This remains one of the favorite American wines. Perfectly aged. Incredibly well-balanced but with solid notes of dark berries and black currants. This was absolutely delicious
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This was a gift bottle, tendered on release. It's been in my cellar since. And in that sense, it was a most gracious and considerate gift. I'm definitely grateful for that friend's thoughtfulness. Since then, it's even appreciated in value to the point where I would never buy this bottle for me ... so I'm just that much more appreciative that my friend did. However, gratitude aside ...
It's fine - lots of fruit still present, tannins largely resolved, everything in balance. While the CT drink-by date suggests "drink up", I think it'll hold for plenty more years with no issue.
The problem is, I just don't really like these style wines anymore. It's the quintessential Parker-fruit-bomb that I also enjoyed in their golden era ... but my tastes have long since evolved. Just too big, too much heat on the back end, no nuance or layers or intrigue. I thought our grilled grass-fed/finished strip steaks and lamb-loin chops would help mellow it out, but to me, it was still just a punch in the face, and that's it.
If you like this style, it's a solid example. But given my evolving palate, it wasn't worth anywhere near the valuation to me ...
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Dark red; after a few hours a very impressive nose, tons of sweet licorice; very rounded and balanced, nice very soft tannins, long sweety aftertaste; best Special Selection ever tasted - it does need age!
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purple, full body, blue and black fruits, voluptuous, density of flavors muddled with finish. enjoyable on its own, so-so with Asian-midly spiced ribs. poor qpr
Explosive nose of raspberries. Overtly sweet. Very fine tannins. Stewed figs and black olives. Long finish. Sweetness overpowers the latent complexity underneath
Typical Caymus Special Selection. No formal notes but I was able to guess the wine blind. It's exactly what I expect and hope for from this wine. A little bit of everything on the nose and palate except that some of the red fruit was gone. Tannins super soft and silky - incredibly easy to drink. Wish I'd opened it a year or two ago. There's still plenty of life left but my guess is the best days are behind it. Love this wine every time. So impressive for a large production Cabernet.
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The wine that created this tasting (see tasting event for more details). Blacker in glass than all previous wines. On nose, cassis, blackberry and tobacco. On palate, fruit was very sweet & soft - this has aged well and was not oxidized. Full body (clearly a CA cab), medium tannins and low acidity (much lower than all previous wines). This was a wine that was better on its' own than with food (93+/- on own, 91+/- with food).
Figured this was my wine and I was correct. While not in top 3 of tasting, this wine impressed the French / Italian leaning tasting group.
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Pulled from the cellar and decanted for a hour or so. Deep red color, cork in great shape. (Note to other “high” end cab makers, 1.5 inch corks work best for wine that is made to be aged) Anyway, nose is oak and dark fruit, with a whiff of alcohol. Palate is good. Guests loved it, I personally thought the finish was just okay. Tannins and everything are working well. I personally consider this maker a second tier Napa Cab producer, and rated it as such.(If you don’t consider this maker as such, that is fine also) However, having drank some of the All Stars Cabs over the years this is a top notch California Cab, just not the top level. Drinking well, management aka the wife wants me to pull another bottle from storage, so I will.
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Purchased upon release and pristinely cellared, this opaque garnet wine was decanted off of its sediment and allowed five hours in decanter prior to initiating the tasting process. Aromatically oozing with dark bramble fruits, black currants, holiday spice cake, violets, cocoa and lavender, it is a full-bodied Cab with low-to-medium acidity, seamless alcohol (14.9%), nicely assimilated oak and plentiful velvety-textured tannins. With luscious flavors that mirror the aromas, a dense mid-palate and lengthy finish, this is classic-quality, quintessential Napa Cabernet that is drinking beautifully at this point. Comparably cellared bottles will have no difficulty reaching their twenty-fifth birthday with grace. Drink now-2034.
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dark red with no age apparent on the rim - intense cherry and blackberry fruit with a touch of eucalyptus - huge full-bodied mouth with predominant sweet red cherry fruit and licorice - very light ripe tannins, low acidity - 30 second long smooth finish - a classic Caymus SS that is drinking very well now, but not sure what will be left once the fruit drops out - tasted alongside 2009 Ch Cantemerle - perhaps not the best comparator, but clearly showed the stark differences between the more structured Bordeaux and the in-your-face fruit of CA cabs - each to his/her preference, but I'd drink the Caymus now and hold the Cantermerle for another 5-10 years
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This baby is singing right now. Can probably go another two to three years but as for balance with adequate fruit and perfect tannin structure and acidity this wine is right in its sweet spot. See previous notes for characteristics/etc. Drink or hold.
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June 29, 2021: Erik’s tasting with Derek and Jen. All 2009’s tasted blind. The Ridge Monte Bello was elegant and refined and for me was the wine of the evening TS97. Camus Special Select was a surprise 2nd with its signature silky taste and nose. TS96. Shader Hillside Select was a close 3rd, also silky and refined. I would have thought going in this would have easily beat the Caymus. TS95. Chappellet Pritchard Hill, which I love, came of a little rustic and higher alcohol compared to the others and I was shocked to discover came in last in my rankings TS94. All these wines are unbelievable on their own. A fantastic tasting experience.
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A sophisticated Cabernet with dark fruit and a creamy texture. After the first sip you realize its going to disappear quickly. This is miles better than the regular bottling. Ready to consume. 96+
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Decanted for one hour. Nose of black cherry, blackberry liquor, espresso, chocolate and spice. Black and red fruit, espresso, forest floor and spice on the palate. Well structured with a very long, layered finish. Full bodied. Drinking well. Served with reverse seared Pichana.
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Deep ruby color. Intoxicating and heady warm black fruit, cedar, vanilla with hint of mint. Soft molasses sweetness on entry with plump black fruit, chocolate and oak on palate. Beautiful balance with smoothly integrated acidity and tannins. Fantastic.
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Drinking peak is now. Feels like it could stay at this plateau for a few years. My first of 3 bottles bought at release. Dark and brooding. Lots of dark fruit now, upfront and a menthol liquorice tail. Well balanced. Tannins are still there unlike some other reviews mentioned here. Medium to full body. Very satisfying.
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In general, my palate has been moving away from this style of winemaking. What little tannins this may have had are mostly gone. Also not surprising that it's on the flabby side of what I consider good balance. That said, it's still very pleasurable to drink when in the mood, and there's a nice purity of fruit. Feels less manipulated than more recent vintages of Caymus.
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Decanted one hour. Sweet, smooth, and pure, this is a delicious wine but nothing special to warrant the big price tag, as other have said. Still, It's a crowd pleaser and if it has sentimental value to you, it's a lovely drink.
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Classic Caymus style: fruit forward and flabby. Black cassis, purple grape and eucalyptus on the nose. Same flavors along with a bit of chocolate on the palate. Round, flabby finish. Little if any tannic grip at this point, but have yet to experience a vintage of Caymus with any backbone. Nothing offensive, but nothing “special” either. Fits a profile that works for some.
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Solid wine but the 2010 we drank 2 weeks ago was much better. Last of the Caymus or Caymus SS -- thanks for a good run in the 90's and really up till 2007. Too bad the wine is now over mfg.
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CNY Wine Night @ Chef Kang: Plum tart, ripe berries, chocolate violets, sweet liquorice, tinge of burnt caramel toastie. Very nice long menthol finish. Nicely layered, full bodied, with depth. However, stylistically too sweet for me. Nonetheless, a very well made wine. Open now and good for many years ahead.
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Decanted for over an hour. Ripe dark fruits and tannins. However, the fruit is not as extracted and jammy as in the past. This is drinking wonderfully now but it is not as unctuous as previous bottles. Drink up.
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Almost 5 years since my last tasting of this- 90 min decant. This was heads up against a 1995 Insignia. This had some heat and was very fruit forward and with an average finish. Lacking in complexity and felt very much like a wealthy novice’s preferred wine. Don’t get me wrong, if someone was pouring this at a cocktail party or a wedding I would be absolutely thrilled but this really was just smooth and boring. This is meant for a beer drinkers special occasion anniversary wine. This is certainly in its prime and if the fruit fades anymore it will be missing the one thing this has going for it. Wouldn’t hold these for more than 1-2 years.
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Very little decanting was needed. The color is still a medium purple with no sign of aging yet. Aroma of red fruits with cigar box, vanilla and a hint of prune.
This guy is mellow and the tannin's are in perfect sync with the acids and alcohol. Silky smooth and paired nicely with steak or any mildly fat protein. Flavors of red cherry, cranberry, leather, cigar box just coat your mouth. The silky tannin is so soft, the finish was very good and the complexity is decent.
I would have rated higher if the complexity had more layers but regardless this is a wine in its prime stage.
Cheers!
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In one word....Silky. In four words ... silky black dense fruit . Is Caymus is perhaps the most consistent winemaker in Napa?( rhetorical) . Every year the special selection tastes so consistent. Small about of underbrush on the nose but other than that still mostly primary flavors and scents .
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Hour decant. Paired with Rib Eyes. This is a great steak wine. As I have stated with a prior bottle, Tannins have mellowed, wine is balanced and moderately complex and a much better effort than the regular Caymus. The fruit is much better integrated. This should hold for another few years.
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The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine has juicy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity.
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Pnp....could have used a decant but was still luscious and silky smooth with more and more fruit appearing as it was swirled in the glass. Always a crowd pleaser...this was the WOTN up against well decanted 2006 Nickel and Nickel-challenger and Far Niente Cave Collection cabs. This vintage still has tons of life left in it and could go for another ten years or more.
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Pop and pour. Relaxed and elegant on the palate with fine tannins and good balance. Quite a bit of bottle variation in these. Not sure it's improving from here and perhaps was better in its earlier intensity. Still a nice drink but not worth the price.
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Decanted for about 30 minutes and throughout course of drinking. Inky opaque purple. The nose explodes with grape jam and brambles. This wine continues to deliver on many levels with no signs of weakening. Big and round, silky and yummy. Definitely the WOTN in a flight with a 2013 Del Dotto Cave Blend and a 2012 Cimarossa Levante. Drink or hold. You're a winner either way.
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A mini-vertical that included a 2012 and a 2013. This wine was decanted for about an hour and drank over the following 3 hours. Initially, this wine was awesome, showing nice fruit and also tertiary flavors of earth, leather, chocolate and a touch of oak. The wine had silky smooth tannins and no sign of heat. All and all a pleasure to drink! My only complaint would be the fruit started to dissipate toward the end, which allowed the tertiary flavors to shine a little more. My personal preference is purity of fruit over tertiary qualities, although, like most, a balance is perfect. However, I lean more toward the fruit, and do not appreciate a wine as much as the fruit starts to lose its presence. If the fruit would have remained strong, this would have been my number 1 of the three, but as others gained points from me with time, this one lost a few. Initially, I would rate this 98, but it fell to 95 and stood there the rest of the night.
Like many others, I do not see this wine improving, but I feel it still has a couple years left in its excellent drinking window, if someone is saving it for a special occasion. If not, I would recommend drinking up! I would probably also forgo the decant, unless you are pressed for time. I think you would get more pleasure out it evolution. For those who are huge fans of tertiary flavors and have no issue sacrificing fruit for those flavors, this wine probably has a much longer life, perhaps another 5-7 years, and a decant will likely be beneficial for you.
For now, no matter where your palate lies, this wine is enjoyable.
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Fruit is still strong. After an hour decant, tannins are mellow. A pleasant pour overall. I agree with others that this wine is currently about as good as it is likely to be.
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Perfect tonight with a steak. A bit of sediment could have been avoided at the end with careful decanting. I brought to Capital Grill and the bartender poured every last drop. Seldom advisable with aged cab.
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Best wine of 2018. Oak, smoke and leather on he nose. Silky smooth, big red cherry and a fantastic mouthfeel. Long finish - I’m just sorry I don’t have more. Simply delicious food
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dark red with no age apparent on the rim - intense cherry and blackberry fruit with vanilla and some eucalyptus - not much complexity at this point - big full-bodied mouth with predominant red cherry fruit and a touch of licorice - 20 second long smooth finish - drinking very well now but clearly it will continue to hold for many years - will it develop more complexity? I hope so, but frankly doubt it
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Decanted and drank over four hours. It showed hot and unfocused and never came together over that time. Perhaps an off bottle, but I've had more than a few CSS bottles that didn't show well over the years.
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Deep, dark fruits that dominate. Tannins still strong, but mellowed somewhat after a hour decant and a couple of glasses over two hours. This is what it is and probably won't get better with more time (or worse, for that matter). Still is to me always a better effort than the regular Caymus.
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Quel beau vin. Ample et complexe, un beau fruit dense et précis avec une longue finale. Excellent et pour bien des années. Cher mais plus que du bonbon...plus vraiment accessible car le prix a encore explosé sur les derniers millésimes.
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As it opened I got sweet cigar tobacco,dark plums and blueberry cooked fruits or pie,very sweet, the alcohol seems high,and the tannin is low, a big vanilla bomb at first but I think that’s fading as it’s decanting a massive amount of chocolate a nice milk chocolate with a small tinge of green and earth. Heavy price tag on the 09 SS COMPARED to the regular caymus. It’s a really good wine had with filet mignon. Value expensive for what it is at this price point I would say pass so many great producers in CA producing the same style wine, but Life is short but sweet for certain so eat drink and be merry.
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Outstanding wine; nothing but fruit for the first hour; benefitted from an hour decant. Beautiful deep purple in the glass; round and supple in the mouth. Red fruit for the first 45 minutes, then hints of licorice mixed with elegant fruit backdrop. Worked well with our lamb chops; wasn't offended by the asparagus, either.
I'm sure this could get a bit better with a bit more aging, but you won't be disappointed to drink it now. My wife thinks it is the best bottle we've had in 3 years.
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Aired in the bottle for an hour, then decanted and aired for another 45 minutes. Garnet in color. Strong fruit, then smooth. Straight-forward and pleasant.
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Pnp, could have used a decant. Opened up with some vigorous swirling. Always a crowd pleaser. Drinking beautifully now and should continue to improve in focus a harmony for the next 10+ years.
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Drank with a great filet at Delmonicos in Vegas. Decanted for only 30 minutes, it was a typical SS from Caymus...big cherry and blackberry fruit, licorice, vanilla throughout with a nice smooth finish.
