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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.7 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 60 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by BondJamesBond007 on 4/28/2024 & rated 95 points: Nose full of ripe blackberry rich leather, cooked caramel, berries toasted oak. Palate is black fruit blackberries gush of warmed cassis plum preserves laced liberally with mocha-accented toast and carried by very plush structure. Fruit bomb with great legs French barrel oak lengthy finish smooth and supple. Enjoy!! (475 views) | | | Tasted by Bobcat 31 on 12/23/2023 & rated 95 points: very good good balance (1611 views) | | | Tasted by hammie1234 on 10/18/2023 & rated 95 points: Great expression of this wine. (2233 views) | | | Tasted by Bobcat 31 on 9/26/2023 & rated 92 points: very good did not need decanting and everyone liked it. (2176 views) | | | Tasted by Francophile1 on 9/16/2023 & rated 92 points: The only bottle of Caymus in my cellar is officially gone. I probably will never own another unless someone gives it to me as a gift. It is not my style of wine. While the SS is a better wine than the regular bottling of Caymus, it is still built for the American palate. Extracted fruit, touch of prune, sweet mocha vanilla finish. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed drinking it and finished the bottle with a smile on my face. It just isn’t my preferred style. I could buy a 2nd or 3rd growth Bordeaux with 20 years of age on it for the same price or less. (2342 views) | | | Tasted by TastesGoodToMe on 7/16/2023 & rated 94 points: I love this wine for it's consistency no matter the vintage. Is it a little over the top and hedonistic? Of course it is! But that's what I am craving sometimes and I know that this wine will deliver. Thick viscosity, plum, cassis and loads of chocolate. True to the "Caymus Style". Their regular bottling has faded over the last decade. But the Special Select is still the OG. (3155 views) | | | Tasted by BellevuePhil on 6/7/2023 & rated 94 points: Like the entrance of a Rockstar onto a smoky stage, the 2016 Caymus Special Selection seduces the senses from the very first swirl in my Diamond wine glass. Swathed in a royal garnet robe, it imparts an aura of sophistication that can only be compared to the velvet jackets worn by guitar gods of yesteryear. Its languid swirls against the crystal walls of the glass release a symphony of aromas, stirring the air with grace and allure.
Nose:
With the first inhalation, a barrage of scents floods the senses like a wall of sound crashing against the amplifiers. Rich layers of blackberry and blackcurrant intertwine with the heady embrace of licorice and cigar box, harmonizing like a melodious guitar solo that lingers in the air. Undertones of leather and vanilla dance coyly, leaving a lingering trail of intrigue. This bouquet is the embodiment of the rockstar's allure—dark, intense, and impossibly alluring.
Palate:
As the first sip embraces the tongue, the wine unfolds its opulent tale—a symphony that is both bold and refined, embodying the dichotomy of rock 'n' roll. The velvety texture coats the palate, caressing it with a sensuousness that only true masters of their craft can invoke. An orchestra of black fruit envelops the mouth, led by the commanding notes of blackberry and blackcurrant. The lush richness is punctuated by the subtle harmony of mocha and toasted oak, like the euphoria of a crowd echoing through a stadium. The tannins, smooth yet persistent, create a rhythm that intertwines seamlessly with the pulsating beat of the wine, leading to a crescendo of flavors that echo in the soul long after the final sip.
Mid-Palate and Finish:
The mid-palate unfurls with a flourish, unveiling layers of complexity that reflect the virtuosity of a guitar riff. Dark chocolate and espresso notes intermingle with hints of clove and cinnamon, reminiscent of the smoky air surrounding a dimly lit stage. This interplay of flavors evokes memories of backstage banter and the adrenaline-fueled camaraderie shared among rockstars. The finish, like the lingering resonance of a final chord, is extraordinary—prolonged, harmonious, and elegant. The flavors unfurl gracefully, leaving a lasting impression that resonates like a timeless guitar solo.
