the bottom of the glass.
Powerful nose a lot vanilla, perfume, caramel candy
Taste: tons of licorice, spice, pepper,plum, dark dried fruit, tannins present but not overwhelming. Good length and aftertaste. Would be an excellent companion for a big juicy steak.
Very nice wine, but perhaps not all that nuanced considering the pricetag.
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Oh, wow! First bottle from this vintage, and wondering why I waited for so long. Loads of dark berries, hint of dark chocolate. Silky in your mouth; great balance. This has structure for aging, but I just can't imagine it will get any better. I have made the mistake of holding some of the SS for too long, and I won't make that mistake with this vintage.
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Dark luscious wine. The edges have rounded a bit on this, but the firm tannins really matched well with a Wagyu steak. Bitter cherries on finish. Has more finesse than many Cali cabs.
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I had just come back from a long-drive out-of-state, and felt like making an Autumn feast. Prepared home-made butternut squash rigatoni with fresh sea scallops, and needed a rich wine to pair with the cozy feast. My spouse wanted a "big Cabernet," so I popped and poured this gem. Wonderful nose upon opening, and very rich, complex and layered. Not quite as good as the last bottle I had, but I attribute this to the fact that I was completely exhausted from my journey. Nonetheless, it was a great pairing with the richness of the butternut squash sauce.
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Blind Reds (Roberts House): Tasted blind. tobacco, coffee, chocolate, black currant, lead, black cherry. long finish. a touch of heat after 25 sec. initial thought was a high end merlot, but settled on a high end cali cabernet with merlot in blend. very good quality and my (and I believe the group's) WOTN.
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Blind Red Throw Down! (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Tasting double blind. Clearly a classy bottle. Dark dense and brooding. Chocolate covered cherry. Pencil shavings, cigar box. Bordeaux profile? Gave off a very Merlot-like profile initially so Right Bank? This is soft silky hedonistic. Great concentration with fine tannins. This has plenty of time ahead of it. Revealed to be Caymus 04, showing the quality of the 04 vintage.
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On a night that included an 02 The Maiden, an 04 Matriarch, an 06 Archaval Ferrer Finca Mirador, an 02 The Standish, an 05 Winter, and an 07 Velvet Glove, this wine was the consensus #2 wine, just below The Maiden, and just ahead of Matriarch. A wonderfully open, Cab fruit-filled, delight. Drinking wonderfully right now. I love this wine.
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Call me irresponsible, but I don't think this stuff is ready to go...for a while. It opened up a bit after a few hours, but still dangerous stuff. Keep away from open flames as it may ignite!. After it settled down, came together okay, but still, my vote is leave it sleep a few more years.
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Deep burgundy... nose is "very cabernet" with cassis fruit, leather and tar, licorice. Very aggressive, intense on the palate with ripe fruit, high acidity, powerful tannic structure. I'm clearly drinking this on the young side! My rating is too low if you love wines like this... add 5 points if you like...
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No notes . . . just recall this being a classic CA rich cab. Lots of oak but solid fruit/acidity to provide balance. Nice wine. Not worth $100+ IMO but so many CA cabs are at this price that it holds it's own I guess.
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Had a bottle of this last night with a Delmonico steak. Awesome! Paired with a 1996 Quilaceda Creek. All at the table preferred the 04 Caymus. Mello, earthy, a favotite for sure.
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Awesome example of California cab. Touch of chalky earth on the nose. Wonderful open on tongue. Great structure with excellent tanic and acidic balance. Full boddied, but not overpowering. Extremely long smooth finish with absolutely nothing disagreeble. Just a wonderful wine in every sense.
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Popped (but not poured) and allowed to air for an hour and then drank over an additional two hours. Red, opaque color in the glass with fresh aromas of currant, cedar and cassis - a bit of alcohol but not overwhelming. After a few swirls in the glass this unfolded into a multi layered, juicy explosion of flavor - lots of currant and cassis, and a nice mid-palate milk chocolate. There was a smoothness to this that is not vanilla, cream or butter but something like that, that I never quite identified. There was a firm acidity, but the tannins are incredibly smooth and integrated. This is a pleasure to drink and I'm so glad I have more to drink over the next 10-20 years. Served with Lisa's chicken enchiladas.
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A "Back from Bordeaux" bottle, decanted and enjoyed 2 hours at home. Rich, ripe, dark and delicious. Nose is black fruit and cedar - not vanilla or cloyingly sweet, just succulent and juicy. The 15.2% alcohol is not very apparent, things are balanced at a high level, and more years will continue to integrate the great fruit and not-dominant oak spice in the bottle. It drinks well no matter when you open it. Fresh, well structured and long. A great 100% cabernet.
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Decanted 2 hours. Black red in color. Tastes and aromas match color- Dark chocolate and licorice. Dark, bitter pit fruits. Opulent yet balanced. Plenty of tannins and acidity. Definitely a food wine- which isn't always the case with Cal cabs- seamless pairing with beef filet. We really enjoyed this.
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Very dark in the glass with a floral and fruity but tight tanic nose, but the tanins were soft in the mouth leving the fruit. Opened quickly and the tanins softened in the nose and what was left was simply remarkable. THE FINISH! So long. A great wine. Great structure, could cellar for many years more but was great now.
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We decanted for five hours but recommend a few more. It has an impressive Concord Grape-color. Pipe Tobacco, black currant, dark Sumatra roast coffee permeate the nose. The lush tannins and acidity really wallop with an uppercut...wow, a wine so huge it nearly demolished our ribeye steaks. The multi-faceted mid palate-to-finish features blackberry jam, Skoal chewing tobacco, distinct almond and chocolate (almost a Mars bar) impressions. Big but completely balanced! The finish averaged 45 plus seconds.
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not decanted. it's been about 2 years since i last tasted this wine, and although i didn't post that note on CT!, i remember it being pretty good. this is two nights in a row for 04 cab (corra last night), and the vintage is showing well. nicely rounded tannins, and plenty of fruit in this medium bodied, soft/feminine wine. very luscious.
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Dark ruby red color with a deep, invigorating nose. Dark fruit upfront with a neverending finish. Decanted for about an hour - needs more than this. High alcohol was noted, but an amazing blend with many years in front of it.
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I called Caymus and asked if this needed to be decanted and they said it didn't. They were wrong, this needs about a 2 hour decant. My first taste of this was very tight with an abundance of acidity on the finish. The nose was muted out of the blocks. Over time this relaxed a bit but never really struck a cord with me. The nose got better with time. The acidity faded a bit but it was still out of synch. Not enough fruit but I enjoyed the grip of the wine. I was hoping to be blowen away for the $150 ticket price and reputation of the producer but I wasn't. Good with my meal at Perilla but not a 'wow' experience.
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I also tasted blind along side 2005 Opus One, 2003 Silver Oak, and 2001 Rubicon. Took a long time to open up. Big fruit with tastes of strawberry jam. I think this wine could use a few more years in the cellar.
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Tasted blind with 2005 Opus One, 2003 Silver Oak Napa, and 2001 Rubicon. This was my #2 wine behind the Opus. It started off tight, but after about 1.5 hours of total decant time, it really started to open up. To me, this is classic California Cabernet; it is all about the fruit. I got huge flavors of sweet berries and it finished with spicy oak. This is delicious and has years of life ahead of it.
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Decanted for 2 hours. In the decanter there are some nice blackberry notes, but in the glass it has a good core of dark fruit, but oak is showing through fairly heavily. Moderate tannins, this wine will age a good 10-15 years with no problem.
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BYO Californian (Le Sommelier): Dark red color with a purple hue. Aromas of juicy black currant, black cherries and some mint. Drinking extremely pleasantly, with loads of delicious juicy fruit. Starting with clean black currant but over the midpalate and finish its more plum and prunes, but a bit imprecise on the finish. Perfect balanced by fruit acidity and the dry tannins. It is amazing how well this was drinking right now.
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Compared next to a 2004 Caymus Special Selection. Neither bottles were decanted. First impression from the group of 4 was the smoothness of the Caymus SS and the tannins of the Hartwell. I still liked the strong nose of the Hartwell compared to that of the Caymus SS. The other 3 initially liked the Caymus SS but once the Hartwell had a couple of hours to breathe, the tannins softened and became velvety smooth. It was probably a little early for both bottles but wanted to compared the same vintage for 2 incredible wines. Neither was the loser. Both were ultimately fantastic, but if we had to choose the Hartwell was the overall winner.
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Wish this was an everyday bottle, I do not normally drink at this price point but a friend brought it over, so take my notes as is. I thought it awesome, full bodied, well balanced, thick flavors through finish. What was distinguishing was how the flavors lingered well beyond the finish. Big fruit on the front blackberry and cherry, chocolate feel in the mid palate with hints of vanilla. It was elegant and powerful at this sametime. Will certainly age well with time.
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Purple ink grape ape. Strong concentrated aromatics make their way to my nostrils from arms length. Heavy aromas of blackcherry, plumb and nectarine, red licorice, and a flash of vanilla bean and sweet tobacco. Full body with luscious, supple tannins. This wine is decadent as usual with fat, greasy blackfruit figuring prominantly. Jammy plumb and raspberries tune in with an underlying citrus acidity. A mild herbaciousness shows with a vanilla overcoat, anise, black currant and pepper, all caught up in a bath of cranberry jelly. The tannins show mild yet chewy. Remember the Never Ending Story ? Well this is how SS ends...it doesn't. Big ole fruit bomb with just enough tannic backbone to balance. I hope you have a good dentist.
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With guests, I popped and poured this bottle. While it was very good, it is capable of so much more. I regret not decanting it. Poppers and pourers miss out on the phenomenal aromatics that this wine has.
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10/07 Dark purple - full-bodied - concentrated intense blackcherry dark fruit - complex smokey oak layered finish - powerful wine - high alcohol - young but well-balanced and approachable - decanting and time softens and rounds the finish. 95 pts.
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Had several glasses of this at a truly decadent wine country party last night. Phenomenal concentration and density, with overwhelming dark fruit. It's like two glasses of wine in one. Still relatively young with bristly tannins peeking through the dense undergrowth of chocolate and coffee. The price is unjustifiably high, but this is the King of Cabs.
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Heavy. Like doing 5 g's in a spaceship simulator. Dark purple, ruby sides. Cassis, dark fruit and a bit of smoky earth on the nose. Full bodied (think obese), huge fruit concentration, with some chocolate. Enjoyable, good potential structure. Definitely California. Too young, though tannins were not very evident. Not yet about complexity, the high score is due to the amazing fruit. Swashing around the mouth is like swimming through quick sand. Tasty quick sand!