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Great Napa wine, focused and concentrated that is to be expected from Caymus' flagship wine. Terrific extraction of deep red fruit with vanilla and a lightly toasted oak. Not very nuanced but complex enough with layers to add to the flavor. Had some earthy flavors of forest floor representing the terroir. Will continue to drink well for another 10 years. Quite pricey though.
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Awesome Bottle of wine. I’m not sure I can know the difference between a 95 and 99 point wine but this truly feels like a 99 point wine. Great balance very smooth Cherrys and vanilla little bit licorice. Cheers
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Decided to open up to celebrate the second semester down of my MBA. Decanted for two hours and was perfect- one of the best bottles I’ve had all year. I think this still has a few years in it, so no rush.
75 min decant. Deep, dark purple. Menthol, tobacco, black currant and toasted vanilla on the beautiful nose. Super smooth, port-like palate. Sharp tannins on longish finish. This is at its peak.
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PnP'd from a magnum. First of many wines tasted during a holiday dinner with friends. Wine seems to be at a good point. One left in cellar, suggest final revisiting by 2020. Additional wines tasted - Harlan, Alpha Omega, Kapcscandy, Behrens Family, Frank Family RR, Caymus SS 2012 & Peju. Too many wines - no notes - but lots of fun with great friends.
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Two hour decant. Deep purplish maroon. Rubber eraser, prune, licorice and dark fruit on the complex nose. Smooth, lively palate. Lush tannins on medium+ finish. This is the best balance of age and complexity and fruit forwardness.
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Decanted for two hours. Aromas of black cherry, currant, mocha, spice and vanilla bean. Red and black fruit, coffee, chocolate and fine tannins on the palate. Big and fruit forward, leading to a long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled Delmonico steaks and a blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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Popped and poured this bottle with dinner. It showed more as a cocktail wine, the rough tannins never quite leaving and the alcohol ever-present over the delicious concentration. Quite enjoyable but it demanded the spotlight rather than sharing the stage.
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One of the best cabs I've had in recent times. Well balanced and only decanted 30 minutes. Started with coffee fading to mild berries on the finish. Strong legs.
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90 min decant. Deep dark purple color with modestly faded rim from age. Black tar, raisin, anise and prune on very rich nose. Brambly palate (at first) with good acidity that was hitting the back of my tongue. The palate smoothed out completely in the ensuing hour of drinking. The finish was medium level no with pleasantly firm tannins. I like the 2013 Special Selection a bit better with its more pronounced fruit, but my wife prefers this 2009. Both are wonderful in their own way. :)
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Decanted for two hours. Drinking very well, lots of dark fruit, very smooth and well balanced. Nothing like the regular cab which is too fruity. Excellent finish.
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Lacks balance. Upon open, decanted. Dark fruits, high acidity, dry finish. Hot to start with long acidic finish. 2 hours later, fruit tamed, less hot, strong coffee and cocoa, which sounds great until the fruit returns on the finish. Overall, ok wine at $20, but not that great at $160.
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Drank at a celebration dinner at Hillstone's. Decanted <30 minutes. This was an extremely enjoyable bottle of wine. Incredibly smooth and as you would expect very fruit forward. Tannins, alcohol and acids have all intergrated well and IMO this is in a very good drinking window.
My wife boldly declared it her favorite wine ever.
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Short decant as we took this to the restaurant with us. The first taste was velvety smooth. Delicious wine with all the characteristics of a great cab but soft enough to not overpower your senses. This wine lets you know she is there and is very beautiful but lets the taste speak for her. Really good.
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This wine had dark fruit, lots of tannin and a long finish. This wine has a few more years to go. It is drinking very well now with a decant or some time to open up.
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Rich, almost chewy. Very dark with dark fruits. This is very concentrated and focused. The dark fruit overwhelms any secondary flavored--but the finish is extraordinarily long. Held up amazingly well to a steak with a rich peppercorn sauce.
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A cassis and mocha bomb. Beautiful coloring, but almost over the top on the pallet. Amazing smoothness, but not a lot of depth. Drank the final glass on the second night, and it mellowed. A very well made wine, just the style was not what we were looking for. Suggest decanting or giving a bit more age in the bottle to help tame this beast.
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American wines are so much more bold than European ones. I was very excited to try Caymus because I had heard that it was one of the great California cabernets. It was a very very good wine, crafted skillfully. Complex, thick, juicy, with chocolate, cherry, vanilla, spice, but not much of the earthiness or tannins that I love in a Bordeaux.
Would probably not pay what this costs retail, but can appreciate what a sensual experience it offers.
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Two hour decant. Before drinking I searched WA for a review but could find none. Many years both before and after are rated but not this vintage. Strange, I thought. Must be something wrong here. However, the wine was beautiful. Deep, rich flavors of fruit and spice. Maybe not the knock out that it may be in some years, but still very good. A mystery in why it doesn't appear rated among the others of that vintage. Anyway, better the second day after more exposure to air.
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New Years and paired with Wagyu filets and it was perfect. Quite possibly the best steak/wine pairing I've ever had. Now I'm on the search for another bottle or two so I can put them away to enjoy again.
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Paired w/grilled Rib-Eye Steak. Deep ruby/purple in color w/rich aromas of violet, black raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, plum, liquorice, dark chocolate, caramel & leather. Full bodied with energetic acidity; succulent flavors of aforementioned fruit are accompanied by pungent spice and animal notes. Cloying; soft velvety tannins coat the mouth and blanket the palate providing a long clinging finish. Don’t know the abv. on this but the overly abundant fruit belies its presence. Worked well with steak however I’m not sure I would be as enthusiastic about this on its own.
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The '09 Caymus Special Selection is I am great place right now. Decanted for 2 hours. This was served in a flight with an '09 Santa Duc Gigondas and a '12 Mollydooker Carnival of Love. This was close to being TWOTN but was beat out hands down by the Aussie Shiraz. This wine is significantly improved from 2 years ago. Big and bold yet soft and subtle with great balance of fruit and acids with chewy tannins. A definite crowd pleaser.
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Wow, this bottle tasted like a bag of sugar was dumped into it. I can't think what kind of flaw would make it taste like that but it was nowhere near as pure and concentrated as the other two bottles. This makes me understand what the Caymus haters are talking about. Possibly some kind of crazy bottle variation?
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Three years since last last bottle of this vintage. PnP'd at a local BYOB restaurant. Lush dark fruit(blackberries) & lite expresso/chocolate flavors. A big fruit forward wine.....
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Decanted 90 minutes then returned to bottle for dinner. I don't think the decant was necessary based on previous bottle but thought I'd experiment. Pure, concentrated yumminess.
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Decanted briefly and drank with steaks. Vibrant berry nose, pure extracted black and red fruit on the palate with some caramel overtones. This is not a wine with a lot of complexity or character. It's vanilla ice cream. But it's Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.
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great btl of vino, loaded with ripe fruit but packaged with a silky smooth texture that holds off any over ripeness. like it a lot with steak and in winter, would be tough to take this down in the middle of summer.
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For some reason this bottle tasted overly extracted, syrupy and sweet. Perhaps its because its 90 degrees here now. I usually rate these very high. see previous notes.
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Deep purple in color, dark berries, candied cherries, wood and smoke. Chocolate; a lot of oak. Firm but pleasant tannins. Nose is inviting but not particularly intriguing for me. Perhaps some herbal notes as well. Complex, interesting palette and soft mouthfeel. Very good wine, easy to drink, but as expected at this price.
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Quick decant and pour. Initially tight, this opened into a completely enjoyable wine, but it flirts with being too soft, too sweet and too oaky. Typical napa fruit with limited secondary characteristics - maybe a hint of milk chocolate. It's easy drinking, but it's not really special.
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Say what you will about Caymus but the SS is a good wine if you like large scaled cabs. Dense and rich with cocoa, cinnamon and cassis. Crowd pleaser and me pleaser. No part of your palate goes unrewarded by rich fruit. Love this with steak seasoned only with salt and pepper.
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Started by extracting a few ounces with my new Coravin. Beautifully crafted, dark Berrirs, vanilla and new Oak. So well balanced. I purchased it for $95 in 2012 now SS sells for $175. Makes no sense. Oh well I enjoyed this bottle.
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Very rich. Loads of oaky vanilla (almost too much?) and blueberry. Hints of chocolate. Enjoyable and very easy to drink. Two+ hour decant--but I would almost suggest cutting that down by 30 minutes or so.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Black cherry, red currant, blueberry, mocha, licorice and spice aromas and flavors. Leads to a very long finish. Full bodied, layered with a dense texture. An unapologetic monster Napa cab. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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Dark purple with cedar, leather and blackberry nose. Bold and layered dark, juicy fruits, tannins nearly fully resolved, and acidity balance about prefect. Chicago CUT - great 'glass selection' to accompany the best bone-in filet in the city.
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Love this wine. Drank at Caymus. Smooth, dark, vanilla, blueberry pie, toffee, espresso. What an amazing wine. Tasted along side the 2012 at Caymus and I believe with about 2+ hours of air its better than the 2012. This is really something special. We bought 2 cases of this from the winery.
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Decanted about 1.5 hours before really getting into it, and there was very little change from the initial tasting of big, bold, oaky and hot. It had a rich, viscous texture, and lots of complex flavor from fruit to tobacco and eucalyptus. But overall it was just too over the top oak bomb, normalizing the complexity of taste and making it seem very overpriced.
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Dark and big, continues to age well. It is becoming so smooth, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this vintage. As always for CSS, big fruit, dark cherry, cassis, and chocolate. The finish lingers like a dark chocolate syrup....so delicious
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Excellent wine! Tastes very similar to the 2012 with just a little less depth and intensity. Wonderful blue fruits, cedar, cola, cinnamon, Chocolate, and espresso. I could drink this wine forever. We popped and poured with no decant.
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delicious big heavy rich. Very smooth with no noticeable tannins. We decanted for several hours I would guess this is at its peak now although probably has years to go. Chucks bottle. As with all Caymus cabs cherry is dominant
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Big nose of fruit. First is creosote and tar. Then evolves into blackberry tart and blueberry pie. Like the great crusty part. After 45 mins it moved again to delicate patrols with fruit still moving.
Threw a lot of sediment.
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Cruising the Oceans; 5/17/2015-5/24/2015: Compared to the Hillside Select 2000 which I have just finished drinking this was like fruit juice. An absolute fruit bomb. I am sure if this were not after the Hillside Select then it would have got a 95+
You need to be in the mood for fruit. Rich cassis berries. Still a powerhouse.
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This a big bold bottle that is smoothing out with age. The nose is all Caymus with loads of cherry and dark fruit. The move is smooth and velvety. Previous bottles were almost to big leaving a bit of cough syrup finish but this bottle did not have that. Makes me excited for my future bottles. Drink now to 2020
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Wagner Family Wines at Ruth Chris (Ruth Chris Steakhouse - Washington, DC): A rich and velvety Cabernet for sure. Deep purple color with thick, slow-draining legs. Dark currants, loam, cola, hints of smoke and pencil lead on the nose. Bold and ripe, velvety and well-integrated tannins, not much acid. Sweet blackberries, cassis and black cherries galore, the fruit is mixed in with elements of coffee, loam, cola and vanilla, a hint of menthol comes out with time. Chewy and bold but so silky with a finish of caramel sauce and toast (100% new oak). Doesn't seem to have the solid tannic structure for aging too many years past 2020 or so, but I'd like to try this again in three or four. This wine and filet with mushrooms, yeah, good stuff.
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The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like lead pencil, black currant (cassis) and blackberry. The body is medium/full. The wine finishes medium.
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93-95: consistent with previous notes from 2013. The fruit is still holding strong, showing no sign of fading anytime soon. Really wonderful, curious to see how (and if) it ages. Substantial finish.
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Delicious. Beautiful nose and packed with flavor. It's the kind of wine that evokes a smile that's hard to hide. The ladies in our tasting all agreed it was "sex in a bottle". Well worth the spendy price.
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The wine comes off as voluptuous and very approachable, with soft lines, dense fruit, integrated tannins and well-aged balance. It is a sure palate pleaser from nose to finish, calling one back for taste after taste and reassuring each time it was worth the spendy price. Shared it with four friends in a 'tasting' session. While everyone liked it immensely, the two ladies agreed it was "Sex in a bottle" and all agreed at the very least, it provided joy and in the end a memorable experience. So sorry to see the last drop. Keep the effort coming our way, Caymus!
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Tasted at the winery. Love this wine. Much more structured than the regular bottling. Drinking incredibly well now without any harsh tannin or bite, just well put together. You will enjoy peeling back the layers on this wine. Lots of spice and anise on this wine. Maybe a touch of cinnamon. You can lay this down for years or enjoy it now. A very balanced wine.
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Inky dark and concentrated. Very open nose of dark fruit. Wonderful black fruit on the palate. Succulent jammy fruit forward profile. Some sweet vanilla oak hints and a long finish. Light tannins, mild acidity. This wine is has almost no heat despite 14.9% alcohol. So easy to drink but can I be honest and say it is overly fruity and a bit out of balance. Could this come into form a few years down the road? Maybe, but there isn't a terrific backbone of acidity to mellow or tannins to integrate so I am unsure. I recommend drinking now and enjoying.
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Decanted about an hour then tasted over the next 6. Moderate amount of fine sediment. Multiple tastings with consistent notes. Typical Caymus fruit forward wine, rich, dark fruits, plums, raisins. Tannins integrating nicely. Nice aromatics. Time and again, Special Selection is one of my favorites.
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New Year's Eve, San Diego (San Diego): Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. It needs a longer decant and also needs at least another 5 years in the cellar. Clear dark inky garnet-black. Dark brooding fruit, ripe, with a roasted quality. Cocoa, nutmeg, vanilla and forest floor. Full body, rich, outstanding balance and structure. Everything is here for a great future. Thanks Spo!
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60 min decant- full bodied, some heat, above average balance and average finish. Should reach prime in 2-4 years and last a good 10-15 years. Average value.
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Balanced fruit, changes in the glass over time, integrated structure, still a little young in the bottle. Would like to try again after 2 more years in the bottle.
