Caymus

Caymus is my all time favorite wine. Caymus Winery specializes in Cabernet. And they do it so well they put others to shame. Caymus is a Napa Valley winery established in 1972 by Charles, Lorna Belle and their son Chuck Wagner. The winery is on their 60 acre farm in Rutherford, California. Back in the '90s it was more reasonably priced than it is today so I drank a lot more of it than I do now.

I first tried Caymus at the St. Paul Grill located in the St. Paul Hotel. A lovely restaurant which I haven't been able to afford to go to in years. I was there with my parents, my first ex husband, my brother and his first wife. We were probably celebrating a birthday, though I am not sure whose it was.

It was my ex sister in law who suggested we try Caymus. She had read about it in Wine Spectator and was interested in trying it. Caymus has consistently been rated in the mid to upper 90s of the wine rating system. We ordered a bottle and were not disappointed.

From that moment I have been in love with Caymus. Caymus is Cabernet. That is all they do really. Though the family bottles other wines under different labels, their motto has been "one wine, one label".

Quoting from Wine Review Online by Gerald Boyd:

The color of this Cabernet is one of the attractions of good wine; deep sparkling ruby at the center with an intense purple rim. The aromatics are layered dark fruits, especially black currant and plums that follow through to the richly textured flavors. Subtle toasted oak blends nicely with the bright ripe berry and spice, supported by firm tannins and excellent acidity. The wine has a long finish and the promise of even more complexity with additional bottle age.

This is one way to describe it but really the wine is just wonderful. The wine is not bitter, it is not dry, it is not too sweet and it is not buttery. It is smooth and the taste lasts on your tongue giving way to more complex flavors. According to Caymus, the shelf life of their wine is about 15 years. I bought cases of Caymus after that night at the St. Paul Grill but have not been able to let them sit for 15 years. I wish I had but they were too good to let be. I do have two bottles of their 2004 vintage that I have had to try desperately to forget I have. I am saving them for a special occasion but it has been difficult.

Which might be why Caymus is my favorite wine. Whenever there was a special event there was a bottle of Caymus to celebrate it with. My second ex and I tossed a couple bottles in the side bags of the Harley and rode up to the north shore of Lake Superior and opened them. Savoring the taste as we watched the sun set on the great lake. We travelled a lot by hog back then and were never without our Caymus.