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I was prepared to diss this wine, but found it pretty good and quite drinkable. Ready to drink style, sweet fuit and not overwhelmed with oakiness at present, still has a bit of a spine. Tastes like a generic cocktail of Napa, but just not distinguished. Still, the best Caymus SS I've had...my experience only dating since 99. Not worth the price, but still a nice wine for today.
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My God this is an excellent wine. Layered and complex, it started out with silky dark chocolate and raspberries, swirled into maple sugar, and the vanilla creme-broulet came out on the fat midpalate. The finish lingered, and the acid and tannin structure were harmonious. Voluptious wine, absolutely fantastic.
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Decanted and consumed over 90 mins. Early harshness faded VERY QUICKLY to become a smooth and supple wine. Nonetheless, this is a rich offering, with lots of red fruits, a hint of spice, shadowing over delicate black fruit and cassis. This is very refined for its youthful age, and comes across as playfull and coy, not as brash and in-your-face as one might expect from such a young blockbuster. Haven't previously been a huge fan of Caymus SS, but this was truly elegant and enjoyable. This will continue to improve, but is EXTREMELY approachable for such a young wine.
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Beautiful wine, expressive fruit, integrated woody tannin structure, and a moderately long finish. Not as good as the Lewis Reserve, but an excellent effort.
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Very ripe dark fruits on the nose. Not as elegant as the 04 regular bottling. Fleshier on the palate with larger tannins. This one will probably age better than the regular bottle but it is not drinking as nicely right now. Still delicious and approachable but I was really blown away the other night by the 04 regular Caymus.
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Once Upon a Vine XIII - New Orleans, LA by Martin Wine Cellar (Pavillion of Two Sisters): Now this is a big, opulent, sexy, voluptuous wine. I think Parker went a bit overboard with the 96 points, but the upper end of my range is pretty darn close. Like most of the other wines tasted today, this is very young and while its great to drink now, I have no doubt that it will evolve in the years to come. The nose fill the glass with a super thick aroma of black cherry, raspberry, anise, cassis, and tons of spicy piquant clove that is so strong that you can almost taste it without even using your tongue. In the mouth, you get powerful cassis liquor, clove, cinnamon, raspberry, vanilla, black cherry, and freshly brewed espresso all meshed together within the polished and well knit structure. The palate has an amazing super rich velvety mouthfeel and full rounded body. This wine has huge extraction, but the fruit and spice balance superbly with the alcohol, acidity, and the cottony soft tannin. The finish lasts forever and leaves you with that spicy clove taste for minutes after your last sip. I'm not always a huge fan of the really spice driven Cabernets, but this wine is really outstanding. I think there is no doubt that it will be even better in 4-6 years. Definitely worth a place in your cellar. 93-95 points.
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Deep dark thick ruby color. Nose of ripe cassis, bitter chocolate and alcohol. The alcohol is overwhelming in this wine and the flavors of intense bitter chocolate are a bit off-putting. I can't believe what has happened to this once-great bottling and to Cali Cab in general. Way too chocolaty and way too alcoholic.
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Given the consistent quality and sense of balance found in the regular Caymus Cabernet year after year, I was disappointed by the Special Selection's Las Vegas "Pro"-file. This red wine is monstrous! Huge, chocolate-covered cherry sweetness overwhelms the earthy nose. Subtle is not a fitting descriptor for the Special Selection. The acids are low, the alcohol is high, and one glass is all you need - or want. The tannins are gentle, so I wonder what ten years will do to this wine. I assume that it will age just as a hardcore party-girl will - time will not flatter her features and she will appear well beyond her years.
I must state that the wine retained its character over four days (no gass, no vaccuum-pump), so the Special Selection might go the distance in the cellar. If so, I will be greatly surprised!
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Tasted unblinded at the Vintage Wines, Ltd. wine bar. Bright disc. Opaque purple robe with purple rim. Clean nose, opening over 60-90 minutes in a Riedel Bordeaux stem to show quite intense aromas of black cherry liqueur, vanilla, smoke and black plum. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and slightly hot alcohol. The flavors are ripe and the oak is not subtle on the palate, but the wine still pleases. Long finish. This is a well-made wine which will benefit from a few years of cellaring and then should drink well for at least a decade.
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AD Blind Tasting - This was the last wine poured. Which I drank in a hurry because I was running late, and also took horrible notes. BUt I do remember an explosion of concentrated fruit, and there was a little funk hidden in there. Extremely surprised at hoe approachable this wine is right now. Easily scores above 90, but i doubt it would climb much higher then 93.
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AD Co. Tasting w/Bloechl (Brown Jug-Upstairs): WOW! I've been waiting all tasting for a wine like this. Huge, extracted black fruits. Inky in color, definitely young. Nose of cedar, vanilla, black currants, and a hint of leather. Palate is rich, thick, and extracted with cassis, mocha, cedar, and vanilla towards finish. Very soft acidity, and very moderate tannins. Finish lingers for 30+ seconds. Definitely a blockbuster. After revealing what the bottle was, I was very shocked to witness how approachable this wine was. Sure it could be cellared for years to come, but why wait when it's drinking this nice now!
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A roasted nose with mixed spices, cinnamon and nutmeg. Palate: smooth tannins, moderate cassis, chocolate, nice mix of spices dominated by nutmeg. Finish: long Not sure how much more this will improve. Nice stuff: but at $144-I'm not convinced
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3/7/2024 - salil wrote: 84 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Wasn't a fan of this. There's a core of very rich, primary black fruit tinged with vanilla and a higher-toned green herbal note on the nose that I like, which adds freshness. But the palate feels foursquare; burly and extracted with a lot of tannin and a hot, alcoholic finish.
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3/7/2024 - kenv Likes this wine: 94 Points
WCC 2004 California Cab Blind Tasting (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): [Double decanted all at 1:00 PM, recorked at 5:00 PM.] Huge black fruit nose. Rich, complex. Still young, but no harm in drinking it now.
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2/16/2024 - Eric_Lavoie Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine exhibits brilliance, although the initial sip reveals a slight prominence of its 15% alcohol by volume. Setting aside this observation, it boasts remarkable depth, volume, and ripeness, epitomizing a luxuriously rich and full-bodied palate. The fruit presents itself as dark and brooding, yet notably balanced after an ample decanting period. There is no urgency to consume this wine; in fact, I would estimate it to be approximately 2-3 years away from reaching its peak drinking window.
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11/12/2023 - maaike2 wrote: 96 Points
1 hour in decanter. Spectacular. Spiciness, eucalyptus, black fruit, plumps, some earthy notes. Enormous power, well integrated though prominent tannins, superb freshness. Mind blowing. 96/97. This wine, in its youth, confirms, as Bordeaux lover, my long existing interest in high level Californian wines. I will start drinking the older vintages of this great wine.
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10/22/2022 - bayareadodgerfan Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wow! This wine is having a moment. Opened just for the hell of it on a Saturday night with Filet Mignon. Decanted for an hour. Absolutely stunning - especially with an extra 30 min in the glass. Pronounced aromas of fresh black cherry, black plum, blackberry and hints of mint and eucalyptus. Notes of chocolate and toast from oak. Tertiary aromas galore - dried fruit, tobacco and cigar box and earth/forest floor. The wine feel like it’s at its ideal moment on the palate - medium garnet color, solid acidity, perfectly integrated and velvety tannins, and full body. And the flavors are very pronounced following the nose - with tons of primary and tertiary fruit, well integrated oak and those great age-driven flavors. Finish is very long. So glad I opened this tonight!
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8/8/2022 - KenK wrote: 92 Points
Ripe red lush fruits with creamy hedonistic flavors. Yummy sweetness and a sense of purity. Just enough acidity to keep it fresh, but lacking nuance and detail. Nice with a steak, no rush to drink up, but likely at peak.
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1/1/2022 - WineGuyFL wrote: 93 Points
Identical to a bottle consumed last summer.....very good......but a little off from where it was a while back. One bottle left.....am going to have it over the coming months.
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1/1/2022 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Drank from a 3 liter. A little faded but otherwise right around peak. Brownish coloration. Ripe blue fruit, vanilla, cassis, aged leather and cedar. Drink up if you have them.
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11/27/2021 - Fatty Cat wrote: 95 Points
Rarities dinner “Spectacular Californians” late Nov 2021: rubin red color; intense bouquet of cassis, red berries, cherries, fresh bread and mint; well-balanced on the palate; long finish. 94-95/100
Simultaneously tasted the Caymus Special Selection 2005 which performed a bit weaker (93-94/100, see CT tasting note).
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8/12/2021 - WineGuyFL wrote: 93 Points
This is the second bottle I have consumed this year. Both have been off from where this one was two to four years ago. It is not bad, but just not what it used to be. My bottles have been well stored. I have two bottles left and will not let them sit much longer.
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6/12/2021 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good, but a little off from a couple of bottles consumed about 6 years ago. I have 2022 down as the last year of my drink window for this one and am going to stick with that year. I sensed that this wine is beginning to roll over......and the bottles have been well stored. However, the auction market does not agree with me, as values have held steady at a similar price for a good while.
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3/26/2021 - Philip67 Does not like this wine: 90 Points
This is is overly sweet syrupy wine. Musty old nose - blows off with aeration. Sweet syrupy cough mixture, rich fruitcake, chocolate and leather. Super rich, high extraction with some acidity but not enough to balance the fruit. Tannins now are medium and of course it is full bodied. Persistent and complex. Drink now.
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3/5/2021 - DH1275 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good Napa Cab with all what is expected - warmth, power, ripe tannins, sweetness. Lacks a little of complexity, ends up with a slightly short aftertaste, and has a slightly over-ripe element that prevents a higher score. That said, this is a serious, excellent, hedonistic wine that just requires some BBQ red meat to get to heaven.
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1/30/2021 - owr wrote: 85 Points
Starts off with leathery and smoky notes followed by dark berry fruit, oak, and vanilla, which starts to emerge after about 15-20 minutes of being open. After an hour to an hour-and-a-half the alcohol starts to permeate the nose, then it comes to the palate, by this time I spun the bottle around and see that it is 15.2% - the alcohol has now come to play and stays there ... by the hour two-and-a-half hour mark it's chewy with mocha , black cherry, and chocolate but that alcohol keeps getting in the way. Rats.
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1/1/2021 - Elkcims Likes this wine: 95 Points
1 hour decant, enjoyed over two days: Big, hedonistic, full bodied almost port like. Dark red, black currant, blueberry, spice, dark chocolate, light tannins on finish. Overpowered my BBQ chicken but who cares?
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9/26/2020 - eatdrinkrepeat Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine is at a very good place now - classic nose, elegant mouthfeel, and long finish. I noticed a little tannin and spice at the finish which added some vigor despite its age. Great by itself and awesome with the wagyu striploin at dinner tonight.