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Excellent wine. Made T-bones on the BBQ and felt like having a napa cab with it. Tannins are already soft and bottle was rock solid. Licorice, blackberries and blueberries. Also a hint of cedar maybe. Very rich wine overall. Drink now or keep cellaring but you wont regret open it a bottle.
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Smooth, milky chocolate and cassis. Maybe a commentary on my cellar more than anything, but probably one of the best wines I have ever had. Real quality here. Great now, and should drink ell for several more years.
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we felt a little sheepish about opening this up so early but were very happy with the result. so smooth and rich, not a syrupy wine at all but has deep black fruit and vanilla notes. Lots of oak but it's well integrated already. very impressive and will wait a while to open the next and compare.
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After a short decant the wine was showing well. Typical Caymus profile. Opaque purple with heavy fruit on the nose and palate with that usual candied finish and hints of shoe polish. Very lush. Tannins are well integrated and soft. Still has a lot of life left in it.
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As my previous experiences, this isn't that much of a step up from their regular offerings to demand the price. It's very new world, loaded of vanilla oak, good extraction but not terribly complex. Very good overall balance which leaves you longing for the next sip. Although I like it, I find myself liking less and less this style of Cabernet.
From magnum. Dark fruit, oak, vanilla, caramel, some chocolate and coffee. Full and rich in the mouth without being over done. I wanted just a bit more acidity, but still really enjoyed this.
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One of the best Special Selections that the vineyard has producied in recent years in my opinion. Well developed now and ready to drink. Dark ruby color, a boquety nose, long silky legs, and just great overall.
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One of the best Napa Cabs I've ever tasted. Dark garnet in the glass, exhibited concentrated flavors of dark chocolate along with the fruit-earth-barrel notes in good harmony with velvety mouthfeel. Not sure why I was surprised since this already has an exceptional reputation but definitely over-delivered.
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Firstly, I do not like Caymus. That will offend a lot of folks. The 'regular' has a distinct Play-DOH! taste to me. This Special Selection. however, was the perfect pairing for some ribs with a very light barbecue sauce and gruyere/mild jalapeno mac and cheese with a touch of bacon.
This bottle of Special Selection was just old enough to let out some vanilla, cherry and a hint of blueberry and had just enough cedar to take the edge off. I drank this bottle too early - it could stand another 3-4 years lying down in the cellar based on tannin balance. This one was also a gift and now I'm tempted to buy more, violating my own "no Caymus" rule.
Dark, inky color, enticing nose, rich, smooth fruit with a toast oak layer that keeps drawing one back in for more. Drank beautifully. Still probably has 5+ years.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 2 hours. Nose of red currant, black cherry, blackberry, cocoa, black licorice, cedar and dried herbs. A black and red fruit core of currant and berries combined with chocolate, coffee, spice, leather and smooth tannins. Leads to a long finish. Full bodied with a layered, velvety texture in a hedonistic style. Early in its life, and I'll wait a couple of years before trying the next bottle. Paired with beef tenderloin.
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Wonderful. Dark with a nose of Chambord black raspberry liqueur. Thick, bold and oh so "slutty" in the traditional Caymus style I love so much. Drinking well with a long decant (4 hours) but will be even better in a couple of years.
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Enjoyed with Sharon on Xmas eve with a perfectly a cooked rib roast. This is a big, full bodied wine. Inky black with a crimcon halo. Decanted for 21/2 hours and was still a little tight and hot. This is a wonderful wine, very complex and lush. I could bathe in this stuff. Even better the second day as most of the surface ETOH blew off. I look forward to see how this will evolve.
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Second tasting with consistent notes. One of my favorite wines. Typical Caymus fruit forward wine. Tannins integrating nicely. Very rich fruit flavors. Nice balance between aromatics and fruit.
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Pop and poured. Incredible balance for such a young wine. Loads of fruit, but with sufficient acidity so that it's not too much of a fruit bomb. Looking forward to opening other bottles to see how this ages. However, fantastic now and thoroughly enjoyable.
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Absolutely fabulous tonight. Opened and decantated. Smooth tanins and lots of nice fruit. Good nose, no aftertaste, and really a great value for the money.
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93-95: This wine is still young, and the fruit remains quite prominent, but it has the stuffing you want. There are ample tannins and good acidity underneath all the fruit, and I think if you could age this wine 10+ years it might be really interesting, but like most SS, it's all about being (as Parker says) a "hedonistic sexpot" of a wine. Lush and wonderful.
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Opened and let sit for 1 hour prior to drinking. Served with grilled steak. This was a full flavored fruit monster. The black and blue fruit just kept coming at you with a silky smooth feel and finish. Very enjoyable with plenty of time left. Drink now to 2020
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Drank for Father's Day. Decanted only 30 minutes. Purple color, fruit forward - blackberry taste. Incredibly smooth silky finish. A terrific bottle of wine.
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Decanted for 2 hours before serving with grilled NY Strips. I'm not a fan of the regular Caymus (at least when young as the fruit is too cotton candy flavored as a prior taster noted) but despite that I really enjoyed this wine. Dark reddish purple color, black cherry, cassis, blackberry, vanilla & dark chocolate on the nose & palate. Full body but not cloying (acidity balances the fruit) with a very long finish with sweet tannins that were noticeable on the finish. Great with the steaks and although this wine is made to be accessible young, it was actually better 2 nights later (in a cellar under vacu-vin) which would imply this wine could last for a while. Worth its price and would buy again. 93-94 range - delicious. Closer to 94 than 93.
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Inky purple. Vanilla from oak, blackberry and blackberry jam and meat. Soft texture, incredibly concentrated fruit and the alcohol seems subdued next to the 2010. This is a crowd pleaser. From magnum.
I will age my bottles for a decade more. In the meantime, steak houses across the USA will have moved on to the 2020 vintage.
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Deep purple color with a rich alcoholic nose of dark berries, plum and vanilla. The palate is textbook Caymus - rich, creamy and velvety with flavors of dark cherry, dried blueberry, espresso, chocolate and vanilla. Finishes long, rounded and supple with hints of violets and Rutherford earth. This comes out a lot better and balanced compared to the regular Caymus Cabernet of the same vintage, which I felt had a little too much candied fruit (although gave it a 91). This is so smooth to drink now until 2018.
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Typical Caymus SS elegance. Notes of cassis, dark cherry and vanilla on the palate, with cherry and blueberry notes in the bouquet. Just kept getting better the longer it was opened. A profound expression of CA cabernet.
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Sooo extracted. Even more fruit than the Napa. Nose of ripe black fruit, tons of it... tobacco, briney... In the mouth it's like drinking concentrate. I can practically read the directions on the side of the bottle"To enjoy our regualr Napa Cab simply mix one part Special Selection with one part water and enjoy". This is an impressive wine, and I give it 93, but I'm not sure if I like it. More than a glass on its own might feel like pigging out on Halloween candy, and to drink this with food would obliterate the meal. I don't know how this would age. The massive fruit is already surpassing the tannins, which are quite smooth- it is missing the acidity to balance out the oak and fruit sweetness but is it missing the acidity for real longevity? Would be interesting to revisit in five years.
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Epic. Spicy oak, cassis, grand marinier on the nose. Midpalate is thick and super polished with an immense cascade of mocha, coffee, fruit and baking spices. Forget the food, this is a meal on its own.
-- Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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very good but too young at this point. took forever to open up. some nice vanilla and eucalytpus notes and very smooth. this will get a lot better with age.
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Decanted for three hours. Vivid and velvety, not shy and concentrated. I love the blackberry, all spice, piecrust, tobacco and oak. This is pretty much open for all kinds of business, however another year could help. Velvety tannins that end ever so softly. Drink 2014 - 2024
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This wine is insanely good. It is the essence of a California Cab. Unbelievably smooth and drinkable. Dark crimson/purple color, almost deep brown/black. Huge nose of black/blue fruit with notes of chocolate and vanilla. On the palate, big ripe flavors of blackberry and blueberry, vanilla ice cream (seriously), vanilla, brown sugar, cocoa, molasses, and coffee. Juicy long finish that lingers for quite a long time. I enjoyed this with a huge top-notch beef filet and it was the perfect pairing. I know there are people who will dismiss this wine as flabby and a fruit bomb, and it is simply not their type of wine. I will admit that this wine jumped out of the glass and beat me over the head with it's enormous "fruit-bat". It was a beating that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wondered if it lacked acidity and structure, but concluded that it did not. It's almost perfectly structured. It is just so smooth and velvety, I can barely describe it. There was a slight hint of spice/pepper and an acidic element that kept it all together. I applaud the Wagners and their consistent output of this phenomenal wine. The price point is crazy, it's expensive and most likely overpriced, but I don't care. It's a wine that I will continue to have for special occasions. This wine is, and should be, the face of Napa/California Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a pleasure to drink, beautifully made, as if no corners were cut or expenses spared. I could go on and on about it but there is nothing I can add that hasn't already been said about this awesome wine.
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Absolutely delicious. Silky mouthfeel, incredible smooth & very pleasurable to drink. Dark berries, chocolate notes, not too sweet or jammy, very well balanced Cab. Fantastic with filet mignon. Great wine for a special occasion. Would love to afford another bottle to cellar for a while.
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Wonderful Tasty Full Bodied Concentrated Blueberry Cassis Vanilla Oak Chocalate Licorice Complex Steady Balanced Ripe Smooth Great Finish This wine has it all
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Wonderful cab with that classic Caymus taste. Makes me wonder how they do it. Fruit bomb up front with wonderful supportive elements...oak, mineral, tannin
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of cherry, chocolate and vanilla. It's balanced and has flavours of chocolate and vanilla with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and let air for one hour. Tremendous chocolate on the mid palate. This was delicious.
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Smooth, silky and delicious, pure pleasure in a bottle. There is a reason the 09 vintage is all but sold out - everybody loves this wine. It's so creamy and rich it's impossible to keep your hands off it especially since it's so versatile with so many different dishes. Light enough to pasta yet perfect for steak!
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Getting better with time. More flavors and fuller developed fruits and tanins. Probably be better in a couple of years, but I won't have any of this batch left as I like it too much!!!
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California Wine Country with Jill for our 30th's; 9/9/2012-9/15/2012 (California): Darker liqueur styling overall. Really young and tight now. Big and just not showing the best finesse or balance at this time. Some promise to open up, but I wouldn't drink this now. Lots of sweet baking spice, sweeter milk chocolate and nuts. Big on the nose and some port qualities. Richer and massive now. Little lower acid with big tannins and lots of alcohol. Not necessarily hot, just chewy.
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Very popular at a blind tasting including a 2009 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 Bond Matriarch, but popular with the novices. More experienced tasters preferred the Bond, then Larkmead by a significant margin.
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Still developing but smooth as silk and nice on the palate as soon as it comes out of the decanter. Lots of good fruit, a taste of oak, and a creamy finish. Probably not a bottle to lay down for many years but yummy, yummy, yummy.
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Dark purple color. Blackberry and currant nose. Tastes of blackberry, black cherry, earth, leather, cranberry, and anise. Very full bodied. Good balance. Rich power finish with nice depth and complexity.
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Forward aromas of cassis and blue fruits with creamy vanilla and a touch of loamy earth. Very ripe with a very polished mouthfeel. I am not much of a Cabernet drinker, much less a California Cabernet drinker, so this was quite out of touch with what I normally prefer. But at least it reinforces what I feel about my tastes in wine.
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Big fruit it's like drinking blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream.very smooth tannins .so one dimensional; not sure if its age worthy; no complexity and perhaps this I the last time I would buy not a good qpr
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Huge inky wine. Buttery and sweet. Not much complexity or acidity. Almost like drinking port. Big caramel and vanilla notes. Just a baby at this stage, but not sure it will hold up to extended cellaring.
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Refined, elegant example of California Sauvignon that offers soft, ripe blackberry, vanilla, earth and plums with soft tannins, medium body and no sensation of overripe fruits. Very polished style of wine.
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Off Moderno wine list for opening night, quick decant and poured. Nose shows rich sweet primary blackberry fruit with toasted vanilla aromas that are heavenly. Soft broad entry featuring creamy black cherry, blueberry, and black berries. Plump, juicy dark red fruits with wonderfully rich concetrated velvety appeal. Plain old yummy high quality Cali Cab that is just wonderful to drink and enjoy. Wine has a real nice yum factor. My guess is good helping of Merlot added the polish that created a very different style then I normally associate with Caymus SS. This wine is sure to be a real crowd pleaser, but not sure it has the sophistication or longevity of past great vintages.
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Part of the wine selection for James' 40th birthday celebration. Was expecting a large, robust wine, but I was pleasantly surprised. Full-bodied, but not TOO big or heavy with tannins.
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Absolutely fabulous tonight. Opened and decantated. Smooth tanins and lots of nice fruit. Good nose, no aftertaste, and really a great value for the money.
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Nice mouthfeel, deep layers of fruit, like many reviewers point out. Too jammy, fleshy, almost boozy, not enough acidity to balance the package. I would give it 90 minus 2 for the price given that you can do much better.
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Yes this was good, but I kept thinking they added blueberry juice to the mix. Full and very rich, fat, fleshy. Silky tannins with a touch of spice on the finish which bumped up the score. Lacks freshness. Overall out of balance and too sweet. Surprised at the high ratings. A major pass considering its price point.
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Not my style of wine. Enormous; akin to drinking cough syrup, it is so thick. Overwhelming fruit, but tasty in that respect. I would not let this near food; it is a stand-alone wine. Tastes like it was designed to impress reviewers and not be consumed with a meal. Had it the same night as a 1999 Leoville Poyferre, which was embarrassing for the Caymus. The Leoville was absolutely delicious and could be paired with a meal, a much more versatile wine than the Caymus. Drink the 2009 Caymus now, or over the next 5-7 years.
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This is a young wine but with potential. Dark fruit, amazingly well integrated tannins. Decanted for 60 minutes but it probably could stand another hour to make it more approachable.
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Nice dark purple color. Sugar plum and sweet red fruits on the nose. Velvety texture, has an elegance and silky mouthfeel with hedonistic fruit flavors balanced with just enough acidity to keep it honest. Another year or more of bottle age should help this come together and allow the oak to integrate, but very enjoyable today. Should be rocking by the holidays. Prefer this to the 2008 actually. 93-95 points
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Amazing in every way. Not over the top, Caymus really really took care of business making the most well rounded wine on every front. I will be purchasing more.
