Ericsson

9.7

Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.

It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.

On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.

So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age. — 12 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1989 vintage. Last tasted 3 years ago (9.6). Nice fill. Durand used to open. Cork 95% saturated with extensive bottle rim cleaning involved before pouring. Not decanted. Tight, minty nose throughout along with a decided, lingering zinc note under the tongue at the finish line. Tasted 2 hours after opening. Power but without delineation. Just a consistent, forgettable push. Nothing wrong with the wine...it just needed more air/time and a decant but it wasn't my call. Feel like the zinc flavor would have dissipated/blown off with more time. Good but more memorable for what it wasn't vs what it was. Pity and an entire wasting of what could have been. 11.21.25. — 2 months ago

Paul Masson

9.3

Smoking! Vibrant fruit, but drink up, starts to fade after a couple hours open — 2 months ago

Doug Powers

9.3

Lovely, sweet mature fruit (dried redfruits), there might be a touch of Brett (but less than the 1995 Beaucastel I posted last week), suave and complex on the palate, lingering finish, excellent Chateauneuf-du-Pape at its peak!! — 2 months ago

with Jim

Conrad Green

9.3

Inky and dark. Powerful fruit with iodine, salinity and a cold dark plum. Very fresh and pure. Savory — 3 months ago

with Bex, Walker and 1 other

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Very fruity on the nose and full bodied with medium minus acidity.

Dry to off dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing black currants, blackberries, cooked plums, oak, vanilla, dried fruits, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, light herbs and peppercorn.

Short finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is still drinking very nicely, but will not get better from this point.

Complex and easy drinking. Fruit forward with a touch of RS. Rich and extracted with a mouth coating feel.

A nice sipping wine.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 4 months ago

Raul Puga

9.5

Such a great wine. All of the Viña Todonia wines are AMAZING!!! — 5 months ago

Erica Gamble

8.9

After breathing, smooth with some body but a little more tart than we prefer for a cab. — 8 months ago

Nikolai Efimov

9.0

An incredibly smooth and flavorful California blend, fantastic value and a great showcase for what California can do. — 10 years ago

Louis Martin

9.5

Measured aroma, silky smooth texture, blackberry and cedar notes, grew more complex as the night wore on, probably still on the young side but still a special treat to have with a short rib and polenta dish. — a month ago

Cameron Parry

9.2

Took about 2 hours to open. Dark & dried cherries. Acid still nice and firm. Tannins still going strong but clearly softer and more fine grained. Feels somewhat unbalanced - good acid, good tannin, not enough fruit. May have missed the optimal window. Still very enjoyable. Only a touch of Brett. — 17 days ago

Kelley Raymond

9.2

Needs a bit more aging but a great drinker - more like patio wine — 2 months ago

Conrad Green

9.2

Light and precise. Chalky with lemon. A little simple compared to the best — 2 months ago

with Bex

Doug Powers

9.4

[En Magnum] This is absolutely a beautiful, 30-year-old, Beaucastel Rouge in large format, mostly clean (just a trace of Brett), red fruits, still some structure, but not tannic, balanced, complex layers of flavors, long finish, really a top-notch Beaucastel with old school ABV (13.5%)!, lovely!!! — 2 months ago

with Jim

GaryWEdwards

9.5

With a short decant , drinking with long finish after a fragrant nose. — 3 months ago

Kland Aida

9.0

A good wine. Oak, a bit of chocolate, dark fruit and cherry. Pretty dry but smooth enough that easy to drink. — 4 months ago

Vino Joe

9.3

It was fine. Maybe a bit immature but it was unfocused and limited vs expectations. Strong tea notes. Limited fruit and more alcohol than typical. — 4 months ago

Fabio Franchella

8.9

A bit overloaded with vanilla — 4 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 (S) pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with pretty notes of mostly red, tart fruit: strawberry, raspberry, Montmorency cherry, licorice, dried green herbs, menthol, and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and just a touch mousy but within the acceptable range. Refreshing and a lovely pairing with burgers on a warm Spring evening. Drink now through 2032. — 6 months ago

Michael Spinella

10

2007. No words. A perfect 10. — 11 years ago

Anthony Cammarata Jr.

9.1

This 1998 Napa wine’s bouquet is complex and savory with hints of cherry, plum and leather. The palate is silky with tannins and fruit and hint of cocoa. All this greatness yet the finish was mellow. Maybe too long in the bottle but a winner nevertheless. — 11 days ago

with Daniel and Michael

Jason Gelman

9.7

2000 Cheval Blanc. Soaring palate sensation but also very delicate and fine texture. Still very fresh, great drinking window. A real treat. — a month ago

Henry Fuseler

8.9

11/2025. Still a good medium bodied Cabernet. Good flavor. Sit well on the palate. — 2 months ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.4

Cannot go wrong with this winery…Still quite young for a bottle of 15 years old — 2 months ago

Jan A

9.5

Needs a lot more time! — 2 months ago

Conrad Green

9.5

From mag. Delicious- sweet with bright light citrus, fresh corn, a lush mouthfeel. Very sexy and long — 3 months ago

with Matt

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers! — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.7

Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — 5 months ago

Gareth Kitching

9.0

My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 6 years ago

Nate Stiles

9.3

This Pinot is a blend from three California counties. Tons of fruit and a bit of pepper made this an instant delight. — 13 years ago

with Drew