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5/9/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 94 Points
For out pre Mothers Day dinner of Roasted Rack of Lamb I allowed wife to choose the wine that we would drink and this was her choice. This bottle was given to me around Christmas of 2010 and has been sitting in my cellar for the past ten years. I opened the wine three hours before dinner. The nose was dark berries and coffee. The palate was dark berries, coffee, tree bark and just a touch of spice. The finish was long and lingering. A really good bottle of wine. 94+
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3/29/2020 - Dondeck wrote:
Gave to DZ
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1/20/2020 - Big Canoe wrote: 95 Points
Enjoyed this wine in a blind Cabernet Tasting Jan 2020. Garnet color with rich black currant, blackberry, flint, and coffee aromas. Full-bodied, balanced, luscious mouthfeel, complex wine has improved with age and likely to continue for another 3-5 years. An exceptional cabernet sauvignon with a long finish with black fruit, cherries, and hints of vanilla on the palate. Caymus continues to demonstrate masterful winemaking skills in an exceptional organization.
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12/26/2019 - Neecies Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent showing. Had that sweet violet and powdered sugar donut nose I always get on an SS, followed by piquant blackberry fruit, dark chocolate and cassis. Looooong finish. In a peak space but could coast here for years. I'm putting the drink-by date out to 2025.
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12/23/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
Serially sampled from a bottle purchased upon release and cellared under ideal conditions, this Cabernet has a youthful deep ruby/red robe and remains packed with dark bramble fruits and black currants, accented with notes of licorice, bittersweet chocolate and mulling spices. Full-bodied, low in acidity and very supple on the palate, it hides its 15.2% alcohol and has moderate residual tannins that are silky in texture. At this stage the oak has nicely integrated. Plump on the mid-palate and finishing long, this is in a real good place. Drink now-2024.
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12/21/2019 - WineWright Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a magnum. Very nice. Supple fruit and oak. Tannins suggest it still has some good years ahead, but glad I opened tonight for some pre-Christmas cheer.
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12/19/2019 - jvphoto Likes this wine: 90 Points
On the decline but still halfway up the hill. Dense blue/black fruit, bit of charred pepper, graphite aromas. Medium acidity - tanins are a bit rough but integrated along with blueberry, bitter cocoa, berry jam, teriyaki.
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12/9/2019 - Marc S wrote:
Always a great bottle of wine.
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12/5/2019 - wren460 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely stunning !!!! It is NOT past its peak and I really think it is at the best place it will ever be at. Fruit is still there and alcohol has subsided a lot. The integration of fruit and tanins is beatiful and I dont think it will improve more but neither I think you have to drink this beauty right away. It is my guestimate that this wine still has 5 more years ahead of it although I think it will not improve as it is now. Caymus is all about fruit, it is not a Bordeaux and you do not buy a fruity wine to lose its fruit....sooooo.....open those bottles if you have at your cellar and drink up and enjoy.
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11/28/2019 - StephenjS wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours. Past its peak. Smooth, but offered very little to be excited about.
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9/14/2019 - RJandGB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely perfect still.
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6/9/2019 - ocwineo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Just past it’s peak but still very enjoyable now. Soft tannins and pleasent finish. This is an eligent wine that kept improving throughout the evening.
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5/27/2019 - Marc S wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, black currant and strawberry with a medium/full body. Satin-Like texture with a medium finish - Always a great bottle of wine.
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5/6/2019 - Raizes wrote: 90 Points
甜美成熟的黑色水果，烟丝、泥土、白巧克力和烘烤咖啡豆的香气。浓缩风味有良好的酸度来平衡，结构敦实而略失于细节的雕琢，很像早期罗曼式建筑的一款典型新世界大酒。
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4/29/2019 - aquacongas wrote: 94 Points
From Magnum, not blind
More Old than New World style. Reluctant but fruity and well riped tannins. Elegant and powerful likewise. Black currant, graphite, earthy and blueberries. At least 12-15 more years ahead. An accessible vintage. 94
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3/22/2019 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank along side the very sweet and lush fruit bomb 2015, this was in a better place for my showing good bright red cherry fruits with well integrated spices. Balanced and easy drinking, nice lift and finish. Quite solid.
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1/30/2019 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine:
This is not the best Css I have had. Not as deep, rich and bold and the more current years. Still an excellent wine though.
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1/1/2019 - Rezy13 wrote:
2019 New Years Day Tasting (Milton, GA): Dark core with garnet rim; chocolate, cassis, cherry liqueur, charred, musk, very Cali in style; ok, not great.
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12/27/2018 - WineDoctors wrote: 93 Points
Fruit still vibrant. Plum, dark cherry. Small color break at rim. Thick legs. Intense. Capsicum, cocoa. Medium acid, medium refined tannins. Spectacular quaff.
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10/28/2018 - CabIsKing wrote: 96 Points
Good nose full of dark fruits, licorice and pencil shavings. Big and bold on the tongue with a long finish. Very nice juice.
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8/5/2018 - Doctor Koulodare Likes this wine: 98 Points
A beautifully aged wine, plush, smooth. Chocolate and vanilla crème, cherries, blackberries, great tannins. An amazing bottle.
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7/6/2018 - Kevnzworld Likes this wine: 95 Points
We decanted the wine an hour before drinking thru an aerator.
The nose is a fragrant blend of ripe dark fruit, rosemary and oak.
This wine is fruit forward without the fruit bomb sweetness that plagues many CSS, maybe because there are still enough remaining acid and tannins to balance the wine. It still does have the cassis / stewed berry sweetness that CSS have but not overwhelmingly.
The mild oak and acid/alcohol in the background balances the flavor of blackberry/stewed prunes and cinnamon.
The finish is smooth and lingers beautifully.
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7/1/2018 - webbaker Likes this wine: 93 Points
My last bottle. Consistent with my previous notes, fruits really toned down, a touch of burning embers.
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5/11/2018 - soneill104 wrote: 93 Points
Superb wine! Still plenty of fruit with great balance. Won't open another for a couple years since its held up so well.
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3/30/2018 - Bigtuna Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP, tasted over 4 hours. Good cork. Ready to drink. Over the past five years, have tasted this wine many times and this was definitely the best bottle yet. Having said that, this bottle was a little "over ripe" - not a new thing for Caymus. Otherwise enjoyable, but quality does not justify price. 92
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12/3/2017 - Margaux Bro Does not like this wine: 91 Points
Keowee Wine Mixer; 12/2/2017-12/3/2017 (Seneca, SC): Tasted blind. This wine was not very well received by the group. I failed to identify this as a cab and thought it was a petite sirah or zin. It was very robust and full bodied with forward tannins and a moderate-to-long finish. I didn't really write any more notes because I was a bit uninspired by this wine. It was a big surprise to the group that this was the Caymus when we identified the wines at the end. This was the worst QPR of the entire flight.
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10/28/2017 - RJandGB Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking nicely. Enjoyed with out of town family, minestrone and lamb ragu. Everything you expect
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10/7/2017 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Richly extracted showing sweet bing cherry fruits that dominate the wine. Nice concentration and depth with nice balanced. Fruit forward and drinking great. Yummy
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7/7/2017 - Millennial Drinkers wrote: 92 Points
Fun blind tasting of Napa Valley Cabernets, we decided to choose two from 2011 while my Dad selected two different vintages of Caymus Special Selection.
Deep ruby core with garnet edges. A touch stinky ok the nose straight from the bottle, light dark fruits, and sweet spices. Heavy tannins (7/10) and medium plus to full bodied. Dark palate with dark cocoa, dark fruits, plums, cassis, gunpowder and vanilla. Long finish. Drink till 2025. (92+)
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3/9/2017 - VlgJeff wrote: 93 Points
Slo-oxed for 1 hour, then decanted for 1 more hour; suggest ~2 hour decant. On the nose there was a definite progression during the decant -- from heavy underbrush with a touch of green pepper, to dark fruit delight. The wine presents a medium+ body on the palate with plenty of dark berry fruit, cassis, and a touch of chocolate. The fruit almost seemed to have a touch of sweetness to it. The oak was fully resolved, as were the tannins. The wine should hold for a few more years, but don't hesitate to enjoy it now (with AIR).
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3/7/2017 - Frank Ski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very Complex. Needs time to open. Dark & Fruity
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2/11/2017 - ev3rthesame Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank this with my bone in filet mignon at Ruth's Chris along with cremini mushrooms.
Upon opening it did have some tannins left, however, after a decant and breathing in the glass the wine was perfectly balanced. Extremely smooth and of course fruit forward, but not overbearing like their less expensive Cabernets.
Overall this bottle was good, but on the lighter end for a Cabernet, but it is perfectly balanced; not oak, fruit, or tannins over powered. I would have preferred it to have a little bit more oak come through and acid, but that's definitely my personal preference. Also the mid-palate was lacking complexity. I would consider drinking this now if you have the bottle as tannins are barely there and I do not know how much longer it would last in the cellar. It is a 13 year old bottle now.
My wife thought this bottle was much better than the 2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia we had about two years ago, where I preferred the Insignia. So just depends on your palate.
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10/29/2016 - tomoem Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at CBCC in the wine room with friends. My notes are:
A very good showing for the eleven year old. This was tasted under a short decant and as expected a fruit forward style with all of the evident notes of blackberry, cassis and a finish of some still evident tannin which tells me that this wine has more room to improve. Very enjoyable
Tasted alongside the following:
2013 Rombauer Chardonnay
2013 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay
2010 Silver Oak Alexander Valley
2012 Stags' Leap The Leap
2012 Tor Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarosa Vineyard
2004 Château du Cèdre Cahors Le Cèdre
2004 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet
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10/16/2016 - Marc S wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry with a full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Always a great Cab.
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7/24/2016 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice wine that is drinking great right now! The flavors are all integrated, and nothing stood out as overbearing (including the oak!). This is what a great Cabernet should taste like! I don't see it improving much more, but it should keep ok for a few more years....My advice would be drink it more sooner than later (why chance it and it is drinking excellent right now! This is a wine sure to please everyone's palate (even those that don't care for Caymus because they think it is over-oaked).
The body is full, and tannins are smooth and has a wonderful perfumed nose. On the palate, you have a complex wine with layers of black fruit, chocolate, some spice, earth notes, bark and, of course oak...it is silky with no heat, and each sip leaves you wanting another. Very enjoyable wine that is drinking great right now!
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7/1/2016 - tom_wine Likes this wine: 88 Points
Complex with unctuous dark berry fruit and hints of licorice, pencil and dried herbs. Tannins are fine and fading. Fruit still alive but disappointed in the body -- more medium than what I expected. Doesn't live up to the reputation.