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The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Medium. It smells like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Plum, and Nutmeg. It tastes like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Plum, Nutmeg, and Chocolate. The body is Medium/Full. The wine is textured Smooth. The wine finishes Medium.
Drank side by side with a 2008 Caymus Special Selection. The 2008 was vastly superior at the time. Would recommend holding 2009 for the near future at least.
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Drank side by side with a 2008 Caymus Special Selection. The 2008 was vastly superior at the time. Recommend holding 2009 for awhile so it can catch up.
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caymus is hitting all cylinders in 2009. This is more elegant than 09 Caymus Napa and will probably age longer but the typical flavors are all here.Caymus is always a crowd pleaser and is my go-to bottle because both sophisticated and neophyte red wine lovers find something to like with every bottle. The 09 does not disappoint. Typical Caymus ready to drink now...great fruit with muted tannins make this exceptional. Will be hoarding more of this.
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a huge step up from the regular Napa bottling which despite itdense fruit and stuffing, comes off a bit to dessert like (not dessert wine, just dessert). The SS has a much more restrained nose, full of fruit, but still with some of the Caymus, over-the-top, in your face flavors. I think this could get much better ****plus
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Tasted at the winery. Very yong and lacking the smoothness I normally associate with Caymus. Very dark purple. Sweet chocolate, sour cherry, high acidity and tannins. Good potential, but really too young and disjointed to score right now - at least I hope that is going to improve. The regular Caymus is drinking better right now.
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cocoa black berries cinnamon on the nose which is more restrained than the regular cab. the palate is more complete with less intense oak some savory notes cocoa and dark berries. tannins are present but not harsh.
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{ST} It's been about 15 years since I last tasted an SS, and this brought back good memories. Color dark purple loaded with black hues, full body. Despite the fact that this was opened four hours earlier and decanted at least 90 min., the nose was reticent, showing cedar and mocha up front with dark berries rather distant in the background, which I take as a sign of its youth. On the palate, this shines with outstanding concentration and layers of rich ripe plum, cassis, high quality chocolate, vanilla and earthy notes. Classic premium cab profile showing outstanding primary flavors even at this early stage. Full, polished sweet tannins give this a smooth texture and add weight to a delightfully long finish. I can just imagine how beautifully this will evolve; would love to taste it again in about 15 years. Score conservative because of the bouquet.
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Drank at Cellarmasters on a Saturday afternoon over 2 hours. Deep purple/violet color. Silky mouthfeel with sweet tannins and deep concentration. Strong black fruit, vanilla, cedar and mulberry flavors. Long lingering finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. Too young to be drinking right now, but what a treat. With some age this wine will be a classic!!!
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10/21/2023 - Delli wrote:
I know we’re out of the community drinking window but the wine was a drinking well and I suspect (no more of this vintage) has years left.
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8/28/2023 - pdicorpo Likes this wine: 95 Points
This remains one of the favorite American wines. Perfectly aged. Incredibly well-balanced but with solid notes of dark berries and black currants. This was absolutely delicious
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7/24/2023 - awineo wrote: 95 Points
Always consistent.
At 24 years the wine aged nicely, still retaining full body and aged tannins.
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4/22/2023 - Adventr.us wrote: 91 Points
This was a gift bottle, tendered on release. It's been in my cellar since. And in that sense, it was a most gracious and considerate gift. I'm definitely grateful for that friend's thoughtfulness. Since then, it's even appreciated in value to the point where I would never buy this bottle for me ... so I'm just that much more appreciative that my friend did. However, gratitude aside ...
It's fine - lots of fruit still present, tannins largely resolved, everything in balance. While the CT drink-by date suggests "drink up", I think it'll hold for plenty more years with no issue.
The problem is, I just don't really like these style wines anymore. It's the quintessential Parker-fruit-bomb that I also enjoyed in their golden era ... but my tastes have long since evolved. Just too big, too much heat on the back end, no nuance or layers or intrigue. I thought our grilled grass-fed/finished strip steaks and lamb-loin chops would help mellow it out, but to me, it was still just a punch in the face, and that's it.
If you like this style, it's a solid example. But given my evolving palate, it wasn't worth anywhere near the valuation to me ...
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1/7/2023 - Miceri Likes this wine: 97 Points
Dark red; after a few hours a very impressive nose, tons of sweet licorice; very rounded and balanced, nice very soft tannins, long sweety aftertaste; best Special Selection ever tasted - it does need age!
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12/31/2022 - llavoe Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very dark color.
Good aromas,
Still very full bodied.
Signs of age present but very solid and smooth.
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10/23/2022 - EdKz@comcast.net wrote: 89 Points
purple, full body, blue and black fruits, voluptuous, density of flavors muddled with finish. enjoyable on its own, so-so with Asian-midly spiced ribs. poor qpr
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10/21/2022 - nywine68 wrote: 90 Points
Explosive nose of raspberries. Overtly sweet. Very fine tannins. Stewed figs and black olives. Long finish. Sweetness overpowers the latent complexity underneath
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9/29/2022 - TZins wrote:
drank with sonny and lisa
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9/2/2022 - CornDoggyDogg Likes this wine: 95 Points
Typical Caymus Special Selection. No formal notes but I was able to guess the wine blind. It's exactly what I expect and hope for from this wine. A little bit of everything on the nose and palate except that some of the red fruit was gone. Tannins super soft and silky - incredibly easy to drink. Wish I'd opened it a year or two ago. There's still plenty of life left but my guess is the best days are behind it. Love this wine every time. So impressive for a large production Cabernet.
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6/5/2022 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
CA Cabernet vs. Bordeaux and Italy (Paul's House (in Town) - (May 15, 2022)): CA Cab vs. Bordeaux / Italy Tasting (all tasted blind)
Wine #6 of 10
The wine that created this tasting (see tasting event for more details). Blacker in glass than all previous wines. On nose, cassis, blackberry and tobacco. On palate, fruit was very sweet & soft - this has aged well and was not oxidized. Full body (clearly a CA cab), medium tannins and low acidity (much lower than all previous wines). This was a wine that was better on its' own than with food (93+/- on own, 91+/- with food).
Figured this was my wine and I was correct. While not in top 3 of tasting, this wine impressed the French / Italian leaning tasting group.
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5/19/2022 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 95 Points
Still excellent but should be attended to soon if you have it.
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3/29/2022 - ayalao3 wrote: 94 Points
93-94
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2/5/2022 - SkeBum Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pulled from the cellar and decanted for a hour or so. Deep red color, cork in great shape. (Note to other “high” end cab makers, 1.5 inch corks work best for wine that is made to be aged) Anyway, nose is oak and dark fruit, with a whiff of alcohol. Palate is good. Guests loved it, I personally thought the finish was just okay. Tannins and everything are working well. I personally consider this maker a second tier Napa Cab producer, and rated it as such.(If you don’t consider this maker as such, that is fine also) However, having drank some of the All Stars Cabs over the years this is a top notch California Cab, just not the top level. Drinking well, management aka the wife wants me to pull another bottle from storage, so I will.
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12/16/2021 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 96 Points
Purchased upon release and pristinely cellared, this opaque garnet wine was decanted off of its sediment and allowed five hours in decanter prior to initiating the tasting process. Aromatically oozing with dark bramble fruits, black currants, holiday spice cake, violets, cocoa and lavender, it is a full-bodied Cab with low-to-medium acidity, seamless alcohol (14.9%), nicely assimilated oak and plentiful velvety-textured tannins. With luscious flavors that mirror the aromas, a dense mid-palate and lengthy finish, this is classic-quality, quintessential Napa Cabernet that is drinking beautifully at this point. Comparably cellared bottles will have no difficulty reaching their twenty-fifth birthday with grace. Drink now-2034.
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11/26/2021 - Risky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Heavy body, complex, dark berries, very smooth
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11/6/2021 - Lockareff wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful. Absolutely in the zone. Feels like its at its peak...drink up over the next 1-2 years.
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9/5/2021 - Verb Likes this wine: 94 Points
dark red with no age apparent on the rim - intense cherry and blackberry fruit with a touch of eucalyptus - huge full-bodied mouth with predominant sweet red cherry fruit and licorice - very light ripe tannins, low acidity - 30 second long smooth finish - a classic Caymus SS that is drinking very well now, but not sure what will be left once the fruit drops out - tasted alongside 2009 Ch Cantemerle - perhaps not the best comparator, but clearly showed the stark differences between the more structured Bordeaux and the in-your-face fruit of CA cabs - each to his/her preference, but I'd drink the Caymus now and hold the Cantermerle for another 5-10 years
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8/21/2021 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
This baby is singing right now. Can probably go another two to three years but as for balance with adequate fruit and perfect tannin structure and acidity this wine is right in its sweet spot. See previous notes for characteristics/etc. Drink or hold.
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8/15/2021 - JS199 wrote: 95 Points
Awesome bottle again, similar to May note.
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6/29/2021 - Tony Simo Likes this wine: 96 Points
June 29, 2021: Erik’s tasting with Derek and Jen. All 2009’s tasted blind. The Ridge Monte Bello was elegant and refined and for me was the wine of the evening TS97. Camus Special Select was a surprise 2nd with its signature silky taste and nose. TS96. Shader Hillside Select was a close 3rd, also silky and refined. I would have thought going in this would have easily beat the Caymus. TS95. Chappellet Pritchard Hill, which I love, came of a little rustic and higher alcohol compared to the others and I was shocked to discover came in last in my rankings TS94. All these wines are unbelievable on their own. A fantastic tasting experience.
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6/20/2021 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at Belle & Gianni’s in Eugene for Father’s Day. Beautiful cab that is drinking nicely right now. Delicious.
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6/20/2021 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at Belle & Gianni’s in Eugene for Father’s Day. Beautiful cab that is drinking nicely right now. Delicious.
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6/18/2021 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
See previous notes
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5/9/2021 - JS199 wrote: 96 Points
A sophisticated Cabernet with dark fruit and a creamy texture. After the first sip you realize its going to disappear quickly. This is miles better than the regular bottling. Ready to consume. 96+
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5/8/2021 - hoservin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for one hour. Nose of black cherry, blackberry liquor, espresso, chocolate and spice. Black and red fruit, espresso, forest floor and spice on the palate. Well structured with a very long, layered finish. Full bodied. Drinking well. Served with reverse seared Pichana.
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4/17/2021 - gpcoleman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Classic Napa Cab.
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3/5/2021 - ocfriday Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good fruit and finish. Needed 2 hours decanted to bring out its best.
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1/1/2021 - MarshallLi Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby,medium(+) rose,strawberry,red cherry,blueberry,tomato leaf,ripe fruit,candy,vanilla,charred wood,chocolate,leather,earth,caramel,dry,medium(+) acidity,smooth medium(+) tannin,medium alcohol,medium(+) body,long finish,outstanding wine,suitable for bottle ageing
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1/1/2021 - Costes76 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Deep ruby color. Intoxicating and heady warm black fruit, cedar, vanilla with hint of mint. Soft molasses sweetness on entry with plump black fruit, chocolate and oak on palate. Beautiful balance with smoothly integrated acidity and tannins. Fantastic.
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12/29/2020 - actx wrote: 92 Points
Great wine with many years left. Only complaint was that the tannins are very soft/non-existent which surprised me.
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12/21/2020 - Krathen Likes this wine: 94 Points
Jammy
Yummy
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12/12/2020 - cpl100n Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark sweet fruit soft tannins had a glass at 2 hour decanter much better at 3 hour drinking another today to watch football
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11/16/2020 - agsdlswine wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well now & likely will continue for several years. Delicious Caymus style Napa Cab well paired w/a nice Cowboy Ribeye.
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10/31/2020 - Bosbevok Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking peak is now. Feels like it could stay at this plateau for a few years. My first of 3 bottles bought at release. Dark and brooding. Lots of dark fruit now, upfront and a menthol liquorice tail. Well balanced. Tannins are still there unlike some other reviews mentioned here. Medium to full body. Very satisfying.
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10/18/2020 - millerarner wrote: 93 Points
In general, my palate has been moving away from this style of winemaking. What little tannins this may have had are mostly gone. Also not surprising that it's on the flabby side of what I consider good balance. That said, it's still very pleasurable to drink when in the mood, and there's a nice purity of fruit. Feels less manipulated than more recent vintages of Caymus.
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10/7/2020 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. Sweet, smooth, and pure, this is a delicious wine but nothing special to warrant the big price tag, as other have said. Still, It's a crowd pleaser and if it has sentimental value to you, it's a lovely drink.
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8/22/2020 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 89 Points
Classic Caymus style: fruit forward and flabby. Black cassis, purple grape and eucalyptus on the nose. Same flavors along with a bit of chocolate on the palate. Round, flabby finish. Little if any tannic grip at this point, but have yet to experience a vintage of Caymus with any backbone. Nothing offensive, but nothing “special” either. Fits a profile that works for some.
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7/19/2020 - Risky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Full body, dark berry, smooth
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7/7/2020 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 91 Points
Solid wine but the 2010 we drank 2 weeks ago was much better. Last of the Caymus or Caymus SS -- thanks for a good run in the 90's and really up till 2007. Too bad the wine is now over mfg.
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5/30/2020 - Rickets Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very new world. well made and very enjoyable albeit not really my style. at peak but should last another 10yrs.
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5/29/2020 - rhg Likes this wine: 92 Points
N:
P: coffee, espresso. Sweet caramel. Not really my style. Mocha. Cocoa.
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1/18/2020 - dnnk88 wrote: 93 Points
CNY Wine Night @ Chef Kang: Plum tart, ripe berries, chocolate violets, sweet liquorice, tinge of burnt caramel toastie. Very nice long menthol finish. Nicely layered, full bodied, with depth. However, stylistically too sweet for me. Nonetheless, a very well made wine. Open now and good for many years ahead.
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12/24/2019 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for over an hour. Ripe dark fruits and tannins. However, the fruit is not as extracted and jammy as in the past. This is drinking wonderfully now but it is not as unctuous as previous bottles. Drink up.
