The nose is actually quite pretty, with notes of blackcurrant, lilac, camphor, black cherry. Maybe a little raspberry in there too. Nicely elegant.
However the taste quickly abandons elegant, with the initial blackfruit flavors soon hammered into submission by tons of oak, lots of it new probably, stretching towards whiskey barrel mid-palate into a wooden tobacco finish. I sipped it with a few bites of high quality chicken parmesan and it didn't change much. I have no idea where wines like this will go, but the price is too high for me to cellar any for science. This likely concludes my lifetime Caymus experience, as the 2019 was similar. I fondly remember the excellent wines from the 90s but those days seem to be gone.
RSL BS Rating - 86 points.
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Quick take from night two which means 24 hours of aeration -
Complex nose of rich plum, cherry, rose pedal, sweet herbs, iodine. Taste focuses on the dark-fruit spectrum, with blackcurrant, blackcherry, and anise; a pronounced minerality comes in midpalate, with a combination of herbs and what tastes like medium-toast oak on the finish. Regardless, all of it requires pushing through the veil of tannins which is present throughout. Time is needed here.
Terrific stuff, but it needs a long haul. I'd put it on a 10-year sit, and from there decide to open another 5 years later or likely wait for the full 20. This wine should age gracefully for 30+ years with proper storage. I'm gonna buy a couple more, bury them in the cellar, and open in 2034 and 2044.
RSL BS Rating: 93+ points
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Wonderful now, very much into secondary characteristics such as black plum, blackberry, hints of cherry, loads of Barossa terroir. Ripe, balanced, impressive length, drink now and very much enjoy. Reminds me of mid-90s Rosemount Balmorals in flavor profile. Wish I had more.
RSL BS Rating - 92 points
EDIT - Just read BSMITH457's review of this wine after I posted mine, very similar impressions. Love it when that happens.
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2021 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
2/2/2024 - RSLyss wrote: 86 Points
Quick take, pop 'n' pour.
The nose is actually quite pretty, with notes of blackcurrant, lilac, camphor, black cherry. Maybe a little raspberry in there too. Nicely elegant.
However the taste quickly abandons elegant, with the initial blackfruit flavors soon hammered into submission by tons of oak, lots of it new probably, stretching towards whiskey barrel mid-palate into a wooden tobacco finish. I sipped it with a few bites of high quality chicken parmesan and it didn't change much. I have no idea where wines like this will go, but the price is too high for me to cellar any for science. This likely concludes my lifetime Caymus experience, as the 2019 was similar. I fondly remember the excellent wines from the 90s but those days seem to be gone.
RSL BS Rating - 86 points.
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2018 Château Langoa Barton
1/13/2024 - RSLyss Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quick take from night two which means 24 hours of aeration -
Complex nose of rich plum, cherry, rose pedal, sweet herbs, iodine. Taste focuses on the dark-fruit spectrum, with blackcurrant, blackcherry, and anise; a pronounced minerality comes in midpalate, with a combination of herbs and what tastes like medium-toast oak on the finish. Regardless, all of it requires pushing through the veil of tannins which is present throughout. Time is needed here.
Terrific stuff, but it needs a long haul. I'd put it on a 10-year sit, and from there decide to open another 5 years later or likely wait for the full 20. This wine should age gracefully for 30+ years with proper storage. I'm gonna buy a couple more, bury them in the cellar, and open in 2034 and 2044.
RSL BS Rating: 93+ points
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2017 John Duval Wines Shiraz Entity
12/16/2023 - RSLyss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quick take -
Wonderful now, very much into secondary characteristics such as black plum, blackberry, hints of cherry, loads of Barossa terroir. Ripe, balanced, impressive length, drink now and very much enjoy. Reminds me of mid-90s Rosemount Balmorals in flavor profile. Wish I had more.
RSL BS Rating - 92 points
EDIT - Just read BSMITH457's review of this wine after I posted mine, very similar impressions. Love it when that happens.
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