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6/19/2016 - RAD2626 wrote: 92 Points
Terrific nose and finish. Popped and poured. Tannins mellowed. Chocolate cherry taste. Just a lovely wine.
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3/31/2016 - cabber wrote: 94 Points
Cabernet Tasting 2001 - 2007 (Manhattan Beach, CA): Ruby red, medium body. Smooth, nice balance, ripe fruit, cedar, tobacco. Lovely.
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3/29/2016 - Neecies wrote:
Last opened a bottle in mid '13, which showed exceptionally well. This bottle didn't: dense, syruppy fruit on the mid-palate, cloying-sappy finish. Opening two hours in advance brought no miracles, but it became drinkable by adding a little water to each glass poured. The result didn't taste watered down; but fresher, revived.
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2/11/2016 - capacious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good wine, not sure the difference in cost with the regular Caymus is validated. Somewhat reserved, well integrated, probably as good as it will be.
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2/6/2016 - Napacablover Likes this wine: 96 Points
An exceptional bottle of wine! This vintage is one of my favorites for Caymus SS.
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1/16/2016 - Millennial Drinkers Likes this wine: 92 Points
C: Garnet red with bricking in the edges
N: Very complex. Started off savory and a little dirty with some meaty notes. Opened up with some perfume and anise. Oh and you can't forget the subtle undertones of cassis and blackberries through out the nose.
P: Moderate plus tannins (7/10) with a moderate plus body. Insanely sweet with a ton of cassis and literally like sugar on the palate. Still a little harsh due to some heat. Solid acidity in the finish. Very long finish, lingers for at least 30 seconds. Definitely had a few savory notes and quite a bit of baking spices.
O: Absolutely stunning wine. Had some tougher competition than we would have thought but a great wine. Drink till 2022. 92-93
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1/16/2016 - cab blends Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red with a dark fruit and light boiled sweet nose. Alcohol on the nose too with some rose perfume.
Lovely body with moderate tannins (7/10) and a medium to heavy body and very long finish. The fruity and I have to say sweetness (not just fruit) lasts right through the finish to the end. A good 60 sec and longer finish. A great wine but also see my note on the Witchery.
There is a little heat in the finish.
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1/1/2016 - webbaker wrote: 94 Points
Decanted about an hour and tasted over the next 24. Moderate amount of very fine sediment, cork in very good condition. Slightly lighter and thinner than expected, perhaps on the downward slide. Typical Caymus fruit forward profile, but the fruit toned down. Very enjoyable, but I'd expect more intensity at this price point.
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12/3/2015 - Bcw1989 wrote: 93 Points
Really in good shape. Paired with steaks and this wine did not disappoint. Held its own to a younger 2007 Hundred Acre. Tannins have softened, and dark inky look to it. Fruit ever present and nice long finish. A pleasure to drink.
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11/28/2015 - mkoss wrote: 88 Points
Very fruit forward with some acidity but overall a pretty simple, almost bland cab that didn't speak to me at all. Not a very interesting wine.
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11/15/2015 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Didn't realize I'd had my only other bottle of this 6 months earlier, but glad to see my notes are consistent. Guess I've just evolved away from Caymus SS (or vice versa). This struck me as big grape juice. Nothing much going on, except maybe last couple of sips second night under pump. Well made, but just not a great wine (by today's mid-90 point standards)
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10/17/2015 - smithto wrote: flawed
Unfortunately, the bottle was corked.
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7/3/2015 - BigPoppaMD Likes this wine: 96 Points
With Hook's 20-year Cheddar.
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5/23/2015 - levinml wrote: 90 Points
I'm usually a fan Caymus SS, but this was disappointing. Obviously well made and in balance, but only prevalent flavor was oak. No fruit to speak of. True over two nights under pump. Balance was good, but at the core, no good taste.
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3/29/2015 - Marc S wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and black currant with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Slow forming legs and in great harmony. A wonderful well balanced Cab
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3/24/2015 - Dasher Likes this wine: 94 Points
This one could of been open 15 to 20 years from now and still be drinking perfect. I did decant it for about an hour before I drink it throughout the night. A great bottle of wine.
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2/24/2015 - Francophile1 wrote: 86 Points
I was surprised at how little this wine showed tonight. The nose was very primary and the overall flavor profile was extremely restrained. We should have decanted this for at least an hour. As it turned out, it was only decanted for 10 minutes before consuming. It is our own fault that this wine didn't show better. Should have decanted it.
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2/8/2015 - ken-yyz Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very pretty cab from a historic CA estate. A nice balance of currant fruit and soft tannis with a great texture - not thin, not too thick, just right. Excellent.
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1/28/2015 - CLutesdfw wrote: 87 Points
Tasted peppery, somewhat disappointed
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1/17/2015 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 97 Points
I've given this a full ten years before a re-taste. Dark purple hues turning violet at the rim with lots and lots of sedimentation. The tasting notes since the last time have hardly changed except, as expected, slightly more mellow and refined. Still powerful, full-bodied, and heightened, but flavors are more easily discernable at this stage. This is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to provide drinking pleasure for the next ten years. Looking forward to taste this on 2019.
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1/10/2015 - wwarren Likes this wine: 92 Points
I rated this 3.5/5 (I have my own rating scale, translated: 88/100), my wife rated it 4/5 (92/100). I said it was fruity, too fruity, with insufficient anything else. I said that, but we drank the entire bottle with our steak, and I must admit that this wine, like a Burgundy, goes well with food. Some people on Cellar Tracker said, “better on the second day.” I bet they're right, but we didn’t leave any so we could not find out. I opened it and we drank it. So I rated in 4/5. I do agree with the comments that it was “silky smooth.”
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1/6/2015 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic Caymus.....at its best. Dark fruit, complex, jammy. Had this bottle at a restaurant. Hence, it was decanted for only a short while.....did not need more.
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1/3/2015 - The Wine Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
brilliant bottle epressive black fruit, currant, dark cherries, cedar, vanilla, hits of tobacco and coffee, full tannis with a long finish.
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11/9/2014 - spineguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lots going on here. Darker fruit. Complexity and layers on palate. Better on second day. In its prime now and will be for 5+ yrs.
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10/5/2014 - LFCHALA Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very similar to the 2006 Dominus, but a little less balanced.
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8/26/2014 - Marc S wrote: 94 Points
- Ruby color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of blackberry, strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Just a wonderful bottle of Cab. I think this wine is in total harmony and ready to go.
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8/25/2014 - jsebiri wrote:
very nice cab , lots of alcohol , some fruit , more pedestrian than what u expect from the label , berries , enjoyed
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8/14/2014 - WineGuyFL Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking well. Decanted for about 1 hour. Lots of life left. Was what I expect from Caymus SS.....which is good, not bad.
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8/11/2014 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Similar note to previous
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7/26/2014 - RJandGB Likes this wine: 94 Points
The 2005 and 2001 may have blown this vintage out (we opened 2000-2005 for a long dinner with friends (good friends)). It's all you expect and has years to run still.
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7/2/2014 - well-red wrote: 96 Points
decanted for 3 hrs, enjoyed with chocolate blueberries with friends at my 50th birthday.
The wine looks violet colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, gooseberry and black pepper. The body is full. The wine finishes long.
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5/9/2014 - CR lawrence Likes this wine: 95 Points
2004 Caymus Special Selection is such a consistently great wine to serve with dinner... this with a ribeye tonight. Scents of fresh fruit, forest floor after a summer rain, chocolate/coffee; tastes silky smooth, well integrated tannins, dark fruit, cassis, a little fig, bacon and a very long, balanced finish.
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4/25/2014 - pdemaio wrote: 93 Points
Prototypical Caymus, but didn't reach the heights of some SS. Also did a comparison with 04 Caymus and the differences were minute (much less than other years).
PDQ93
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4/1/2014 - Napacablover Likes this wine: 95 Points
Another awesome bottle of Caymus SS!
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2/16/2014 - VinoDiver wrote: 90 Points
This wine has fine tannins, with a very nice viscosity in a lighter bodied cabernet. There was not as much fruit showing as I would hope at this point for the wine, but it is drinking nicely. This wine was consumed over a couple of days with consistent notes.
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9/21/2013 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
"Fairwell Summer, Welcome Autumn" Wine Cellar & Al Fresco Dinner Party (La Jolla, California): Still having the appearance of a new-release wine, this opaque crimson Cabernet is packed with dark berries and currants, supported by aromas and flavors of licorice, chocolate and earth. Full-bodied, round and supple on the palate, it hides its 15.2% alcohol well. The tannins are massive but extremely sweet, giving the wine its backbone without any off-putting astringency. Solid in the middle, it ends in lengthy fashion. This wine's low acidity and refined tannins give it a "feminine" character. The forward fruit defines this gorgeous "lady" as being clad in bikini rather than evening gown. Drink now-2024.
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9/8/2013 - wren460 wrote: 93 Points
Delicious bottle. Still young but not that much. I think it is close to its prime, maybe 1 or 2 more years in the cellar. I had this wine along with the regular Caymus and believe it or not the regular Caymus was prefered over the SS by all of us but the reason was that it was more austere and better integrated. The SS will be a 95 pt wine in 2 years I think.
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8/23/2013 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ripe in colour, with violet and garnet, and a lighter rim. Blackberry jam (not in a bad way), hot bricks, medium roast coffee and guava chiffon cake, then showing black tea. Long and full-bodied, bordering the extremities, then finesse shines through. Very youthful and deep; velvety tannins. Drink now - 2024.
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8/18/2013 - Neecies Likes this wine: 94 Points
It has been so long since I had a CSS that I forgot how truly gorgeous these wines can be. Same floral nose I remember from the '91 a friend opened a few years ago, with complex, concentrated layers of fruit and spice. Silky, opulent, swoon-worthy. Popped and poured over the backyard fence to follow neighbor's 04 Karl Lawrence which was great but no competition for this wine. Will outlive the KL but it's drinking so well now that it will be hard to leave my remaining bottles alone.
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7/14/2013 - JJB1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
93 all day long
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7/5/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 92 Points
Smooth and silky. The tannins are completely integrated. Plenty of ripe plum and cassis fruit remain.
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6/21/2013 - 64 Squares wrote: 93 Points
Echoing the 2013 comments below, this is in it's drinking window right now and is simply stupendous. I have another bottle and will probably wait 6-12 months to pop it. It may have a little more evolution left, but certainly ready now. Great on its own, but even better with food.
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6/1/2013 - DY1978 wrote:
Wow. Drinking great right now. Best wine I've had this year
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5/29/2013 - Al-Vino wrote: 93 Points
Terrific bottle that needs no further cellaring. Surprised at how quickly the tannins have softened over the past 3 years. Maybe there is truth to the notion that these aren't really built for long-term cellaring. Still great wine, just don't waste 'em by waiting too long to drink.