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11/24/2019 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Almost 5 years since my last tasting of this- 90 min decant. This was heads up against a 1995 Insignia. This had some heat and was very fruit forward and with an average finish. Lacking in complexity and felt very much like a wealthy novice’s preferred wine. Don’t get me wrong, if someone was pouring this at a cocktail party or a wedding I would be absolutely thrilled but this really was just smooth and boring. This is meant for a beer drinkers special occasion anniversary wine. This is certainly in its prime and if the fruit fades anymore it will be missing the one thing this has going for it. Wouldn’t hold these for more than 1-2 years.
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11/14/2019 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened for about an hour. Delicious from the beginning. Full fruit without too much jam feel. Good nose. Sorry I only have one bottle
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10/27/2019 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Easy 93 points.
Very little decanting was needed. The color is still a medium purple with no sign of aging yet. Aroma of red fruits with cigar box, vanilla and a hint of prune.
This guy is mellow and the tannin's are in perfect sync with the acids and alcohol. Silky smooth and paired nicely with steak or any mildly fat protein. Flavors of red cherry, cranberry, leather, cigar box just coat your mouth. The silky tannin is so soft, the finish was very good and the complexity is decent.
I would have rated higher if the complexity had more layers but regardless this is a wine in its prime stage.
Cheers!
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9/21/2019 - RedRedMoreRed Likes this wine: 93 Points
Everything you expect from a Caymus SS. Smooth, well integrated, lots of fruit. Nice complexity and that wonderful finish.
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8/20/2019 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 91 Points
In one word....Silky. In four words ... silky black dense fruit . Is Caymus is perhaps the most consistent winemaker in Napa?( rhetorical) . Every year the special selection tastes so consistent. Small about of underbrush on the nose but other than that still mostly primary flavors and scents .
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8/10/2019 - gew71walsh wrote: 93 Points
Hour decant. Paired with Rib Eyes. This is a great steak wine. As I have stated with a prior bottle, Tannins have mellowed, wine is balanced and moderately complex and a much better effort than the regular Caymus. The fruit is much better integrated. This should hold for another few years.
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7/28/2019 - Marc S wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks purple colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like strawberry, red currant and black currant (cassis). It tastes like strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and black currant (cassis). The body is medium. The wine has juicy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity.
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7/18/2019 - KVM wrote:
Still a baby. A sweetish one.
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4/30/2019 - jsiegler10 wrote:
Drink soon!
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4/27/2019 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
Pnp....could have used a decant but was still luscious and silky smooth with more and more fruit appearing as it was swirled in the glass. Always a crowd pleaser...this was the WOTN up against well decanted 2006 Nickel and Nickel-challenger and Far Niente Cave Collection cabs. This vintage still has tons of life left in it and could go for another ten years or more.
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2/18/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 93 Points
Pop and pour. Relaxed and elegant on the palate with fine tannins and good balance. Quite a bit of bottle variation in these. Not sure it's improving from here and perhaps was better in its earlier intensity. Still a nice drink but not worth the price.
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2/14/2019 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 87 Points
Maybe I’m just too congested but this is just too hot.
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2/1/2019 - Mmunger Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open bottle and drank via an airiator, no decanting. Very jammy on the nose, yet not on the palate. Pleasantly surprised.
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2/1/2019 - maxmanx wrote:
It is what it is, and it is a very good version of a concentrated cabernet. Was a gift- would never have spent that kind of money on this bottle.
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1/25/2019 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for about 30 minutes and throughout course of drinking. Inky opaque purple. The nose explodes with grape jam and brambles. This wine continues to deliver on many levels with no signs of weakening. Big and round, silky and yummy. Definitely the WOTN in a flight with a 2013 Del Dotto Cave Blend and a 2012 Cimarossa Levante. Drink or hold. You're a winner either way.
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11/25/2018 - For the Love of Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
A mini-vertical that included a 2012 and a 2013. This wine was decanted for about an hour and drank over the following 3 hours. Initially, this wine was awesome, showing nice fruit and also tertiary flavors of earth, leather, chocolate and a touch of oak. The wine had silky smooth tannins and no sign of heat. All and all a pleasure to drink! My only complaint would be the fruit started to dissipate toward the end, which allowed the tertiary flavors to shine a little more. My personal preference is purity of fruit over tertiary qualities, although, like most, a balance is perfect. However, I lean more toward the fruit, and do not appreciate a wine as much as the fruit starts to lose its presence. If the fruit would have remained strong, this would have been my number 1 of the three, but as others gained points from me with time, this one lost a few. Initially, I would rate this 98, but it fell to 95 and stood there the rest of the night.
Like many others, I do not see this wine improving, but I feel it still has a couple years left in its excellent drinking window, if someone is saving it for a special occasion. If not, I would recommend drinking up! I would probably also forgo the decant, unless you are pressed for time. I think you would get more pleasure out it evolution. For those who are huge fans of tertiary flavors and have no issue sacrificing fruit for those flavors, this wine probably has a much longer life, perhaps another 5-7 years, and a decant will likely be beneficial for you.
For now, no matter where your palate lies, this wine is enjoyable.
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11/25/2018 - SumCellar wrote: 93 Points
Fruit is still strong. After an hour decant, tannins are mellow. A pleasant pour overall. I agree with others that this wine is currently about as good as it is likely to be.
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11/22/2018 - wineshaman wrote: 94 Points
Concure with most previous notes, inky dark color, dark fruits galore, smooth and silky.
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11/22/2018 - RJandGB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Right on track with all you expect from this wine
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11/11/2018 - jcasey555 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfect tonight with a steak. A bit of sediment could have been avoided at the end with careful decanting. I brought to Capital Grill and the bartender poured every last drop. Seldom advisable with aged cab.
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11/9/2018 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 97 Points
Best wine of 2018. Oak, smoke and leather on he nose. Silky smooth, big red cherry and a fantastic mouthfeel. Long finish - I’m just sorry I don’t have more. Simply delicious food
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9/16/2018 - Verb Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark red with no age apparent on the rim - intense cherry and blackberry fruit with vanilla and some eucalyptus - not much complexity at this point - big full-bodied mouth with predominant red cherry fruit and a touch of licorice - 20 second long smooth finish - drinking very well now but clearly it will continue to hold for many years - will it develop more complexity? I hope so, but frankly doubt it
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8/4/2018 - Quiet Lion wrote: 91 Points
Decanted and drank over four hours. It showed hot and unfocused and never came together over that time. Perhaps an off bottle, but I've had more than a few CSS bottles that didn't show well over the years.
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6/23/2018 - gew71walsh wrote: 93 Points
Deep, dark fruits that dominate. Tannins still strong, but mellowed somewhat after a hour decant and a couple of glasses over two hours. This is what it is and probably won't get better with more time (or worse, for that matter). Still is to me always a better effort than the regular Caymus.
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6/7/2018 - maxima wrote: 93 Points
Quel beau vin.
Ample et complexe, un beau fruit dense et précis avec une longue finale.
Excellent et pour bien des années.
Cher mais plus que du bonbon...plus vraiment accessible car le prix a encore explosé sur les derniers millésimes.
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5/4/2018 - Bobk82 wrote:
As it opened I got sweet cigar tobacco,dark plums and blueberry cooked fruits or pie,very sweet, the alcohol seems high,and the tannin is low, a big vanilla bomb at first but I think that’s fading as it’s decanting a massive amount of chocolate a nice milk chocolate with a small tinge of green and earth. Heavy price tag on the 09 SS COMPARED to the regular caymus. It’s a really good wine had with filet mignon. Value expensive for what it is at this price point I would say pass so many great producers in CA producing the same style wine, but Life is short but sweet for certain so eat drink and be merry.
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4/20/2018 - morewineplease! Likes this wine: 98 Points
Outstanding wine; nothing but fruit for the first hour; benefitted from an hour decant. Beautiful deep purple in the glass; round and supple in the mouth. Red fruit for the first 45 minutes, then hints of licorice mixed with elegant fruit backdrop. Worked well with our lamb chops; wasn't offended by the asparagus, either.
I'm sure this could get a bit better with a bit more aging, but you won't be disappointed to drink it now. My wife thinks it is the best bottle we've had in 3 years.
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4/7/2018 - miker02 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Aired in the bottle for an hour, then decanted and aired for another 45 minutes. Garnet in color. Strong fruit, then smooth. Straight-forward and pleasant.
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2/13/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Showing beautifully right now. Classic high-end Napa extracted Cabernet with great purity, polish, and finish. So enjoyable with steak frites.
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2/10/2018 - Bodyfxr wrote: 95 Points
Pnp, could have used a decant. Opened up with some vigorous swirling. Always a crowd pleaser. Drinking beautifully now and should continue to improve in focus a harmony for the next 10+ years.
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2/1/2018 - mvpgoblue wrote:
Phenomenal. Got me in to the poker group.
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1/19/2018 - jcampano wrote: 94 Points
Drank with a great filet at Delmonicos in Vegas. Decanted for only 30 minutes, it was a typical SS from Caymus...big cherry and blackberry fruit, licorice, vanilla throughout with a nice smooth finish.
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1/6/2018 - e-r.portzline wrote: 88 Points
Like last time, still a fruit bomb. Better than last, more balanced, still not worth the price.
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12/31/2017 - AjitK wrote: 95 Points
Great Napa wine, focused and concentrated that is to be expected from Caymus' flagship wine. Terrific extraction of deep red fruit with vanilla and a lightly toasted oak. Not very nuanced but complex enough with layers to add to the flavor. Had some earthy flavors of forest floor representing the terroir. Will continue to drink well for another 10 years. Quite pricey though.
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12/30/2017 - Dangelmaier wrote: 99 Points
Awesome Bottle of wine. I’m not sure I can know the difference between a 95 and 99 point wine but this truly feels like a 99 point wine.
Great balance very smooth Cherrys and vanilla little bit licorice. Cheers
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12/18/2017 - Steve01 wrote: 98 Points
The best wine ever. Smooth and delicious. Paid 99.00 but price increased.
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12/16/2017 - sean7711 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decided to open up to celebrate the second semester down of my MBA. Decanted for two hours and was perfect- one of the best bottles I’ve had all year. I think this still has a few years in it, so no rush.
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12/8/2017 - AGELVIS wrote: 95 Points
75 min decant. Deep, dark purple. Menthol, tobacco, black currant and toasted vanilla on the beautiful nose. Super smooth, port-like palate. Sharp tannins on longish finish. This is at its peak.
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12/8/2017 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just terrific. The best of caymus but not very caymus-y
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12/3/2017 - AAJR Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP'd from a magnum. First of many wines tasted during a holiday dinner with friends. Wine seems to be at a good point. One left in cellar, suggest final revisiting by 2020. Additional wines tasted - Harlan, Alpha Omega, Kapcscandy, Behrens Family, Frank Family RR, Caymus SS 2012 & Peju. Too many wines - no notes - but lots of fun with great friends.
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9/28/2017 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 95 Points
Two hour decant. Deep purplish maroon. Rubber eraser, prune, licorice and dark fruit on the complex nose. Smooth, lively palate. Lush tannins on medium+ finish. This is the best balance of age and complexity and fruit forwardness.
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7/31/2017 - Alongfield Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lush and delicious.
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7/15/2017 - hoservin wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for two hours. Aromas of black cherry, currant, mocha, spice and vanilla bean. Red and black fruit, coffee, chocolate and fine tannins on the palate. Big and fruit forward, leading to a long finish. Full bodied. Served with grilled Delmonico steaks and a blue cheese, black truffle butter.
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7/15/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured this bottle with dinner. It showed more as a cocktail wine, the rough tannins never quite leaving and the alcohol ever-present over the delicious concentration. Quite enjoyable but it demanded the spotlight rather than sharing the stage.
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7/14/2017 - macmiker007 wrote: 94 Points
One of the best cabs I've had in recent times. Well balanced and only decanted 30 minutes. Started with coffee fading to mild berries on the finish. Strong legs.
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6/25/2017 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 93 Points
90 min decant. Deep dark purple color with modestly faded rim from age. Black tar, raisin, anise and prune on very rich nose. Brambly palate (at first) with good acidity that was hitting the back of my tongue. The palate smoothed out completely in the ensuing hour of drinking. The finish was medium level no with pleasantly firm tannins. I like the 2013 Special Selection a bit better with its more pronounced fruit, but my wife prefers this 2009. Both are wonderful in their own way. :)
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5/26/2017 - uncle al Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. Drinking very well, lots of dark fruit, very smooth and well balanced. Nothing like the regular cab which is too fruity. Excellent finish.
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5/13/2017 - Bstutzer wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Dark fruit still apparent up front, decent finish. Wouldn't wait forever, but still has life.
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4/30/2017 - CWilliam wrote:
Didn't take formal notes - this wine has aged well - I am not a fan of the regular Caymus (too sweet / oaky) - paired great with grilled burgers. 91+
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4/20/2017 - unrelenting wrote: 90 Points
I'm not the best to taste such a forward beast. Without the moderate tannins, this would be confused for Zinfandel. Plum is dominant.
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4/8/2017 - e-r.portzline Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Lacks balance. Upon open, decanted. Dark fruits, high acidity, dry finish. Hot to start with long acidic finish. 2 hours later, fruit tamed, less hot, strong coffee and cocoa, which sounds great until the fruit returns on the finish. Overall, ok wine at $20, but not that great at $160.
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4/7/2017 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Supple and smooth, plenty of dark red fruit - plum and currant. Balanced and graceful
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4/2/2017 - JTobin Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Was a cherry bomb. Undrinkable
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3/28/2017 - Hiway2000 wrote: 93 Points
i think more time would be beneficial.
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3/11/2017 - RedRedMoreRed Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank at a celebration dinner at Hillstone's. Decanted <30 minutes. This was an extremely enjoyable bottle of wine. Incredibly smooth and as you would expect very fruit forward. Tannins, alcohol and acids have all intergrated well and IMO this is in a very good drinking window.
My wife boldly declared it her favorite wine ever.
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2/18/2017 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Short decant as we took this to the restaurant with us. The first taste was velvety smooth. Delicious wine with all the characteristics of a great cab but soft enough to not overpower your senses. This wine lets you know she is there and is very beautiful but lets the taste speak for her. Really good.
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2/11/2017 - srshane Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine had dark fruit, lots of tannin and a long finish. This wine has a few more years to go. It is drinking very well now with a decant or some time to open up.
