Rob DeShane

9.3

2008: a very bright young feeling champagne at 17yrs of age. A resolute acidity carries the brioche and white fruits along! I am unapologetic about my fervor for Dom. — 2 months ago

Conrad Green

9.4

From mag. Very fresh and driving. Chalk and sizzling lemon acidity. Great fruit and loads of lift and drive. Young — 3 months ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Tom Garland

9.4

Decant and pour. Restrained notes of dark fruit, smoke, leather, tobacco, grilled bell pepper. Taste: cherry, blueberry, currants, crushed granite, truffles. A young wine that I would luv to drink again in 15 years. — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Scott Soren

9.5

At nine years old it’s still quite young. Deep garnet, color, robust nose. This is a pure pleasure a good blend of power and elegance. I will drink for the next 20 years.  — 4 months ago

Victor Charcan

9.3

Tipicity! You know it’s Bordeaux, and great, the moment you smell it. Yet this dark fruit, pencil lead one took me to the wrong bank. It felt fresh, and less dark. Blackberries and plums, for sure. A great wine. So young… — 5 months ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.4

Not a birthday night. Gonon too young but outstanding. Everything else just exceptional. — 5 months ago

AEL

9.0

A bit young. Bright, light red in color, crushed raspberry, cherries, dried flowers, dirt, maybe a mint/menthol note on the nose. Sharp on the palate. Traditional, and great. Bottle from Doug. — 8 months ago

Ericsson

9.5

Young Masseto for breakfast. That’s a first and one for the books. Cheers. — 8 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.6

So young and vivid and fresh….
Served single blind….; I thought this could be the Pontet Canet 2009…. 😱 — 2 months ago

romo

9.3

Relieving-ly sound. Sweet nose and subtle Piedmont rays at odds with the young tannic finish. — 2 months ago

Jack Gyben

9.6

We could not believe this was 1996. Young gorgeous fruit in a wine I tasted blind that I thought might be 2009. Gorgeous… a revelation about what a nearly 30 year old Bordeaux could be! Wow! — 3 months ago

Daniel M

9.0

Super nice nose ! Very fruity with blackberry, raspberry, a bit of tar, a bit of bread yeast, a bit of pine sap. I could have called nebiollo on the nose. The palate is juicy and fruity with nice raspberry and blackberry notes, some width, some matter on the side, some dusty tannins that leave a drying layer over a nice amd fruity finish with a tiny, nice bitter note that adds a nice level of complexity to an otherwise youthful and playful wine. Good stuff ! — 5 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.5

Silky silky smooth...so well made. Still young but very enjoyable. Has a long future ahead — 5 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.6

Way too young. But beautiful — 6 months ago

Eric Halim

9.3

Wine is dark ruby, with purplish on the edge. On nose its ripe fruit, floral parfumed, oak in there, violets, tobacco. On palate, wine is full bodied, jammy, fine acidity, tannic, wine is open up after 1 hour decant. The intensity is there. Its still too young to drink. Try it after 2026. Red bordeaux blend, Cheers! — 8 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Slightly deeper and brighter colour than the 2004 , younger looking . More ruby with a garnet rim . Really aromatic and floral , violet , mint , spiced red cherry , ripe raspberry , eucalyptus . Still really fresh and fruit driven . Some dried herbs and earthy notes in the background. On the palate this has lovely elegance and poise , with herbal red cherry , strawberry and slightly nutty notes. Quite ripe and juicy , but with fresh acidity and fine tannins . Long and fruit driven on the finish . Still young from now and over the next 10 years . — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When Caymus was Caymus!!!

It is good to remember the style of wine Chuck used to make. His wine from 2011 backwards. The wine I used to collect. I refer to this now as Caymus Classic. I have requested they make this style again every time I see a Caymus representative. Just 500 cases by simply picking earlier at lower brix and applying past winemaking. They under estimate how fast those cases would sellout.

I get they made a business decision to make a sweeter wine that will drink easier young. They get better critic scores and sell to a larger customer base. A customer base that generally drinks it like supermarket buyers…within the first two weeks of purchase.

Of course, 1997 was an epic vintage in Napa and this 97 bought weeks ago has been well stored and in perfect condition. I miss this wine as it has so much more character than their 2012 vintage & forward. So do many former Caymus collectors.

The nose reveals, bright, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries that are just starting to reveal some liqueur notes, raspberries, strawberries & plum. Sandalwood, old, dry tobacco, baking soda, mid berry cola/licorice, some light graphite, dark spice, dry stems, decayed red flowers, red roses and violets.

The palate is exquisite. It is all beauty with nothing bitty or angular. Ripe, juicy, lush; blackberries, cassis, black raspberries, dark cherries with hints of some liqueur notes, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries as it unfurls & plum. Sandalwood, old, dry tobacco with ash, baking soda, mid berry cola/licorice, some light graphite, perfect dark spice with some tongue heat, mocha, dark chocolate baking bar, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & hints of vanillin, dry herbs, baking soda, dry limestone powder, top soil with pebbles, slightly moist volcanic clay, dry stems, decayed red flowers, red roses and violets, excellent, rainfall acidity and an elegant, balanced, nicely tensioned & structured, polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on spice & gentle earthy tones. I miss their distinct spice. Glorious!!!

This bottle is somewhere on the other side of the bell curve and still singing. Still very sound. It won’t improve and recommend if you own, drink them sooner than later but certainly not a rush.

88% Cabernet, 10% Merlot & 2% Cabernet Franc. 25.95% Paladins, Skruggs, Wright-St. Helena. 52.15% Caymus Estate, Glos, Usibelli-Rutherford, 15.84% Sciambra-Atlas Peak, 6.06% Tambor Vineyards-Mt. Veeder.

Photos of: Caymus tasting room, tasting room courtyard, owner Chuck Wagner and vineyard. — 3 months ago

Kevin Dale

9.5

Decanted for 40 minutes. Still drinking really young. Probably in its prime another 10-15 years. — 4 months ago

Raun Kupiec

9.0

Great tannins, balance, nose. Still quite young. — 5 months ago

with Barbara

Vanessa

9.2

Okay this wine was amazingly delicious but was undoubtedly quite young in this present moment.

There is so much more potential to unveil over time.

It has concentrated plum, fig, red currant, pomegranate, boysenberry notes next to licorice, meat, earth, peat, clove notes. Tannins and acidity are firm.

With time, we anticipate edges will be soften and complexity will be deepen with more tertiary notes and we cannot wait to revisit this wine down the road again. — 8 months ago

with Deked1