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3/17/2013 - PASimon wrote: 91 Points
Very good....in a nice drinking window now. But Wagner makes em to drink young....so don't wait too long.
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2/9/2013 - n8540 wrote: 92 Points
Closed at first. Decanted and it was delicious after about 30 minutes.
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1/20/2013 - Marc S wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color. It's balanced and has flavours of blackberry, raspberry and strawberry with a full body. Silky texture with a long finish - Shared with my study group.
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1/13/2013 - Marc S wrote: 91 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, raspberry, strawberry and strawberry jam with a full body. Juicy texture with a long finish - Dark ruby red in color. Always a great bottle of Cab.
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1/3/2013 - sonodoc Likes this wine: 96 Points
Outstanding wine. Complex, but still with lots of red fruit still. Smooth, well balanced, silky, moderate tannins.
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11/20/2012 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Complex nose of dark cherry, dark chocolate, coffee, toasted oak, vanilla, rich, ethereal Rutherford earth with heightened alcohol (15.2%). Full-bodied, powerful, yet comes in a creamy, smooth, velvety texture with toasted nutty vanilla, red cherry upon layers of chocolate fudge and spice. Finishes very smooth, long and sweet. This is, by far, the best Special Selection I've tasted. Drink from 2012 to 2024.
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10/26/2012 - GEDC wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 30 minutes. Very American style cab 15.2% alcohol. Dark fruits toasty oak. Finish a tad hot. Big price tag in my opinion not worth the 130 bones....
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10/14/2012 - King JR wrote: 90 Points
Not the best bottle ive had. Fruit seemed over whelmed by the alcohol last night. Decanted for 2 hours. Wondering if it needed more time or is it at the end. Still very nice wine, with very strong and present tannins.
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9/18/2012 - King JR wrote: 94 Points
Excellent bottle! Very smooth. Wonderful, still seems like there are still a few years left on this bottle as well.
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9/16/2012 - erikes wrote: 86 Points
Jammy black fuit forward, with sharp jagged tannins. Too hot and unfortunately, not enough mid palate to cool off the heat in this wine. Disconnected.
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9/8/2012 - bhalljr wrote:
I enjoy Caymus SS. Can definitely tell it's a Cali Cab. Would like to see about 5 more years on my next one.
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8/21/2012 - WineGuyDelMar Likes this wine: 95 Points
What can you say about this wine that hasn't already been said. Super ripe, super extraction and a unique wine by California standards. The color is purple and will remind most of a syrah instead of a cabernet. The wine is still young, I don't think the wine will change much if it's opened for a couple of hours or several hours as the tannins are still very strong yet not overpowering. For me, this is a wine of contrast and to show a style of California Cabernet that I don't think is duplicated. That being said, it's also not a wine that I want to drink everyday even though it is incredible. For those that drink a lot of this wine, you know what I'm talking about. I would like to drink this wine as it is starting to plateau but I couldn't begin to tell you when this might be, maybe 5-10 years from now.
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6/25/2012 - cab blends wrote: 95 Points
My Classic Trio; 6/17/2012-6/25/2012: This is a powerful fruit bomb straight from the bottle. Strong tannins yet silky. This fruity style I enjoy as outstanding with cheese and before or after the meal - too fruity for me with the steak and meal. It actually didn't work well with the meal. Will age for a number of years still. I tried it the next day and still the same; the fruit has not subsided.
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5/20/2012 - Napacablover wrote: 97 Points
Drank this bottle alongside a 2005 Sherwin Estate cab. The Sherwin was great but didn't compare to the Caymus. It was outstanding right out of the bottle and even got better as it got air. This is one of my favorite wines ever! What a great way to cap off an incredible night!! Celebrating my son's graduation from college.
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5/19/2012 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
Dark rubuy in color. Wine is slightly hot. Loaded with berries. Cherry, blackberries and blackcurrant predominate. Wine might need a little more time.
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5/12/2012 - Jbmesser wrote: 96 Points
Mmmmmmmm
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4/17/2012 - webbaker wrote: 94 Points
Nice balance of fruit and depth. Drinking very nicely. Big fruit, but not cloyingly so. Special selection at its best.
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4/16/2012 - pdemaio wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with previous tasting notes. Spice, Cotton candy, smooth, long finish. Perhaps a some RS. Lovely. PDQ94+
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4/8/2012 - Bcw1989 wrote: 94 Points
Popped and poured. This vintage is ready to drink and doesn't lose anything over the evening. Very jammy with hints of chocolate, berries, and leather tones. Tannins have softened very nicely. Really enjoyed this wine later as it gained more complexity and finish. Great experience.
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4/8/2012 - prez wrote: 90 Points
Nearing the end. Good pepper and cherry, but weak finish.
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3/24/2012 - Milos wrote: 94 Points
Very much like the last bottle about eight months ago.. The nose delivers trainload of red fruit with just a hint of dark red fruit, touch of cedar and mineral earthy notes. The palate is plush. The touch of sweetness of the fruit is nicely balanced by the underlaying acidity; tannins are subdued and fine. Good finish. This time the alcohol stayed hidden, maybe the temperature of the wine was little lower than last time. Very nice.
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2/20/2012 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
Drank these two with one of Charlie's. Some bottle variation between them. The best was very open and inviting, with rich Caymus flavor. The worst was still good, but more like a base Caymus (still very good).
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1/26/2012 - Bcw1989 wrote: 92 Points
Just a pure classic expression of California Cabernet. Vibrant aroma with complex finish lasting at least 30 seconds. Hints of coffee, berry, cocoa still with some tannins. The wine improved over the evening. This is great to drink now, definitely still has at least 5 more years of cellaring. Can be drank by itself or with food. This is just a great wine.
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12/26/2011 - BRSAustinTex wrote: 92 Points
Huge nose, eucalyptus, darker fruits... mid palate is class cali cab of chocolate, cherry, leather, but long finish shows pronounced tannins that tighten up the experience. Great but definitely has many years ahead of it.
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12/25/2011 - piggly44 wrote: 93 Points
Agreed that this is a great bottle now, not at all past it's prime, but could probably still go a couple more years as well. Enjoyed it on Christmas with a nice prime rib. The high alcohol finish is the only draw back as previously mentioned here. Very little nose upon opening but it decanted for a little over an hour and opened up nicely. Sad to see it go!
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11/14/2011 - pdemaio wrote: 96 Points
2004 caymus special select. Really coming of age. Beautiful wine with great delicacy and balance. Nose had light backing spice AMD red fruit. Body was very smooth and many layered. Finish for a minute. Not a single misstep. Pdq96
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11/13/2011 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Similar note to previous
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11/13/2011 - King JR wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic wine. Huge nose. Very smooth although quite the bruiser. Lots of fruit on the nose with at least a 60 second finish. This could still use another year or two.
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8/21/2011 - Marc S wrote: 90 Points
Always a great bottlef Cab. I think this wine is ready to drink at this time.I think this wine has peaked.
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8/12/2011 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
Prominent cassis. Detected a bit more heat on finish than in previous bottles. I plan on drinking these up over the next couple of years...
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8/7/2011 - blaine wrote: 88 Points
I'll stick with my previous notes. Had this one at the end of the night to enjoy its port-like qualities...it didn't disappoint on that front. Top fuel, as my wife called it. Came up a bit flabby at the end, not surprising for what it is.
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7/30/2011 - Milos wrote: 93 Points
2004 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 2011 07 30
Dinner at Inn on the Twenty. Reviewing the Community notes after the dinner I see wide divergence of opinion. So here is my view. This is a very decent wine to drink now. The colour does not reveal much about aging, still bright and intense. The nose delivers trainload of red fruit with just a hint of dark red fruit but certainly not overripe, touch of cedar and mineral earthy notes. The palate is, in one word, plush. The touch of sweetness of the fruit is nicely balanced by the underlaying acidity; tannins are subdued and fine. Decent finish. But then that is where I find fault with the wine. The alcohol takes over on the finish. I would score it much higher if the alcohol did not show up at the end. And time is not going to help that.
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7/13/2011 - CR lawrence wrote:
Great wine and friends!
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7/1/2011 - ntdavis1 wrote: 92 Points
Drink now.
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5/29/2011 - blaine wrote: 88 Points
Big brooding monster. Seemed even bigger than the 15.2% alcohol would predict. Not overly hot, but fully extracted while still in balance. Some might like this style, but I'm for at least a bit of nuance...this is about as nuanced as a aluminum bat to the head. Typical Caymus style, just dialed to 11 on every aspect.
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5/14/2011 - 2Travel wrote: 94 Points
Charlie's Retirement Party: This came after the St. Henri, and before the CdP. This bottle was much better than the first of these. Cassis and plum on the nose. Super fine tannins. Started with cherry flavors, then transitioned through red fruit to blueberry and boysenberry. Just outstanding in the mouth. Only lacking a little structure from being classic.
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3/28/2011 - melli0 wrote: 85 Points
This bottle was such a dissapointment. Maybe I waited too long to open it. Was purchased direct from the winery and stored at 55 ever since. This is typical of what is wrong with so many Cali wines: high alcohol, too much jammy ruit, no complexity, generally boring.
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3/4/2011 - limule wrote: 95 Points
Splendide, JoJo & ET agneau sauce mechouï
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1/30/2011 - Renegade wrote: 80 Points
This wine has a deep dark purple color to it, heavy body and an overwhelming 15.2% alcohol. It gives off aromas of dark fruits, licorice, graphite, cassis and a little cedar. It tastes of dark fruits, mineral, cassis and a little of what seems like cedar. Overall, not the most impressive Caymus Special Select. This wine does not have a prayer at aging like the older Special Selects will. If you like a meal in a glass and something that really does not pair well with any type of food, this is a good wine for you. I do not see this being much more than a 12 to at most 15 year wine from vintage date. Hopefully it improves, but I have my doubts given the lack of acidity to balance out the tannin. The alcohol is not a pleasant aroma nor is it really good in the flavor as well. The fruit will not outlast the tannin.
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1/30/2011 - Jody Smith wrote:
My first SS, and likely my last at this price. Although there was nothing wrong with this wine, and it provided pleasurable drinking, there wasn't anything special about it either. Rich black fruit, ripened beyond variety typicity. Could be cab, could be Syrah - who knows. Sweet and toasty. Nice tannin quality though. With air, nice lingering grippy finish. Not much else to say.
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1/1/2011 - Kaizah Likes this wine: 94 Points
I was reluctant to pull this wine based on other reviews indicating the wine was 12-18 months over its prime. After decanting for several hours, I found this wine to be really nice and thought it could easily lay down a bit longer.