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1/28/2017 - pdxwinefan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, almost chewy. Very dark with dark fruits. This is very concentrated and focused. The dark fruit overwhelms any secondary flavored--but the finish is extraordinarily long. Held up amazingly well to a steak with a rich peppercorn sauce.
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1/21/2017 - MaineMark wrote: 92 Points
A cassis and mocha bomb. Beautiful coloring, but almost over the top on the pallet. Amazing smoothness, but not a lot of depth. Drank the final glass on the second night, and it mellowed. A very well made wine, just the style was not what we were looking for. Suggest decanting or giving a bit more age in the bottle to help tame this beast.
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1/20/2017 - BuzzzzOff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent!
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1/11/2017 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious, focused, concentrated, balanced juice.
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1/8/2017 - winejow wrote: 93 Points
American wines are so much more bold than European ones. I was very excited to try Caymus because I had heard that it was one of the great California cabernets. It was a very very good wine, crafted skillfully. Complex, thick, juicy, with chocolate, cherry, vanilla, spice, but not much of the earthiness or tannins that I love in a Bordeaux.
Would probably not pay what this costs retail, but can appreciate what a sensual experience it offers.
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1/6/2017 - Scorpion Likes this wine:
Found at the Barn for 300$. was REALLY smooth and an awesome treat. With chan. They are drinking well now.
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1/4/2017 - Wine_in_HD wrote: 94 Points
Two hour decant. Before drinking I searched WA for a review but could find none. Many years both before and after are rated but not this vintage. Strange, I thought. Must be something wrong here. However, the wine was beautiful. Deep, rich flavors of fruit and spice. Maybe not the knock out that it may be in some years, but still very good. A mystery in why it doesn't appear rated among the others of that vintage. Anyway, better the second day after more exposure to air.
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1/2/2017 - dmccann3 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a full bodied fruit forward Cab that is so rich it is almost chewy. I am on Day 2 and it has lost nothing
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1/1/2017 - CLGray Likes this wine: 95 Points
New Years and paired with Wagyu filets and it was perfect. Quite possibly the best steak/wine pairing I've ever had. Now I'm on the search for another bottle or two so I can put them away to enjoy again.
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12/31/2016 - SouthernStateofMind wrote:
Paired w/grilled Rib-Eye Steak. Deep ruby/purple in color w/rich aromas of violet, black raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, plum, liquorice, dark chocolate, caramel & leather. Full bodied with energetic acidity; succulent flavors of aforementioned fruit are accompanied by pungent spice and animal notes. Cloying; soft velvety tannins coat the mouth and blanket the palate providing a long clinging finish. Don’t know the abv. on this but the overly abundant fruit belies its presence. Worked well with steak however I’m not sure I would be as enthusiastic about this on its own.
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12/25/2016 - AEROSS wrote: 94 Points
Full, bold cab with lots of fruit, structure and a long finish. Was excellent, even a couple days after opened!
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12/11/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 96 Points
Smooth, elegant and so well balanced, the fruit, tannins and acidity are very well integrated, this wine is Amazing !
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11/26/2016 - Squilber Likes this wine: 97 Points
Absolutely sublime for my anniversary dinner with my wife.
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11/24/2016 - e7seed@msn.com wrote: 95 Points
Inky, great nose of dark fruits, deep luscious mouth full of fruit, herbs, dirt and a spicy long finish. Decanted for 3 hours.
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11/24/2016 - drcoop wrote: 94 Points
Not getting better. Open with 3 years. #sugarcity
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10/20/2016 - donbaxter Likes this wine: 99 Points
Opened after 2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia and I would say I liked the Caymus better. Of course they were both good but I really enjoyed the Caymus.
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10/4/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 96 Points
See previous note.
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10/4/2016 - Bodyfxr wrote: 96 Points
The '09 Caymus Special Selection is I am great place right now. Decanted for 2 hours. This was served in a flight with an '09 Santa Duc Gigondas and a '12 Mollydooker Carnival of Love. This was close to being TWOTN but was beat out hands down by the Aussie Shiraz. This wine is significantly improved from 2 years ago. Big and bold yet soft and subtle with great balance of fruit and acids with chewy tannins. A definite crowd pleaser.
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9/2/2016 - Quiet Lion Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Wow, this bottle tasted like a bag of sugar was dumped into it. I can't think what kind of flaw would make it taste like that but it was nowhere near as pure and concentrated as the other two bottles. This makes me understand what the Caymus haters are talking about. Possibly some kind of crazy bottle variation?
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7/30/2016 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yummy. California cab at its best.
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7/9/2016 - AAJR Likes this wine: 93 Points
Three years since last last bottle of this vintage. PnP'd at a local BYOB restaurant. Lush dark fruit(blackberries) & lite expresso/chocolate flavors. A big fruit forward wine.....
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7/4/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted 90 minutes then returned to bottle for dinner. I don't think the decant was necessary based on previous bottle but thought I'd experiment. Pure, concentrated yumminess.
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7/3/2016 - djflipmaster Likes this wine: 90 Points
One hour decant. Deep garnet, powerful over the top fruit, jammy sweet. Weak structure, medium finish, low complexity. Drink now...not getting better.
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6/30/2016 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted briefly and drank with steaks. Vibrant berry nose, pure extracted black and red fruit on the palate with some caramel overtones. This is not a wine with a lot of complexity or character. It's vanilla ice cream. But it's Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.
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4/27/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing !
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4/26/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing !
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4/13/2016 - mmrosen Likes this wine: 91 Points
A lot of mineral in the cork, good nose, round and well balanced, nice tannins
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4/9/2016 - Vineyard Boy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Give it 3 hours in the decanter, its joy after that. Lot of heat straight out of the bottle.
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3/24/2016 - clarktoews Likes this wine: 94 Points
great btl of vino, loaded with ripe fruit but packaged with a silky smooth texture that holds off any over ripeness. like it a lot with steak and in winter, would be tough to take this down in the middle of summer.
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3/18/2016 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 91 Points
For some reason this bottle tasted overly extracted, syrupy and sweet. Perhaps its because its 90 degrees here now. I usually rate these very high. see previous notes.
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2/15/2016 - tjbsmf Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep purple in color, dark berries, candied cherries, wood and smoke. Chocolate; a lot of oak. Firm but pleasant tannins. Nose is inviting but not particularly intriguing for me. Perhaps some herbal notes as well. Complex, interesting palette and soft mouthfeel. Very good wine, easy to drink, but as expected at this price.
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1/24/2016 - daniel.jay wrote: 93 Points
Quick decant and pour. Initially tight, this opened into a completely enjoyable wine, but it flirts with being too soft, too sweet and too oaky. Typical napa fruit with limited secondary characteristics - maybe a hint of milk chocolate. It's easy drinking, but it's not really special.
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1/22/2016 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Say what you will about Caymus but the SS is a good wine if you like large scaled cabs. Dense and rich with cocoa, cinnamon and cassis. Crowd pleaser and me pleaser. No part of your palate goes unrewarded by rich fruit. Love this with steak seasoned only with salt and pepper.
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1/15/2016 - Geaux Tigers wrote: 91 Points
Good wine, just not me. Woody, cherry ludens, menthol, manufactured.
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12/31/2015 - tc from santee Likes this wine: 95 Points
Started by extracting a few ounces with my new Coravin. Beautifully crafted, dark Berrirs, vanilla and new Oak. So well balanced. I purchased it for $95 in 2012 now SS sells for $175. Makes no sense. Oh well I enjoyed this bottle.
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12/26/2015 - jslee21 wrote: 96 Points
Dense inky purple. Solid mouthfeel that envelops the whole palate. Finish is long.
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12/26/2015 - pdxwinefan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very rich. Loads of oaky vanilla (almost too much?) and blueberry. Hints of chocolate. Enjoyable and very easy to drink. Two+ hour decant--but I would almost suggest cutting that down by 30 minutes or so.
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11/29/2015 - vinrhino88 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich, delicious, big but not over the top. Notes not detailed but very enjoyable bottle. Looking fwd to trying addl bottles and see how they evolve.
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11/28/2015 - hoservin wrote: 95 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Black cherry, red currant, blueberry, mocha, licorice and spice aromas and flavors. Leads to a very long finish. Full bodied, layered with a dense texture. An unapologetic monster Napa cab. Paired with Greek tenderloin.
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11/27/2015 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 92 Points
Gave this a two hour decant.
Smooth tannins with blueberry, dark cherry and some spice. A little too much oak, but overall a very nice wine.
Better values for the money, but still a very nice wine.
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11/8/2015 - punter wrote: 94 Points
Dark purple with cedar, leather and blackberry nose. Bold and layered dark, juicy fruits, tannins nearly fully resolved, and acidity balance about prefect. Chicago CUT - great 'glass selection' to accompany the best bone-in filet in the city.
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11/6/2015 - mtkutzman@gmail.com Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wine unreal. could use maybe another year.
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10/21/2015 - mikeparker wrote: 91 Points
nose 90 taste 92-- so good but not for the price. much better wines for $150
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10/9/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Love this wine. Drank at Caymus. Smooth, dark, vanilla, blueberry pie, toffee, espresso. What an amazing wine. Tasted along side the 2012 at Caymus and I believe with about 2+ hours of air its better than the 2012. This is really something special. We bought 2 cases of this from the winery.
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9/14/2015 - ccrida wrote: 90 Points
Decanted about 1.5 hours before really getting into it, and there was very little change from the initial tasting of big, bold, oaky and hot. It had a rich, viscous texture, and lots of complex flavor from fruit to tobacco and eucalyptus. But overall it was just too over the top oak bomb, normalizing the complexity of taste and making it seem very overpriced.
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9/12/2015 - Bill Giardina Likes this wine: 93 Points
A creamy coco taste.
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8/22/2015 - garyty wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great right now. PnP
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7/24/2015 - fritza Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark and big, continues to age well. It is becoming so smooth, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this vintage. As always for CSS, big fruit, dark cherry, cassis, and chocolate. The finish lingers like a dark chocolate syrup....so delicious
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6/26/2015 - prdmil20 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Drinking well
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6/21/2015 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine: 97 Points
Excellent wine! Tastes very similar to the 2012 with just a little less depth and intensity. Wonderful blue fruits, cedar, cola, cinnamon, Chocolate, and espresso. I could drink this wine forever. We popped and poured with no decant.
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6/6/2015 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
delicious big heavy rich. Very smooth with no noticeable tannins. We decanted for several hours I would guess this is at its peak now although probably has years to go. Chucks bottle. As with all Caymus cabs cherry is dominant
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5/26/2015 - thptrek Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big nose of fruit. First is creosote and tar. Then evolves into blackberry tart and blueberry pie. Like the great crusty part. After 45 mins it moved again to delicate patrols with fruit still moving.
Threw a lot of sediment.
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5/23/2015 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
BLACK CHERRIES, CURRANTS, BLACKBERRIES, AND HINTS OF CHOCOLATE AND LICORICE IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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5/22/2015 - cab blends Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cruising the Oceans; 5/17/2015-5/24/2015: Compared to the Hillside Select 2000 which I have just finished drinking this was like fruit juice. An absolute fruit bomb. I am sure if this were not after the Hillside Select then it would have got a 95+
You need to be in the mood for fruit. Rich cassis berries. Still a powerhouse.
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5/4/2015 - NEwino Likes this wine: 94 Points
This a big bold bottle that is smoothing out with age. The nose is all Caymus with loads of cherry and dark fruit. The move is smooth and velvety. Previous bottles were almost to big leaving a bit of cough syrup finish but this bottle did not have that. Makes me excited for my future bottles. Drink now to 2020
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4/30/2015 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
Wagner Family Wines at Ruth Chris (Ruth Chris Steakhouse - Washington, DC): A rich and velvety Cabernet for sure. Deep purple color with thick, slow-draining legs. Dark currants, loam, cola, hints of smoke and pencil lead on the nose. Bold and ripe, velvety and well-integrated tannins, not much acid. Sweet blackberries, cassis and black cherries galore, the fruit is mixed in with elements of coffee, loam, cola and vanilla, a hint of menthol comes out with time. Chewy and bold but so silky with a finish of caramel sauce and toast (100% new oak). Doesn't seem to have the solid tannic structure for aging too many years past 2020 or so, but I'd like to try this again in three or four. This wine and filet with mushrooms, yeah, good stuff.
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4/7/2015 - Iacs wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like lead pencil, black currant (cassis) and blackberry. The body is medium/full. The wine finishes medium.
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3/22/2015 - BBinSC wrote: 93 Points
93-95: consistent with previous notes from 2013. The fruit is still holding strong, showing no sign of fading anytime soon. Really wonderful, curious to see how (and if) it ages. Substantial finish.
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2/22/2015 - CabNutty Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious. Beautiful nose and packed with flavor. It's the kind of wine that evokes a smile that's hard to hide. The ladies in our tasting all agreed it was "sex in a bottle". Well worth the spendy price.
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2/22/2015 - CabNutty Likes this wine: 94 Points
The wine comes off as voluptuous and very approachable, with soft lines, dense fruit, integrated tannins and well-aged balance. It is a sure palate pleaser from nose to finish, calling one back for taste after taste and reassuring each time it was worth the spendy price.
Shared it with four friends in a 'tasting' session. While everyone liked it immensely, the two ladies agreed it was "Sex in a bottle" and all agreed at the very least, it provided joy and in the end a memorable experience. So sorry to see the last drop. Keep the effort coming our way, Caymus!
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2/22/2015 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Compared with the 40th Anniversary Caymus Napa, this wine is almost elegant. But still a bit too sweet, almost cloying on the finish
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2/7/2015 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted at the winery. Love this wine. Much more structured than the regular bottling. Drinking incredibly well now without any harsh tannin or bite, just well put together. You will enjoy peeling back the layers on this wine. Lots of spice and anise on this wine. Maybe a touch of cinnamon. You can lay this down for years or enjoy it now. A very balanced wine.
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1/17/2015 - socalwinenerd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Inky dark and concentrated. Very open nose of dark fruit. Wonderful black fruit on the palate. Succulent jammy fruit forward profile. Some sweet vanilla oak hints and a long finish. Light tannins, mild acidity. This wine is has almost no heat despite 14.9% alcohol. So easy to drink but can I be honest and say it is overly fruity and a bit out of balance. Could this come into form a few years down the road? Maybe, but there isn't a terrific backbone of acidity to mellow or tannins to integrate so I am unsure. I recommend drinking now and enjoying.
