Kate

9.2

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you all who served. Cheers. — 6 months 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

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

A blend of 80% Tempranillo with 15% Garnacha, rest Graciano and Mazuelo, aged 5 years in American oak, deep Ruby with aromas of red fruits, spice and earthy notes. On the palate flavors of strawberry and black cherry with spice, tobacco and cedar notes. Fine rustic tannins, long finish, savory ending with tobacco and earthy character. Nice! — 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

augmented_guy

9.0

Really decent wine — 8 years ago

Ben Christen

9.4

Smooth, heavy body with good tannin, some oak, still good with food. Really nice. — 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

Meghan Hamilton

Wine Educator Joseph Phelps Vineyards

9.3

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

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.1

I don‘t know. This has so much oak it overpowers everything. Might need another 10 years to be approachable. Cigar box, black berries. Deep, big and profound. I am not sure I would spend 70$ on this. It needs much much more time. Probably needs to be open for 2 days. Out of the machine at the Wine House in LA. — 7 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. — 10 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

Chris Freeman

9.5

I love wine club months. Love at first taste. Very alive on the pallet, almost tingly. Cab sav essence is strong with dense dark fruit. Smokey, Spicy, elegant and complex. I will get more — 6 years ago

Myles Taylor

9.1

Sweet finish — 7 years ago

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

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

Ben Jones

9.4

Tobacco, eucalyptus, blood and steak on the nose. Surprisingly light body, spice and just a little oak on it. Really nice wine. — 10 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

Joel Fariss

9.0

3.99 at trader joes. — 12 years 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. — 8 months 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

Alexandre Czesnat

8.9

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

Mickenzi Schank

9.0

Lots of forward fruit, red currant and blackberry. Subtle mid palate. Just a nip of tannins on the finish. Overall smooth and easy drinking. — 6 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

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

Christopher Beatty

9.0

Full flavor. Not too jammy. — 9 years ago

Allison Loeffler

9.4

Birthday dinner in Dana Point's Lantern District at Craft House with Ramon. Way to start of the birthday month. Crisp, dry and full of flavor! — 10 years ago

with Ramon

Courtney Fletcher

8.9

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

Jen Pelka

Food & Wine Evangelist Tumblr

8.9

Tefethen '85. Napa Chard the way it's meant to be. Thank you to my New Year's Eve guests for some sexy awesomeness. Pairs well with dill-scented farro veggie stew. — 13 years ago