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1/1/2011 - cab blends wrote: 96 Points
New Year's Day Party: Wow - this is a rich. thick and juicy bomb (on the palate not on the nose) of a wine that can lie down for a decade or more still. Decanted for 3 hours but still extremely powerful. A light nose that doesn't jump out at you, but strong chocolate and moderately heavy tannins on the palate (with a little touch of heat from its youth I imagine) I left a glass for 12 hours by mistake and tasted it again alter (thus 15 hours equivalent in the decanter) and it had mellowed amazingly. Rich chocolate and dark fruit. I will leave the rest of my case to lie for at least 1 to 2 years before trying another one.
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1/1/2011 - BRSAustinTex wrote: 90 Points
Had with a grilled whole tenderloin and was a good match. I'd agree with earlier posters that it is in a VERY fruity, overly extracted, almost jammy state. Would've been nice to have had some more tannin and/or oak. Raspberry, cherry, a bit of chocolate. Wondering if it will evolve or if this is it?
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12/25/2010 - bayareadodgerfan Likes this wine: 90 Points
This bottle was perhaps a bit past its prime with fruit having receded a bit too far. However, we thought it was well balanced between fruit and wood. Nice silky mouth feel and decent finish, with both fruit and wood notes carrying through. There was an alcohol "hotness" but not enough to derail a nice wine. Wish I had opened it 12-18 months sooner. Had it with roast beef tenderloin which was a nice combination.
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12/19/2010 - esb wrote:
Holiday Gathering: One hour decant. Aroma of forest floor, tobacco with very light, background plummy blueberry. Intermittent alcohol was noticeable on the nose. Same flavors but finishes with clear soil/dust. The primary fruit has almost completely faded. In the mouth big, ripe, dense, and long finishing with light/medium fine tannin. Enjoyable but lacks fruit purity/complexity due to extreme ripeness. I would wait on this.
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12/19/2010 - ptelgenh wrote: 94 Points
Wow, this was fantastic. Big black fruit, rich and silky. Long finish with firm tannins. This is peaking
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12/18/2010 - leadpencil wrote: 90 Points
Dark red, full bodied. Raspberry, cherry, vanilla. Some over-ripeness, but good.
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12/17/2010 - 2Travel wrote: 91 Points
Very good, but disappointing bottle. Fruit is pretty much gone, and secondary flavors are not completely integrated (at least yet). Result is a pleasant but not compelling mix of meat, licorice, and cedar flavors on a nice structure, with very good residual tannin.
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11/25/2010 - pdemaio wrote: 94 Points
continues to impress. Great nose, with tons of fruit and some spice. Licorice/anise are the top notes of an extremely smooth bottle of wine... Finish for days.
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11/20/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours prior to drinking. This was consumed alongside a 2003 SS. Rich cassis flavors and aromas. It continued to evolve and improve during the meal, smooth tannins on a long finish. Was the clear favorite of the two vintages
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11/15/2010 - calicabnut wrote: 93 Points
I have to change my rating on this wine. The last note I entered was on 11/14 from wine we had on 11/13. We did not finish the bottle but (vacuum) recorked it and put it back in the cellar and finished it tonight 11/15, two days after first opening it.
In the two days since opening it the wine lost nearly all of its structure and became quite one-dimensional, fruit-laden and almost jammy. A huge let down after how enormously good it was on the day we opened it. I believe this is signalling that its near the end of its time, although I would have expected the opposite, for it to lose its fruit, not for it to become fruit dominant.
It's still a very good wine but not the wine it was two days ago and given the conditions it was stored for two days it would not have been expected to move very much at all given the structure it showed on opening day.
Any wine acting this radically is approaching the end of its time. I wouldn't recommend aging this wine much longer and would strongly recommend opening it on a day when it will be finished.
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11/14/2010 - calicabnut Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic. Purple to the edge on the pour, delicious fruity aromas filled the air as it poured, my how I love it when that happens! Very good on pour but needed about an hour in the decanter to really show its stuff. Unbelievably round and silky, so, so smooth. Red cherry chocolate, kirsch, cassis, nutmeg and a dash of mint hidden in there somewhere. Superbly smooth finish, I don't think I've had wine with a finish this smooth, just goes on and on.
Had a bottle of this in 2008 and another in 2009 and it was very good but the difference this year was remarkable. I'm not normally a big Caymus fan but this one got me, time truly did it for this wine. It was great fun watching it change and mature into what it is today. Got two left and see no reason to risk any longer in the cellar as I really don't know what I would want from it that's not there today. The future of the other two is without a doubt gonna be short lived!!
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10/6/2010 - mplasker wrote: 90 Points
Big well balanced Cabernet. Overpowering when first opened. Softened up considerably after 15 minutes. 2004 is a great year for napa cabs.
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9/22/2010 - Hercules wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic! Classic Napa Valley Cab. Full body, in your face cab. It doesn't get much better than this.
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9/10/2010 - King JR wrote: 95 Points
This wine is spectacular. Beautiful fruit-filled nose, with devine silky smooth tannins. This may not be the 2007 for depth and complexity, but it really stands up to top flight 2nd growth Bordeaux and top Super Tuscans. Really nice wine. Definitely ready to go.
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9/6/2010 - King JR wrote: 95 Points
Wow! Decanted for about 30 minutes. Magnificent nose - full of fruit (cherry and blackberry) but also tasted the earthiness. Plenty of acidity and tannin and lots of legs on the glass, yet smooth as silk. Definitely ready to drink now, but appears that it could last many more years. Tasted next to the. Barnett Spring Mountain (2007) which was also really nice, but the Caymus was truly "Special".
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9/1/2010 - Wink wrote: 96 Points
Served to Billie and Greg with beef tenderloin. No notes. Amazing wine: beautiful, fruit-forward, balanced, focused, the whole package. Drinking really well. Wish I had more. This is a strong candidate for WOTY.
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8/29/2010 - jcbrand wrote: 92 Points
Overall I gave this a 93 on the first night and a 92 on the second. Jess gave it a 91 on the first night and a 90 on the second. I appreciate this style, which is why I rated it so high, but it was a too much for me. The oak was so over the top I almost had to pull splinters out of my mouth; the oak monster is alive and well. I even opened one of my favorite Napa cabs (2006 Chappellet Signature) as a comparison to make sure my palate was in check. Other than that, this is a well built big Napa cab with great balance and a huge finish.
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8/29/2010 - winebot wrote:
One of five different cabs or cab blends served at a "Filet and Cabernet" dinner party, including 2002 Insignia, 2004 Rudd Oakville Estate, 2005 Pahlmeyer and 2006 Far Niente Oakville. Hints of coffee and caramel paired beauftifully with filet and gorgonzola dolce. Back of the throat finish, smooth and silky. My rating in this expecptional group of wines was number five, but still rated at least 93 - 94 points. One guest used it as his control when tasting the other wines and rated it number 2.
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8/28/2010 - Al-Vino wrote: 95 Points
Floral gem with outstanding structure and finish. Needs 2 hour decant.
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8/22/2010 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Wonderful big fruit. Plenty of room for improvement.
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8/9/2010 - Eduhersp wrote: 97 Points
Had it at my favorite Trattoria in Rockridge.
Spectacular! What can I say. Best Caymus I have had to date. Classic Caymus nose and more. Tons of flavors, complex and a fabulous finish. Drinking beautifully. Next time I will take notes. RP had it right on this one.
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7/28/2010 - A&C wrote: 91 Points
This was pretty good, but is not really taking on any new dimensions with time. It lost out to a Phelps Insignia, and it was really no contest.
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7/4/2010 - Hercules wrote: 95 Points
Loved it. Smooth and full bodied. What a cab should be. Will get better over the next 5-10 years.
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5/28/2010 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 93 Points
Another great bottle. Classic Cali Cab nose. Heavy sediment- this was ready to go from a pop and pour stand point, but I'd decant next time.
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3/14/2010 - DA Wines wrote: 94 Points
Excellent wine....always impresses...powerful nose and wonderful taste!
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2/18/2010 - A&C wrote: 90 Points
This followed a 96 Harlan Maiden, and a 2002 Harlan Maiden, so it was in tough competition. In contrast to the Maidens, this wine seemed overly tannic. I would wait. It is not ready yet, and the fruit was hiding.
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1/16/2010 - vinole wrote: 92 Points
First Offline of the Decade (Boca Raton, FL): Currant, plum, and cherry fruit, with higher acidity than most Napa cabs, and still some tannin to resolve, but still was smooth and drank well. Will likely improve in the future.
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1/7/2010 - A&C wrote: 92 Points
Same as earlier reviews.
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1/2/2010 - KWC3141 wrote: 93 Points
drinking even better now
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12/31/2009 - AMeatWithVino wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours prior to tasting. Great nose that permeated the room! Nose of vanilla, chocolate cedar and black fruit. Wonderful soft tannins and a very approachable wine now. Very complex and layered wine that should evolve for years to come.
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12/31/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby. Nose of dark berries, currant and mocha. Palate is medium bodied, complex and polished with fairly silky tannins providing good structure. Nice long finish.
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12/13/2009 - MBKDK wrote: 93 Points
Dark color can only see a hint of the bottom of the glass.
Powerful nose a lot vanilla, perfume, caramel candy
Taste: tons of licorice, spice, pepper,plum, dark dried fruit, tannins present but not overwhelming. Good length and aftertaste. Would be an excellent companion for a big juicy steak.
Very nice wine, but perhaps not all that nuanced considering the pricetag.
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12/12/2009 - JimN wrote: 95 Points
Oh, wow! First bottle from this vintage, and wondering why I waited for so long. Loads of dark berries, hint of dark chocolate. Silky in your mouth; great balance. This has structure for aging, but I just can't imagine it will get any better. I have made the mistake of holding some of the SS for too long, and I won't make that mistake with this vintage.
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11/25/2009 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Dark luscious wine. The edges have rounded a bit on this, but the firm tannins really matched well with a Wagyu steak. Bitter cherries on finish. Has more finesse than many Cali cabs.
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10/24/2009 - Al-Vino wrote: 95 Points
Liquid Gold...Outstanding! Surprisingly approachable now but no harm in letting this bottle rest for a few years.
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10/10/2009 - A&C wrote: 92 Points
I had just come back from a long-drive out-of-state, and felt like making an Autumn feast. Prepared home-made butternut squash rigatoni with fresh sea scallops, and needed a rich wine to pair with the cozy feast. My spouse wanted a "big Cabernet," so I popped and poured this gem. Wonderful nose upon opening, and very rich, complex and layered. Not quite as good as the last bottle I had, but I attribute this to the fact that I was completely exhausted from my journey. Nonetheless, it was a great pairing with the richness of the butternut squash sauce.