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1/12/2015 - webbaker Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted about an hour then tasted over the next 6. Moderate amount of fine sediment. Multiple tastings with consistent notes. Typical Caymus fruit forward wine, rich, dark fruits, plums, raisins. Tannins integrating nicely. Nice aromatics. Time and again, Special Selection is one of my favorites.
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1/9/2015 - Swajln Likes this wine: 93 Points
Jammy & long finish!
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12/31/2014 - Javachip wrote: 93 Points
New Year's Eve, San Diego (San Diego): Allowed to breathe in glass 30 minutes before tasting. It needs a longer decant and also needs at least another 5 years in the cellar. Clear dark inky garnet-black. Dark brooding fruit, ripe, with a roasted quality. Cocoa, nutmeg, vanilla and forest floor. Full body, rich, outstanding balance and structure. Everything is here for a great future. Thanks Spo!
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12/21/2014 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
60 min decant- full bodied, some heat, above average balance and average finish. Should reach prime in 2-4 years and last a good 10-15 years. Average value.
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12/18/2014 - Jphowarth Likes this wine: 93 Points
Balanced fruit, changes in the glass over time, integrated structure, still a little young in the bottle. Would like to try again after 2 more years in the bottle.
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11/23/2014 - vinodonpedro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine. Made T-bones on the BBQ and felt like having a napa cab with it. Tannins are already soft and bottle was rock solid. Licorice, blackberries and blueberries. Also a hint of cedar maybe. Very rich wine overall. Drink now or keep cellaring but you wont regret open it a bottle.
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11/22/2014 - MaineMark wrote:
Smooth, milky chocolate and cassis. Maybe a commentary on my cellar more than anything, but probably one of the best wines I have ever had. Real quality here. Great now, and should drink ell for several more years.
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11/16/2014 - Rickyd007 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Never dissapointed, so amazing, deep.
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11/10/2014 - Krakajack wrote: flawed
Corked bottle
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11/3/2014 - Dr. Galazkiewicz wrote:
Wonderfully dense and rich and flavorful.
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11/3/2014 - sjdcellar wrote: 95 Points
we felt a little sheepish about opening this up so early but were very happy with the result. so smooth and rich, not a syrupy wine at all but has deep black fruit and vanilla notes. Lots of oak but it's well integrated already. very impressive and will wait a while to open the next and compare.
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10/25/2014 - Bodyfxr wrote: 92 Points
After a short decant the wine was showing well. Typical Caymus profile. Opaque purple with heavy fruit on the nose and palate with that usual candied finish and hints of shoe polish. Very lush. Tannins are well integrated and soft. Still has a lot of life left in it.
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10/12/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 93 Points
As my previous experiences, this isn't that much of a step up from their regular offerings to demand the price. It's very new world, loaded of vanilla oak, good extraction but not terribly complex. Very good overall balance which leaves you longing for the next sip. Although I like it, I find myself liking less and less this style of Cabernet.
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10/8/2014 - johnh1001 wrote: 94 Points
From magnum. Dark fruit, oak, vanilla, caramel, some chocolate and coffee. Full and rich in the mouth without being over done. I wanted just a bit more acidity, but still really enjoyed this.
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10/1/2014 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Very smooth, well developed, and absolutely ready to drink. What more can I say!!!
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8/30/2014 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
One of the best Special Selections that the vineyard has producied in recent years in my opinion. Well developed now and ready to drink. Dark ruby color, a boquety nose, long silky legs, and just great overall.
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8/21/2014 - jeffm_fla Likes this wine: 93 Points
Plush mouthfeel, dense flavors. Strangely not much nose, but a really good wine.
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6/27/2014 - mtkutzman@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
wine decanted at Frank Pope's; it was perfect;
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6/26/2014 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - dark berry, char
Mouth - lush big berry explosion yet balanced, ripe and sexy. At this moment drinking better than the '10
Score: muchos puntos
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6/21/2014 - Nprzybylo Likes this wine: 97 Points
One of the best Napa Cabs I've ever tasted. Dark garnet in the glass, exhibited concentrated flavors of dark chocolate along with the fruit-earth-barrel notes in good harmony with velvety mouthfeel. Not sure why I was surprised since this already has an exceptional reputation but definitely over-delivered.
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6/20/2014 - Bodyfxr wrote: 93 Points
See previous notes
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6/7/2014 - RobbieC wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful. Just a bit young. Slightly more cedar, wood, than I prefer but otherwise great. Tannins still gripping due to age; needs a few more years.
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6/6/2014 - Þórr Þunraz wrote: 93 Points
Firstly, I do not like Caymus. That will offend a lot of folks. The 'regular' has a distinct Play-DOH! taste to me. This Special Selection. however, was the perfect pairing for some ribs with a very light barbecue sauce and gruyere/mild jalapeno mac and cheese with a touch of bacon.
This bottle of Special Selection was just old enough to let out some vanilla, cherry and a hint of blueberry and had just enough cedar to take the edge off. I drank this bottle too early - it could stand another 3-4 years lying down in the cellar based on tannin balance. This one was also a gift and now I'm tempted to buy more, violating my own "no Caymus" rule.
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5/25/2014 - Rcapria Likes this wine: 91 Points
just excellent.... very cherry!!
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5/16/2014 - SeagreenWench wrote: 93 Points
Dark, inky color, enticing nose, rich, smooth fruit with a toast oak layer that keeps drawing one back in for more. Drank beautifully. Still probably has 5+ years.
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3/15/2014 - hoservin wrote: 94 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 2 hours. Nose of red currant, black cherry, blackberry, cocoa, black licorice, cedar and dried herbs. A black and red fruit core of currant and berries combined with chocolate, coffee, spice, leather and smooth tannins. Leads to a long finish. Full bodied with a layered, velvety texture in a hedonistic style. Early in its life, and I'll wait a couple of years before trying the next bottle. Paired with beef tenderloin.
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1/12/2014 - Tedtedder Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great year for caymus ss-sweet, supple fruit and nice oak. Needs time to settel down as this is a burly wine in need of time or aeration.
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1/5/2014 - TastesGoodToMe Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wonderful. Dark with a nose of Chambord black raspberry liqueur. Thick, bold and oh so "slutty" in the traditional Caymus style I love so much. Drinking well with a long decant (4 hours) but will be even better in a couple of years.
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12/31/2013 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
A real pleasure to drink. Smooth and well developed now.
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12/28/2013 - Aideng12 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very strong anise.
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12/24/2013 - Bodyfxr wrote: 94 Points
Enjoyed with Sharon on Xmas eve with a perfectly a cooked rib roast. This is a big, full bodied wine. Inky black with a crimcon halo. Decanted for 21/2 hours and was still a little tight and hot. This is a wonderful wine, very complex and lush. I could bathe in this stuff. Even better the second day as most of the surface ETOH blew off. I look forward to see how this will evolve.
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11/5/2013 - Wbharris wrote: 94 Points
Drank my wedding night. Brilliant, smooth, yet deep and typical of Caymus Cabernets. Perhaps a bit young but a sure bet to age well.
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10/14/2013 - webbaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Second tasting with consistent notes. One of my favorite wines. Typical Caymus fruit forward wine. Tannins integrating nicely. Very rich fruit flavors. Nice balance between aromatics and fruit.
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10/13/2013 - MarioD wrote: 93 Points
Pop and poured. Incredible balance for such a young wine. Loads of fruit, but with sufficient acidity so that it's not too much of a fruit bomb. Looking forward to opening other bottles to see how this ages. However, fantastic now and thoroughly enjoyable.
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9/23/2013 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
Similar note to previous.
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9/23/2013 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely fabulous tonight. Opened and decantated. Smooth tanins and lots of nice fruit. Good nose, no aftertaste, and really a great value for the money.
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9/13/2013 - Hazevedo Likes this wine: 96 Points
extraordinary wine
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9/1/2013 - Luis N Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is an extraordinary wine. Very well balanced. The aromas are rich, the body full, and very persistent.
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8/29/2013 - handymom Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank at my birthday dinner. Great nose, dark red fruit! Yum!
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8/16/2013 - peterk wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 6 hours. Deep, dark, rich wine with complexity and balance that ensured the bottle was polished off in short order. My last bottle, alas.
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7/27/2013 - BBinSC wrote: 94 Points
93-95: This wine is still young, and the fruit remains quite prominent, but it has the stuffing you want. There are ample tannins and good acidity underneath all the fruit, and I think if you could age this wine 10+ years it might be really interesting, but like most SS, it's all about being (as Parker says) a "hedonistic sexpot" of a wine. Lush and wonderful.
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6/28/2013 - NEwino wrote: 94 Points
Opened and let sit for 1 hour prior to drinking. Served with grilled steak. This was a full flavored fruit monster. The black and blue fruit just kept coming at you with a silky smooth feel and finish. Very enjoyable with plenty of time left. Drink now to 2020
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6/17/2013 - bebackin15 Likes this wine: 98 Points
Do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of this if you love deep, rich, complex wines. Absolutely delicious.
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6/16/2013 - AAJR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank for Father's Day. Decanted only 30 minutes. Purple color, fruit forward - blackberry taste. Incredibly smooth silky finish. A terrific bottle of wine.
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5/14/2013 - CWilliam wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 2 hours before serving with grilled NY Strips. I'm not a fan of the regular Caymus (at least when young as the fruit is too cotton candy flavored as a prior taster noted) but despite that I really enjoyed this wine. Dark reddish purple color, black cherry, cassis, blackberry, vanilla & dark chocolate on the nose & palate. Full body but not cloying (acidity balances the fruit) with a very long finish with sweet tannins that were noticeable on the finish. Great with the steaks and although this wine is made to be accessible young, it was actually better 2 nights later (in a cellar under vacu-vin) which would imply this wine could last for a while. Worth its price and would buy again. 93-94 range - delicious. Closer to 94 than 93.
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5/10/2013 - KVM wrote: 91 Points
Inky purple. Vanilla from oak, blackberry and blackberry jam and meat. Soft texture, incredibly concentrated fruit and the alcohol seems subdued next to the 2010. This is a crowd pleaser. From magnum.
I will age my bottles for a decade more. In the meantime, steak houses across the USA will have moved on to the 2020 vintage.
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5/1/2013 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 94 Points
Deep purple color with a rich alcoholic nose of dark berries, plum and vanilla. The palate is textbook Caymus - rich, creamy and velvety with flavors of dark cherry, dried blueberry, espresso, chocolate and vanilla. Finishes long, rounded and supple with hints of violets and Rutherford earth. This comes out a lot better and balanced compared to the regular Caymus Cabernet of the same vintage, which I felt had a little too much candied fruit (although gave it a 91). This is so smooth to drink now until 2018.
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4/28/2013 - DSiPil Likes this wine: 95 Points
Typical Caymus SS elegance. Notes of cassis, dark cherry and vanilla on the palate, with cherry and blueberry notes in the bouquet. Just kept getting better the longer it was opened. A profound expression of CA cabernet.
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4/24/2013 - Amadeus dascanio wrote:
- Crimsom color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Juicy texture with a long finish.
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4/5/2013 - Winekrupt wrote: 93 Points
Sooo extracted. Even more fruit than the Napa. Nose of ripe black fruit, tons of it... tobacco, briney... In the mouth it's like drinking concentrate. I can practically read the directions on the side of the bottle"To enjoy our regualr Napa Cab simply mix one part Special Selection with one part water and enjoy". This is an impressive wine, and I give it 93, but I'm not sure if I like it. More than a glass on its own might feel like pigging out on Halloween candy, and to drink this with food would obliterate the meal. I don't know how this would age. The massive fruit is already surpassing the tannins, which are quite smooth- it is missing the acidity to balance out the oak and fruit sweetness but is it missing the acidity for real longevity? Would be interesting to revisit in five years.
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3/29/2013 - Gestalted Likes this wine: 95 Points
Epic. Spicy oak, cassis, grand marinier on the nose. Midpalate is thick and super polished with an immense cascade of mocha, coffee, fruit and baking spices. Forget the food, this is a meal on its own.
--
Consumed at at cellar temp: 60°-65° F. Friends don't let friends drink red wine at room temp!
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3/24/2013 - Pbuschur Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was great right out of the bottle with very little time needed to decant.
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1/21/2013 - sjdcellar wrote: 92 Points
very good but too young at this point. took forever to open up. some nice vanilla and eucalytpus notes and very smooth. this will get a lot better with age.
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12/31/2012 - Cullens wrote:
One of the last bottles on a New Year night. Remember the crowd enjoying, but cannot supply notes or rating.
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12/30/2012 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours. Vivid and velvety, not shy and concentrated. I love the blackberry, all spice, piecrust, tobacco and oak. This is pretty much open for all kinds of business, however another year could help. Velvety tannins that end ever so softly. Drink 2014 - 2024
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12/25/2012 - Sarahbeancarney Likes this wine: 80 Points
Blackberries, fruity but tannins outdo any sweetness. Smells wonderful with vanilla warmth.
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12/25/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Oak, licorice, blackberry jam and cassis open to a classic, silky, plush, polished, forward expression of California Cabernet Sauvignon.
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12/24/2012 - sstitt wrote: 96 Points
On the nose smell mostly dark berries and oak. Initially a semi-fruit forward....
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12/23/2012 - tjdripper wrote: 95 Points
This wine is insanely good. It is the essence of a California Cab. Unbelievably smooth and drinkable. Dark crimson/purple color, almost deep brown/black. Huge nose of black/blue fruit with notes of chocolate and vanilla. On the palate, big ripe flavors of blackberry and blueberry, vanilla ice cream (seriously), vanilla, brown sugar, cocoa, molasses, and coffee. Juicy long finish that lingers for quite a long time. I enjoyed this with a huge top-notch beef filet and it was the perfect pairing. I know there are people who will dismiss this wine as flabby and a fruit bomb, and it is simply not their type of wine. I will admit that this wine jumped out of the glass and beat me over the head with it's enormous "fruit-bat". It was a beating that I thoroughly enjoyed. I wondered if it lacked acidity and structure, but concluded that it did not. It's almost perfectly structured. It is just so smooth and velvety, I can barely describe it. There was a slight hint of spice/pepper and an acidic element that kept it all together. I applaud the Wagners and their consistent output of this phenomenal wine. The price point is crazy, it's expensive and most likely overpriced, but I don't care. It's a wine that I will continue to have for special occasions. This wine is, and should be, the face of Napa/California Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a pleasure to drink, beautifully made, as if no corners were cut or expenses spared. I could go on and on about it but there is nothing I can add that hasn't already been said about this awesome wine.