Conclusion:
The 2016 Caymus Special Selection is a wine that transcends time, much like the enduring power of rock 'n' roll. It is an ode to the audacity of a rockstar, encapsulating the richness and complexity that epitomizes both worlds. Just as a legendary guitar player forever etches their name into the annals of music, this vintage engraves its mark upon the palate, leaving an indelible impression that is impossible to forget. The symphony of seduction within this wine is an experience that transcends mere sensory pleasure (2604 views) | | | Tasted by MattFultz on 4/29/2023 & rated 93 points: 18 months since my last review and as good. Still very fresh and great nose. Legs cling to the glass but the tannins are very fine and integrated. (2120 views) | | | Tasted by Condrieu82 on 1/20/2023 & rated 94 points: Sweet tobacco on the nose, with blackberries, cherries, and vanilla. Great acidity, balanced by medium tannins. Fruit-forward with dark cherries, brambly blackberries; then warm spice, more sweet tobacco, and a long ending with complementary vanilla notes. This is a very well-done wine, which will likely evolve nicely in the next 7-10 years. You could drink now with a 3 hours decant like I did, or wait a few years waiting for more secondary and tertiary flavors to emerge. (2971 views) | | | Tasted by Kstein000 on 12/26/2022 & rated 75 points: Bottle on Christmas Eve. Nose is very fruit forward, dark fruit and plum with vanilla. I can almost smell the smoothness. Palate is fruit forward; plum, dark fruit, vanilla, with a velvety smoothness. Some tannin and acidity, medium. Drank very smooth, velvety, too smooth and fruity for me. So fruity, smooth, and velvety that it almost felt artificial, or perhaps just super high quality? I don’t know. I can see how many enjoy this as its very smooth but not a favorite for me. Had the last 1/4 of the bottle 2 days later and it seemed to have become a bit better (2844 views) | | | Tasted by Bobcat 31 on 6/7/2022 & rated 92 points: very good from the start did not need to decant (4801 views) | | | Tasted by Bobcat 31 on 5/26/2022 & rated 93 points: another classic Caymus good right from the bottle no decant needed
full of flavor (4017 views) | | | Tasted by MattFultz on 1/8/2022 & rated 93 points: Fantastic. Seared steaks, smashed potatoes and green beans. And excellent showing and time yet to lay down. Lovely. (5759 views) | | | Tasted by Baxterna on 11/15/2021 & rated 98 points: So incredibly smooth and beautiful on the nose and palate. A joy to consume. Deep and rich fruit forward. Not overbearing with acidity or alcohol. A really perfect balance. (5848 views) | | | Tasted by GregRosen on 7/25/2021 & rated 95 points: Decanted for 6 hours and it was ready to drink.
Spectacular wine but please don’t waste it by PnP-ing it.
Plan ahead and enjoy a spectacular wine!! (7572 views) | | | Tasted by do_itforthewine on 7/3/2021 & rated 88 points: Hopefully this wine gets much better with time. This is was very disappointing. (5192 views) | | | Tasted by ewats9 on 7/1/2021: Very nice. Drank side by side with Caymus. Fun comparison. (1531 views) | | | Tasted by Tanyalyn on 6/17/2021: Gift from Greg Venn (5615 views) | | | Tasted by AndreaPope on 4/20/2021 & rated 93 points: Not sure my taste is mature enough to enjoy this the way others do...I did enjoy it. My FIL really enjoyed it.
Celebratory wine! (5619 views) | | | Tasted by philvk on 3/9/2021 & rated 93 points: deeply colored, very ripe and plush fruit, with fine tannins support but don't make a big statement. An unusually concentrated black cherry and black fruit flavor- delicious- in a very new world style. I enjoyed it, but tend to prefer a bit more structure that was evident here. (5465 views) | | | Tasted by IOSPro on 3/5/2021 & rated 87 points: Hints of plum and prune, low tannins (4032 views) | | | Tasted by bestdamncab on 2/9/2021 & rated 94 points: Caymus Rutherford Visit (Rutherford, Napa Valley): At Caymus Rutherford today, nose of raspberry, cranberry, black berry, cigar, smoke, forest floor, and allspice, same on the palate, big body, very tasty, needs 4 years to peak and probably merit a higher score, mouth filling fruit, subtle, almost elegant, and a long silky finish. (4633 views) | | | Tasted by Stussy1616 on 12/31/2020: Great... but not worth $$ (4848 views) | | | Tasted by GiWineDoc on 12/30/2020 & rated 88 points: Too sweet. (3918 views) | | | Tasted by Corbett Cellar on 11/15/2020: Very unique flavor, fruity and smooth. Really great taste. (4925 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Caymus Producer website Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Napa Valley Napa Valley Wineries and Wine (Napa Valley Vintners)Napa ValleySt. Helena |
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