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10/3/2009 - ews3 wrote: 94 Points
Blind Reds (Roberts House): Tasted blind. tobacco, coffee, chocolate, black currant, lead, black cherry. long finish. a touch of heat after 25 sec. initial thought was a high end merlot, but settled on a high end cali cabernet with merlot in blend. very good quality and my (and I believe the group's) WOTN.
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10/3/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote: 93 Points
Blind Red Throw Down! (Our House (2033 Brandywine St., Philadelphia)): Tasting double blind. Clearly a classy bottle. Dark dense and brooding. Chocolate covered cherry. Pencil shavings, cigar box. Bordeaux profile? Gave off a very Merlot-like profile initially so Right Bank? This is soft silky hedonistic. Great concentration with fine tannins. This has plenty of time ahead of it. Revealed to be Caymus 04, showing the quality of the 04 vintage.
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9/21/2009 - DTWOB wrote: 91 Points
Nice bottle of wine - overpriced, but nice.
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9/5/2009 - mplasker wrote: 93 Points
Great bottle of Cabernet. Took about 20 minutes to open up. Great nose, great legs and most of all great taste.
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8/28/2009 - A&C wrote: 95 Points
On a night that included an 02 The Maiden, an 04 Matriarch, an 06 Archaval Ferrer Finca Mirador, an 02 The Standish, an 05 Winter, and an 07 Velvet Glove, this wine was the consensus #2 wine, just below The Maiden, and just ahead of Matriarch. A wonderfully open, Cab fruit-filled, delight. Drinking wonderfully right now. I love this wine.
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8/28/2009 - j.knuth wrote: 90 Points
Call me irresponsible, but I don't think this stuff is ready to go...for a while. It opened up a bit after a few hours, but still dangerous stuff. Keep away from open flames as it may ignite!. After it settled down, came together okay, but still, my vote is leave it sleep a few more years.
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7/27/2009 - KWC3141 wrote: 92 Points
This never disappoints. Thick powerful cab. a bit sweet and rounded tannins. Good balance, great flavor and mouthfeel. Drinking very well right now.
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6/14/2009 - KPB wrote: 91 Points
Deep burgundy... nose is "very cabernet" with cassis fruit, leather and tar, licorice. Very aggressive, intense on the palate with ripe fruit, high acidity, powerful tannic structure. I'm clearly drinking this on the young side! My rating is too low if you love wines like this... add 5 points if you like...
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5/18/2009 - Urodude wrote: 92 Points
Excellent. A little hot for me, but this settled after 1 hour. Wonderful nose, long finish. Will look for more
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4/22/2009 - SUN-J wrote: 93 Points
No notes . . . just recall this being a classic CA rich cab. Lots of oak but solid fruit/acidity to provide balance. Nice wine. Not worth $100+ IMO but so many CA cabs are at this price that it holds it's own I guess.
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4/19/2009 - BB52 wrote: 95 Points
Had a bottle of this last night with a Delmonico steak. Awesome! Paired with a 1996 Quilaceda Creek. All at the table preferred the 04 Caymus. Mello, earthy, a favotite for sure.
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4/16/2009 - pdemaio wrote: 96 Points
Awesome example of California cab. Touch of chalky earth on the nose. Wonderful open on tongue. Great structure with excellent tanic and acidic balance. Full boddied, but not overpowering. Extremely long smooth finish with absolutely nothing disagreeble. Just a wonderful wine in every sense.
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4/12/2009 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Popped (but not poured) and allowed to air for an hour and then drank over an additional two hours. Red, opaque color in the glass with fresh aromas of currant, cedar and cassis - a bit of alcohol but not overwhelming. After a few swirls in the glass this unfolded into a multi layered, juicy explosion of flavor - lots of currant and cassis, and a nice mid-palate milk chocolate. There was a smoothness to this that is not vanilla, cream or butter but something like that, that I never quite identified. There was a firm acidity, but the tannins are incredibly smooth and integrated. This is a pleasure to drink and I'm so glad I have more to drink over the next 10-20 years. Served with Lisa's chicken enchiladas.
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4/7/2009 - City Wine Journal wrote: 94 Points
A "Back from Bordeaux" bottle, decanted and enjoyed 2 hours at home. Rich, ripe, dark and delicious. Nose is black fruit and cedar - not vanilla or cloyingly sweet, just succulent and juicy. The 15.2% alcohol is not very apparent, things are balanced at a high level, and more years will continue to integrate the great fruit and not-dominant oak spice in the bottle. It drinks well no matter when you open it. Fresh, well structured and long. A great 100% cabernet.
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4/4/2009 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Black red in color. Tastes and aromas match color- Dark chocolate and licorice. Dark, bitter pit fruits. Opulent yet balanced. Plenty of tannins and acidity. Definitely a food wine- which isn't always the case with Cal cabs- seamless pairing with beef filet. We really enjoyed this.
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3/29/2009 - jcable wrote: 94 Points
Very dark in the glass with a floral and fruity but tight tanic nose, but the tanins were soft in the mouth leving the fruit. Opened quickly and the tanins softened in the nose and what was left was simply remarkable. THE FINISH! So long. A great wine. Great structure, could cellar for many years more but was great now.
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3/27/2009 - bhalljr wrote: 93 Points
Not a bad bottle. With Caymus SS, you're guranteed a smooth wine that will drink well.
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1/18/2009 - PMac-redwine wrote: 95 Points
We decanted for five hours but recommend a few more. It has an impressive Concord Grape-color. Pipe Tobacco, black currant, dark Sumatra roast coffee permeate the nose. The lush tannins and acidity really wallop with an uppercut...wow, a wine so huge it nearly demolished our ribeye steaks. The multi-faceted mid palate-to-finish features blackberry jam, Skoal chewing tobacco, distinct almond and chocolate (almost a Mars bar) impressions. Big but completely balanced! The finish averaged 45 plus seconds.
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1/18/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 93 Points
not decanted. it's been about 2 years since i last tasted this wine, and although i didn't post that note on CT!, i remember it being pretty good. this is two nights in a row for 04 cab (corra last night), and the vintage is showing well. nicely rounded tannins, and plenty of fruit in this medium bodied, soft/feminine wine. very luscious.
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12/24/2008 - masonjp wrote: 94 Points
Very big and bold cab with blackberry nose and elegant velvety palate that lingers on for days. Best cali. cab I've had in years.
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12/19/2008 - redpine42 wrote: 96 Points
Nice smooth finish that last for 2 minutes. Well balanced, silky delicous fruit.
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12/9/2008 - jonwill wrote: 94 Points
Dark ruby red color with a deep, invigorating nose. Dark fruit upfront with a neverending finish. Decanted for about an hour - needs more than this. High alcohol was noted, but an amazing blend with many years in front of it.
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11/25/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 91 Points
I called Caymus and asked if this needed to be decanted and they said it didn't. They were wrong, this needs about a 2 hour decant. My first taste of this was very tight with an abundance of acidity on the finish. The nose was muted out of the blocks. Over time this relaxed a bit but never really struck a cord with me. The nose got better with time. The acidity faded a bit but it was still out of synch. Not enough fruit but I enjoyed the grip of the wine. I was hoping to be blowen away for the $150 ticket price and reputation of the producer but I wasn't. Good with my meal at Perilla but not a 'wow' experience.
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11/16/2008 - Troon wrote: 92 Points
I also tasted blind along side 2005 Opus One, 2003 Silver Oak, and 2001 Rubicon. Took a long time to open up. Big fruit with tastes of strawberry jam. I think this wine could use a few more years in the cellar.
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11/16/2008 - MWes wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind with 2005 Opus One, 2003 Silver Oak Napa, and 2001 Rubicon. This was my #2 wine behind the Opus. It started off tight, but after about 1.5 hours of total decant time, it really started to open up. To me, this is classic California Cabernet; it is all about the fruit. I got huge flavors of sweet berries and it finished with spicy oak. This is delicious and has years of life ahead of it.
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11/14/2008 - pakabear wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. In the decanter there are some nice blackberry notes, but in the glass it has a good core of dark fruit, but oak is showing through fairly heavily. Moderate tannins, this wine will age a good 10-15 years with no problem.
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11/10/2008 - Tom_B wrote: 95 Points
It was tasted alongside a '96 Caymus bottling. Showing much more intensity, new oak and deeper black fruit notes, with lots of spice.
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10/12/2008 - bigdogflow wrote: 94 Points
Very dark color. I love the dark chocolate taste in this wine. Absolutely Amazing!
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10/6/2008 - Terkel wrote: 94 Points
BYO Californian (Le Sommelier): Dark red color with a purple hue. Aromas of juicy black currant, black cherries and some mint. Drinking extremely pleasantly, with loads of delicious juicy fruit. Starting with clean black currant but over the midpalate and finish its more plum and prunes, but a bit imprecise on the finish. Perfect balanced by fruit acidity and the dry tannins. It is amazing how well this was drinking right now.
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9/30/2008 - bhalljr wrote: 94 Points
Compared next to a 2004 Caymus Special Selection. Neither bottles were decanted. First impression from the group of 4 was the smoothness of the Caymus SS and the tannins of the Hartwell. I still liked the strong nose of the Hartwell compared to that of the Caymus SS. The other 3 initially liked the Caymus SS but once the Hartwell had a couple of hours to breathe, the tannins softened and became velvety smooth. It was probably a little early for both bottles but wanted to compared the same vintage for 2 incredible wines. Neither was the loser. Both were ultimately fantastic, but if we had to choose the Hartwell was the overall winner.
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9/7/2008 - mcneil7 wrote: 94 Points
Dark fruits Cassis blackberry chocolate to the nose. Well balanced some tanins loads of spice. Long linger. Wonderful wine with loads of life left
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6/27/2008 - Taylor56 wrote: 93 Points
Double-decanted. This is going to be a fabulous bottle of wine when it matures. Medium weight with very nice (medium to dark fruit. Needs time.
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6/2/2008 - brewking wrote: 93 Points
deep purple to the rim, unfolds with many layers. drank over two days and it was awesome
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6/1/2008 - Phin wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Medium body+. Fantastic smoke and coffee. Great dark fruits with smooth creamy delivery.
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5/14/2008 - hifiwine wrote: 96 Points
on par with the last tasting. Fantastic
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5/9/2008 - shiraz guy wrote: 95 Points
My notes are very similar to sasdax. Just awesome, and better that I got it as a birthday present from future father in law. He rocks!
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3/8/2008 - sasvino wrote: 95 Points
Wish this was an everyday bottle, I do not normally drink at this price point but a friend brought it over, so take my notes as is. I thought it awesome, full bodied, well balanced, thick flavors through finish. What was distinguishing was how the flavors lingered well beyond the finish. Big fruit on the front blackberry and cherry, chocolate feel in the mid palate with hints of vanilla. It was elegant and powerful at this sametime. Will certainly age well with time.