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12/15/2012 - JenXH Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely delicious. Silky mouthfeel, incredible smooth & very pleasurable to drink. Dark berries, chocolate notes, not too sweet or jammy, very well balanced Cab. Fantastic with filet mignon. Great wine for a special occasion. Would love to afford another bottle to cellar for a while.
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12/15/2012 - Nicktm24 wrote: 92 Points
Too young, but still amazing...
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12/11/2012 - chipwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wonderful Tasty Full Bodied Concentrated Blueberry Cassis Vanilla Oak Chocalate Licorice Complex Steady Balanced Ripe Smooth Great Finish
This wine has it all
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11/23/2012 - jfaulk wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful cab with that classic Caymus taste. Makes me wonder how they do it. Fruit bomb up front with wonderful supportive elements...oak, mineral, tannin
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11/18/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
More smooth and clean. Very pleasant to drink. Still rising in flavor. A very good Caymus issue!!!
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11/4/2012 - rwstorer wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of cherry, chocolate and vanilla. It's balanced and has flavours of chocolate and vanilla with a medium/full body. Bright texture with a long finish - Popped and let air for one hour. Tremendous chocolate on the mid palate. This was delicious.
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10/14/2012 - fritza wrote: 92 Points
still a bit young, but never disappoints
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10/11/2012 - shkalata wrote: 95 Points
Smooth, silky and delicious, pure pleasure in a bottle. There is a reason the 09 vintage is all but sold out - everybody loves this wine. It's so creamy and rich it's impossible to keep your hands off it especially since it's so versatile with so many different dishes. Light enough to pasta yet perfect for steak!
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10/6/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Getting better with time. More flavors and fuller developed fruits and tanins. Probably be better in a couple of years, but I won't have any of this batch left as I like it too much!!!
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9/12/2012 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
California Wine Country with Jill for our 30th's; 9/9/2012-9/15/2012 (California): Darker liqueur styling overall. Really young and tight now.
Big and just not showing the best finesse or balance at this time.
Some promise to open up, but I wouldn't drink this now.
Lots of sweet baking spice, sweeter milk chocolate and nuts.
Big on the nose and some port qualities. Richer and massive now.
Little lower acid with big tannins and lots of alcohol. Not necessarily hot, just chewy.
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9/2/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 92 Points
Very nice easy drinking. Pleasant on the palate and consistly good year after year.
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8/19/2012 - piontenvy wrote: 89 Points
As was the regular bottling, this wine has a very noticeable ammount of residual sugar. It is good but not for the price. I perfer the 08.
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8/14/2012 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 90 Points
Very popular at a blind tasting including a 2009 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon and 2006 Bond Matriarch, but popular with the novices. More experienced tasters preferred the Bond, then Larkmead by a significant margin.
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8/12/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Absolitely fabulous as usual. Need to get more.
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7/28/2012 - webbaker Likes this wine: 94 Points
Typical Caymus fruit forward wine. Tannins integrating nicely. Very rich fruit flavors. Nice balance between aromatics and fruit.
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7/28/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Still developing but smooth as silk and nice on the palate as soon as it comes out of the decanter. Lots of good fruit, a taste of oak, and a creamy finish. Probably not a bottle to lay down for many years but yummy, yummy, yummy.
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7/14/2012 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple color. Blackberry and currant nose. Tastes of blackberry, black cherry, earth, leather, cranberry, and anise. Very full bodied. Good balance. Rich power finish with nice depth and complexity.
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6/25/2012 - wickedwax wrote:
Forward aromas of cassis and blue fruits with creamy vanilla and a touch of loamy earth. Very ripe with a very polished mouthfeel. I am not much of a Cabernet drinker, much less a California Cabernet drinker, so this was quite out of touch with what I normally prefer. But at least it reinforces what I feel about my tastes in wine.
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6/22/2012 - ClubTerry wrote: 92 Points
Big fruit forward wine, softer tannis lacking a bit on the finish. Drinks older than a 2009, probalby does not have the best ageability.
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6/17/2012 - Wineaux67 wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Decanted for 2 hours. Layers of flavor. Deep fruit and chocolate.
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6/15/2012 - joishscellar wrote: 81 Points
Big fruit it's like drinking blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream.very smooth tannins .so one dimensional; not sure if its age worthy; no complexity and perhaps this I the last time I would buy not a good qpr
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6/9/2012 - Bagofchips wrote: 96 Points
Cab tastes like a Zin
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6/9/2012 - fritza wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit and chocolate on the nose and palate. A bit acidic with strong tannins which should mellow with age
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5/27/2012 - jhalapin Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for about 3 hours before serving, What a great wine, full nose of fruit, smooth and creamy.
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5/12/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 93 Points
Just jammy, jammy, jammy!!! Right out of the bottle excellent deep fruits and whispers of acidity with smooth tannins. Good issue of Caymus!!!
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5/5/2012 - wtianseter wrote: 91 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour, Las Vegas NV 2012 (Grand Ballroom Mirage Casino, Las Vegas NV): Definitely a Napa Cab Style. Nice Oak. Lots of moderat tannins that made the finnish stay around
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5/5/2012 - Vinoevelo wrote: 90 Points
Huge inky wine. Buttery and sweet. Not much complexity or acidity. Almost like drinking port. Big caramel and vanilla notes. Just a baby at this stage, but not sure it will hold up to extended cellaring.
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4/30/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Refined, elegant example of California Sauvignon that offers soft, ripe blackberry, vanilla, earth and plums with soft tannins, medium body and no sensation of overripe fruits. Very polished style of wine.
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4/28/2012 - pizzler wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour, Washington DC 2012 (Ronald Reagan Building): fabulous vivid color, great fruit, concentrated, sweet, first impression is that it will drink well young but may not have the tannins and acids to last
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4/24/2012 - KenK wrote: 95 Points
Off Moderno wine list for opening night, quick decant and poured.
Nose shows rich sweet primary blackberry fruit with toasted vanilla aromas that are heavenly.
Soft broad entry featuring creamy black cherry, blueberry, and black berries. Plump, juicy dark red fruits with wonderfully rich concetrated velvety appeal.
Plain old yummy high quality Cali Cab that is just wonderful to drink and enjoy. Wine has a real nice yum factor. My guess is good helping of Merlot added the polish that created a very different style then I normally associate with Caymus SS. This wine is sure to be a real crowd pleaser, but not sure it has the sophistication or longevity of past great vintages.
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4/8/2012 - km5 wrote:
pretty good as far as caymus goes. prefer this over past years SS. more elegance.
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4/1/2012 - tp096255 wrote: 93 Points
9.3+
Wally's California All-Stars 2012
One of my favorites of the tasting, closely behind the 2009 Lewis Reserve.
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3/26/2012 - JP2 wrote: 92 Points
Part of the wine selection for James' 40th birthday celebration. Was expecting a large, robust wine, but I was pleasantly surprised. Full-bodied, but not TOO big or heavy with tannins.
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3/24/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely fabulous tonight. Opened and decantated. Smooth tanins and lots of nice fruit. Good nose, no aftertaste, and really a great value for the money.
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3/15/2012 - jeffm_fla wrote: 94 Points
Typical excellent Caymus Special. Oddly didn't seem to have much nose -- maybe I was a little stuffy.
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3/11/2012 - scaredone wrote: 88 Points
Nice mouthfeel, deep layers of fruit, like many reviewers point out. Too jammy, fleshy, almost boozy, not enough acidity to balance the package. I would give it 90 minus 2 for the price given that you can do much better.
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3/10/2012 - jtinto wrote: 87 Points
Yes this was good, but I kept thinking they added blueberry juice to the mix. Full and very rich, fat, fleshy. Silky tannins with a touch of spice on the finish which bumped up the score. Lacks freshness. Overall out of balance and too sweet. Surprised at the high ratings. A major pass considering its price point.
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3/3/2012 - europat55 wrote: 89 Points
Wagner Family Wines (WineBank, Menlo Park, California): Fairly bright red. Good nose. Still young and tannic. Should improve over time.
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3/2/2012 - mathguy wrote: 87 Points
Not my style of wine. Enormous; akin to drinking cough syrup, it is so thick. Overwhelming fruit, but tasty in that respect. I would not let this near food; it is a stand-alone wine. Tastes like it was designed to impress reviewers and not be consumed with a meal. Had it the same night as a 1999 Leoville Poyferre, which was embarrassing for the Caymus. The Leoville was absolutely delicious and could be paired with a meal, a much more versatile wine than the Caymus. Drink the 2009 Caymus now, or over the next 5-7 years.
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2/19/2012 - RandyC wrote: 94 Points
This is a young wine but with potential. Dark fruit, amazingly well integrated tannins. Decanted for 60 minutes but it probably could stand another hour to make it more approachable.
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2/18/2012 - johnbhamrick wrote: 92 Points
Very good right after being recanted. Not much tannins or nose. Still very good and easy to drink. Bought 12bottles at $99.95 and then 12 at $89.
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1/29/2012 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 94 Points
Nice dark purple color. Sugar plum and sweet red fruits on the nose. Velvety texture, has an elegance and silky mouthfeel with hedonistic fruit flavors balanced with just enough acidity to keep it honest. Another year or more of bottle age should help this come together and allow the oak to integrate, but very enjoyable today. Should be rocking by the holidays. Prefer this to the 2008 actually. 93-95 points
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1/27/2012 - sjdoc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Young wine. Better 2 days after initial opening.
Opened after a corked 07 special select. Taste buds were fried, but this brought them back. Will be much better in a couple years.
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1/22/2012 - jeffm_fla wrote: 93 Points
Plush and flavorful. A little disjointed but this is still a youngster and should get even better.
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1/7/2012 - 1H2oMan wrote: 94 Points
THIS WAS FREAT HAD ON NEW YEARS EVE
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1/6/2012 - craigewood wrote: 92 Points
Loved this wine and just about anything from Caymus.
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1/3/2012 - Piepro wrote: 94 Points
Rich & smooth some tannins, but very drinkable. Wait if you want, but this is a very fine wine today...
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12/28/2011 - sbtoby wrote: 98 Points
Amazing in every way. Not over the top, Caymus really really took care of business making the most well rounded wine on every front. I will be purchasing more.
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12/27/2011 - Santaliz wrote: 93 Points
Still Powerfull after 2 hr decant, family loved it as something special for Christmas Day
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12/12/2011 - LMWS Jimmy and Rocio wrote: 92 Points
The wine looks Purple colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Plum, and Nutmeg.
It tastes like Blackberry, Black currant (cassis), Plum, Nutmeg, and Chocolate.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Smooth.
The wine finishes Medium.
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12/2/2011 - alombrozo wrote: 93 Points
Drank side by side with a 2008 Caymus Special Selection. The 2008 was vastly superior at the time. Would recommend holding 2009 for the near future at least.
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12/2/2011 - alombrozo wrote: 93 Points
Drank side by side with a 2008 Caymus Special Selection. The 2008 was vastly superior at the time. Recommend holding 2009 for awhile so it can catch up.
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11/27/2011 - imastew wrote: 97 Points
caymus is hitting all cylinders in 2009. This is more elegant than 09 Caymus Napa and will probably age longer but the typical flavors are all here.Caymus is always a crowd pleaser and is my go-to bottle because both sophisticated and neophyte red wine lovers find something to like with every bottle. The 09 does not disappoint. Typical Caymus ready to drink now...great fruit with muted tannins make this exceptional. Will be hoarding more of this.
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11/25/2011 - cos65 wrote:
a huge step up from the regular Napa bottling which despite itdense fruit and stuffing, comes off a bit to dessert like (not dessert wine, just dessert). The SS has a much more restrained nose, full of fruit, but still with some of the Caymus, over-the-top, in your face flavors. I think this could get much better ****plus
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11/17/2011 - Grenik wrote:
Tasted at the winery. Very yong and lacking the smoothness I normally associate with Caymus. Very dark purple. Sweet chocolate, sour cherry, high acidity and tannins. Good potential, but really too young and disjointed to score right now - at least I hope that is going to improve. The regular Caymus is drinking better right now.
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11/6/2011 - km5 wrote:
big, deep rich sweet, dessert like...delicious candy
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10/30/2011 - Uglypinga wrote:
cocoa black berries cinnamon on the nose which is more restrained than the regular cab. the palate is more complete with less intense oak some savory notes cocoa and dark berries. tannins are present but not harsh.
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10/2/2011 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Did not taste a big difference this vintage between this and the regular bottling.
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9/24/2011 - Vinacull wrote: 92 Points
{ST} It's been about 15 years since I last tasted an SS, and this brought back good memories. Color dark purple loaded with black hues, full body. Despite the fact that this was opened four hours earlier and decanted at least 90 min., the nose was reticent, showing cedar and mocha up front with dark berries rather distant in the background, which I take as a sign of its youth. On the palate, this shines with outstanding concentration and layers of rich ripe plum, cassis, high quality chocolate, vanilla and earthy notes. Classic premium cab profile showing outstanding primary flavors even at this early stage. Full, polished sweet tannins give this a smooth texture and add weight to a delightfully long finish. I can just imagine how beautifully this will evolve; would love to taste it again in about 15 years. Score conservative because of the bouquet.
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9/21/2011 - Hawaiimike wrote: 92 Points
Long and rich taste with a sweet nose. Just a Cabernet for my taste. Hints of licorice, blackberry, cedar.
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8/27/2011 - TEKinsider wrote: 95 Points
Drank at Cellarmasters on a Saturday afternoon over 2 hours. Deep purple/violet color. Silky mouthfeel with sweet tannins and deep concentration. Strong black fruit, vanilla, cedar and mulberry flavors. Long lingering finish that lasts nearly 60 seconds. Too young to be drinking right now, but what a treat. With some age this wine will be a classic!!!
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