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. — 8 months ago

Rob Brobst III

9.8

Ripe in flavor, with a vivid array of black currant, blackberry, violet, black tea and black pepper aromas and flavors that zoom through to a long, expressive finish. Shows subtlety in the layers of complex flavor against a refined structure. Tannins are present but nicely contained. #1 Wine of 2009, Wine of the Year* — 9 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! — 10 months ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Dry, nice acidity, very light (only 12% alcohol), goes great with oysters and fish. And not overly sweet, so good to drink on its own without feeling like you are drinking a desert wine. — 3 years ago

Frank

9.0

Jason brought for boys golf week. Spainish. 10 yr great. — 7 years ago

James Shamas

9.4

Amazing full bodied zin. Beautiful barrel character. Drink now — 7 years ago

Bob Benson

8.9

Great value and wonderful body . Some spice with dark berries. Will try to get more for just to have on a nice night on the deck — 8 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.1

Definitely some noticeable oak here but it's exquisitely integrated leading to plush texture and plum, tobacco, some black pepper and coke(the liquid form). Black cherry. This is long, soft and delicious — 9 years ago

Janet Eileen

9.3

Full of body and flavor for the price. Great Friday night steak wine! — 11 years ago

Monte McCullough

8.9

Apricot, butter and I taste a little almond. A good Chardonnay fora great price — 11 years ago

Mike Swinford

8.9

Good stuff for $24 (6 yrs ago)... — 13 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Caymus Special Selection is the flagship Cabernet, crafted only in exceptional years. The 2018 vintage stands tall among recent releases, showing why Chuck Wagner’s vision continues to shape Napa’s most recognized “luxury Cab.” 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor vineyards, it strikes the perfect balance between Caymus’ signature ripe, fruit-forward style and an added layer of structure from a long, balanced growing season.

Aromas & Flavors
A powerful bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, and dark cherries, layered with cocoa nibs, espresso, and baking spices. Subtle hints of licorice, cedar, and vanilla lift the complexity, while a core of lush fruit drives the palate. The oak integration is seamless, giving a supple sweetness without overwhelming the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Rich, opulent, and velvety—yet with surprising finesse. The tannins are silky and well-structured, giving length without heaviness. The finish lingers on black fruit and mocha, balanced by just enough acidity to keep it vibrant.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous fruit selection, long maceration for concentration, and extended aging in new French oak (18+ months). The Wagner hallmark: generous fruit expression wrapped in polished oak for immediate pleasure but with aging potential.

Food Pairing
An indulgent pairing with ribeye, prime rib, or braised short ribs. For a decadent twist, try it with dark chocolate truffles or roasted lamb with rosemary.

Verdict
One of the most impressive Caymus Special Selection vintages in recent memory—showing both lush Napa Valley opulence and refined elegance. A wine that thrills now but promises to shine for years.

Personal Pick Highlight
This 2018 stands as my favorite Caymus of the modern decade—a true benchmark that captures everything people love about Napa Cabernet at its richest and most expressive. Cheers!
— 8 months ago

Alexandre Czesnat

8.9

BlackBerry, Oak, Tobbaco aromas, chocolate, a bold Cabernet Sauvignon with really good quality — a year ago

Jess

9.3

Deep ruby color.
Aromas of baked raspberry, cinnamon.
Off-dry. Flavors of baked raspberry/blackberry/plum, licorice, cinnamon, oak spice. Rich velvety tannins.

Intensity: 5/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 3 years ago

Robert Evans Jr

9.1

Tremendous & Intense Nose Clean Crisp Honeydew Melon. Butter Toffee on the Palate. @Ron R channeling my inner you on this description — 6 years ago

with Nicole

Lynn Derbyshire

9.0

Rich, thick, smooth, just yummy!!! A smoky essence that was surprising. Had it with grilled chicken and tomatillo salsa. Divine. would be awesome with a steak or lamb. 8/10/18 — 8 years ago

Christopher Beatty

9.0

Full flavor. Not too jammy. — 9 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.0

Classic cherries, leather, dirt, sweet and sour, balsamic and American oak. Better after a couple hours on the decanter. It doesn't knock my socks off, but it's an amazing value at the price. — 10 years ago

Courtney Fletcher

8.9

Tastes like a glorious oak tree, surprisingly tannins — 11 years ago

Joel Fariss

9.0

3.99 at trader joes. — 12 years ago

"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. — 8 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.0

Gratifying Oak Knoll #napavalley #merlot - medium plus body, calibrated acidity, some vanilla and toasty oak notes so it’s pretty young but well executed Merlot. My hot take - Merlot at the $50 retail mark will outperform Cabs at this price point. — a year ago

K L

8.9

Good not great. Light and a bit nondescript. Not sure it’s worth the shipment but good if the price is right. — 3 years ago

with Matt

Gary Redng

9.0

I really enjoyed this wine, unfortunately I paid more than $10 because I bought it at a restaurant. Columbia Valley wines are def in my wheelhouse of taste and enjoyment for vino! 2019 — 3 years ago

Myles Taylor

9.1

Sweet finish — 7 years ago

Jon Bergqvist

9.1

Got to work on getting back to Rioja. It’s been 20+ years. Majestic and a bit to big for my taste but still very enjoyable. Very soft tannins and oak quite present but not vulgar in any way. — 8 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Oaky berry campfire. Not a typical cab. Lay down a few years to take off some fruit for some more substance. — 9 years ago

Meghan Hamilton

Wine Educator Joseph Phelps Vineyards

9.3

Really nice. Red currant, spicy, herbaceous and some oak. — 10 years ago

KGPeace

9.0

A wine easily shared with someone that doesn't require a label. — 11 years ago

Nick Wolfe

9.5

This is astonishing. Beautiful and powerful with a smoky, oaky, black-fruity, spicy nose that won't quit. Palate is rich with loads of fruit, sweet vanilla oak, and a port-like quality. This wine has monastrell's blueberry, black fruit, iron tincture, and beef blood signature. Skip the steak and pair this with savory for foods for a fantastic contrast. Finish is long and playfully tasty. — 11 years ago