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1/14/2008 - GreatLibations wrote: 93 Points
Purple ink grape ape. Strong concentrated aromatics make their way to my nostrils from arms length. Heavy aromas of blackcherry, plumb and nectarine, red licorice, and a flash of vanilla bean and sweet tobacco. Full body with luscious, supple tannins. This wine is decadent as usual with fat, greasy blackfruit figuring prominantly. Jammy plumb and raspberries tune in with an underlying citrus acidity. A mild herbaciousness shows with a vanilla overcoat, anise, black currant and pepper, all caught up in a bath of cranberry jelly. The tannins show mild yet chewy. Remember the Never Ending Story ? Well this is how SS ends...it doesn't. Big ole fruit bomb with just enough tannic backbone to balance. I hope you have a good dentist.
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1/13/2008 - GZ3 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 3 hours. Well balanced and velvety tannins. I'll wait a couple of years before opening the next.
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12/29/2007 - ChinonRouge wrote: 92 Points
With guests, I popped and poured this bottle. While it was very good, it is capable of so much more. I regret not decanting it. Poppers and pourers miss out on the phenomenal aromatics that this wine has.
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12/4/2007 - Double-A Does not like this wine:
Rich currant, vanilla and floral nose. Full and dense; over-ripe and over-extracted; hot finish. Too much stuff.
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12/4/2007 - cobystilp wrote: 95 Points
Big. Perfumed. Deep. Bold. This is a huge new world wine. I enjoy all the layers.
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12/4/2007 - The Wine Guy wrote: 94 Points
well balanced and integrated wine, deep red currant, cherry, soft oak decanted for 1 hour shared with friends.... did not disapoint and excellent
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10/28/2007 - GA wrote: 95 Points
10/07 Dark purple - full-bodied - concentrated intense blackcherry dark fruit - complex smokey oak layered finish - powerful wine - high alcohol - young but well-balanced and approachable - decanting and time softens and rounds the finish. 95 pts.
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10/12/2007 - Pinot Evil wrote: 94 Points
A wonderful big cab, purple cassis and mild tannin.
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8/24/2007 - wildcat fan wrote: 94 Points
this is absolutely top notch-thanks Roger
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8/11/2007 - the godfather wrote: 93 Points
Year in and year out this surely has to be the best cali cab. Lots of sweet oak and smooth tannin, nice balance and a ton of fruit
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8/7/2007 - shiraz guy wrote: 96 Points
No notes taken, but this was phenomenal. I'll give it a 96+. Expensive, but worth it for sure.
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7/30/2007 - yeastbeast wrote: 95 Points
Had several glasses of this at a truly decadent wine country party last night. Phenomenal concentration and density, with overwhelming dark fruit. It's like two glasses of wine in one. Still relatively young with bristly tannins peeking through the dense undergrowth of chocolate and coffee. The price is unjustifiably high, but this is the King of Cabs.
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7/29/2007 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
Heavy. Like doing 5 g's in a spaceship simulator. Dark purple, ruby sides. Cassis, dark fruit and a bit of smoky earth on the nose. Full bodied (think obese), huge fruit concentration, with some chocolate. Enjoyable, good potential structure. Definitely California. Too young, though tannins were not very evident. Not yet about complexity, the high score is due to the amazing fruit. Swashing around the mouth is like swimming through quick sand. Tasty quick sand!
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7/19/2007 - psmith wrote:
Juicy and ripe. Dark fruit notes, considerable oak influence in a characteristic Caymus dill way. Plush mouthfeel and corse tannins. Tasty wine.
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7/7/2007 - Hillbilly wrote: 93 Points
I was prepared to diss this wine, but found it pretty good and quite drinkable. Ready to drink style, sweet fuit and not overwhelmed with oakiness at present, still has a bit of a spine. Tastes like a generic cocktail of Napa, but just not distinguished. Still, the best Caymus SS I've had...my experience only dating since 99. Not worth the price, but still a nice wine for today.
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6/22/2007 - mmyette wrote: 95 Points
My God this is an excellent wine. Layered and complex, it started out with silky dark chocolate and raspberries, swirled into maple sugar, and the vanilla creme-broulet came out on the fat midpalate. The finish lingered, and the acid and tannin structure were harmonious. Voluptious wine, absolutely fantastic.
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5/1/2007 - ijayb wrote: 90 Points
black fruit, oak and tannic. Very dry. Inky and dense. BIG and needs time. It was opened for 3 hours before consuming.
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4/24/2007 - mattiasjansson wrote: 92 Points
Blind Night - Jeff's place (Jeff's place): Drying tannings. Great fruit. Big, but balanced. This needs time. 4-5 of my points are coming from potential.
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4/9/2007 - davidandrose wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and consumed over 90 mins. Early harshness faded VERY QUICKLY to become a smooth and supple wine. Nonetheless, this is a rich offering, with lots of red fruits, a hint of spice, shadowing over delicate black fruit and cassis. This is very refined for its youthful age, and comes across as playfull and coy, not as brash and in-your-face as one might expect from such a young blockbuster. Haven't previously been a huge fan of Caymus SS, but this was truly elegant and enjoyable. This will continue to improve, but is EXTREMELY approachable for such a young wine.
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4/9/2007 - mmyette wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful wine, expressive fruit, integrated woody tannin structure, and a moderately long finish. Not as good as the Lewis Reserve, but an excellent effort.
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3/25/2007 - DTWOB wrote: 88 Points
I agree with other reveiws. The Caymus regular Cab is more to my liking. This wine need to age a little more in the cellar.
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3/24/2007 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Very ripe dark fruits on the nose. Not as elegant as the 04 regular bottling. Fleshier on the palate with larger tannins. This one will probably age better than the regular bottle but it is not drinking as nicely right now. Still delicious and approachable but I was really blown away the other night by the 04 regular Caymus.
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3/22/2007 - Jester wrote: 94 Points
Once Upon a Vine XIII - New Orleans, LA by Martin Wine Cellar (Pavillion of Two Sisters): Now this is a big, opulent, sexy, voluptuous wine. I think Parker went a bit overboard with the 96 points, but the upper end of my range is pretty darn close. Like most of the other wines tasted today, this is very young and while its great to drink now, I have no doubt that it will evolve in the years to come. The nose fill the glass with a super thick aroma of black cherry, raspberry, anise, cassis, and tons of spicy piquant clove that is so strong that you can almost taste it without even using your tongue. In the mouth, you get powerful cassis liquor, clove, cinnamon, raspberry, vanilla, black cherry, and freshly brewed espresso all meshed together within the polished and well knit structure. The palate has an amazing super rich velvety mouthfeel and full rounded body. This wine has huge extraction, but the fruit and spice balance superbly with the alcohol, acidity, and the cottony soft tannin. The finish lasts forever and leaves you with that spicy clove taste for minutes after your last sip. I'm not always a huge fan of the really spice driven Cabernets, but this wine is really outstanding. I think there is no doubt that it will be even better in 4-6 years. Definitely worth a place in your cellar. 93-95 points.
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3/20/2007 - dream wrote: 80 Points
Deep dark thick ruby color. Nose of ripe cassis, bitter chocolate and alcohol. The alcohol is overwhelming in this wine and the flavors of intense bitter chocolate are a bit off-putting. I can't believe what has happened to this once-great bottling and to Cali Cab in general. Way too chocolaty and way too alcoholic.
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2/26/2007 - tbdman wrote: 94 Points
Caymus the way I remember it. Rich, deep and velvety smooth.
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1/14/2007 - hifiwine wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic! I can't wait tosee what this wine will become in a few years. Best Caymus in almost a decade
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12/28/2006 - DrewGoin wrote: 84 Points
Given the consistent quality and sense of balance found in the regular Caymus Cabernet year after year, I was disappointed by the Special Selection's Las Vegas "Pro"-file. This red wine is monstrous! Huge, chocolate-covered cherry sweetness overwhelms the earthy nose. Subtle is not a fitting descriptor for the Special Selection. The acids are low, the alcohol is high, and one glass is all you need - or want. The tannins are gentle, so I wonder what ten years will do to this wine. I assume that it will age just as a hardcore party-girl will - time will not flatter her features and she will appear well beyond her years.
I must state that the wine retained its character over four days (no gass, no vaccuum-pump), so the Special Selection might go the distance in the cellar. If so, I will be greatly surprised!
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12/15/2006 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 92 Points
Tasted unblinded at the Vintage Wines, Ltd. wine bar. Bright disc. Opaque purple robe with purple rim. Clean nose, opening over 60-90 minutes in a Riedel Bordeaux stem to show quite intense aromas of black cherry liqueur, vanilla, smoke and black plum. Full-bodied on the palate, with low acidity, big sweet tannins and slightly hot alcohol. The flavors are ripe and the oak is not subtle on the palate, but the wine still pleases. Long finish. This is a well-made wine which will benefit from a few years of cellaring and then should drink well for at least a decade.
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11/16/2006 - mreinitz wrote: 94 Points
Big, luscious, and full of fruit, while also perfectly balanced. Quite delicious -- I like it more than the 2003.
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11/14/2006 - hutch wrote:
AD Blind Tasting - This was the last wine poured. Which I drank in a hurry because I was running late, and also took horrible notes. BUt I do remember an explosion of concentrated fruit, and there was a little funk hidden in there. Extremely surprised at hoe approachable this wine is right now. Easily scores above 90, but i doubt it would climb much higher then 93.
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11/14/2006 - jjclips2 wrote: 93 Points
AD Co. Tasting w/Bloechl (Brown Jug-Upstairs): WOW! I've been waiting all tasting for a wine like this. Huge, extracted black fruits. Inky in color, definitely young. Nose of cedar, vanilla, black currants, and a hint of leather. Palate is rich, thick, and extracted with cassis, mocha, cedar, and vanilla towards finish. Very soft acidity, and very moderate tannins. Finish lingers for 30+ seconds. Definitely a blockbuster. After revealing what the bottle was, I was very shocked to witness how approachable this wine was. Sure it could be cellared for years to come, but why wait when it's drinking this nice now!
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11/11/2006 - robertgoulet wrote: 93 Points
A roasted nose with mixed spices, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Palate: smooth tannins, moderate cassis, chocolate, nice mix of spices dominated by nutmeg.
Finish: long
Not sure how much more this will improve.
Nice stuff: but at $144-I'm not convinced
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10/19/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 94 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Big fruit bomb of wine. Still very young but plenty of tannins to balance out the fruit. Long finish. Expect this wine to really be special in a couple of years.
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