Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have written a few times regarding my tale of Caymus & Caymus Classic. Their vintages post 2011 and their vintages pre 2011.

I have at event tastings that Caymus was pouring, encouraged their staff to talk with Chuck to make both Caymus & Caymus Classic. Recently, I emailed them to pass on my thoughts to Chuck asking him to make both. If you liked Caymus the way it was, I encourage you to do the same. There is a dwelling amount of older, well preserved Caymus Classic vintages. info@wagnerfamilyofwine.com should you be so inclined.

Their post 2011 Caymus Cabernets are picked at higher brix and syrupy sweet. I get why Chuck changed. Many like sweeter Cabernets that drink easy young. That is not my wheelhouse.

In my intermediate wine days, I aged and enjoyed many pre 2012 vintages. This perfect bottle bought on the secondary market at around $70 is extremely well stored. The cork when I cut the foil looked slightly depressed, when I pulled it with an Ah-so was next to new.

I enjoyed this with a Ribcap, not the best wine for that steak but, ok. This 07 is more filet or NY Strip.

The nose shows; a very dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush-blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, mellow dark spices, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry tobacco, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender.

This bottle now nearly 18 years in bottle has not faded. It is at its precipice and will hold a few yrs. 2007 a grand Napa vintage. Decanted a little over an hour and enjoyed over the next 90-120 minutes. With this experience, another hour in the decanter is even better.

M-M+ velvety, rounded, tannins. The palate is round, ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark core of sweet currants. Ripe-lush; blackberries, black cherries, the blackest of plum to pudding, stewed plum, black raspberries, poached/slightly baked strawberries, circling raspberries with notes of liqueur overtones, anise to black licorice, woven baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanilla, caramel, dark chocolate, black licorice, dark berry cola, distinct dark, Caynus Classic spices w/ palate heat, herbaceous notes, sweet tarriness & dark earth, dry crush limestone/rock, moist, grey volcanic clays, dry top soil, dry river stone, charcoal, notes of menthol, dry tobacco, leather, dry oak barrel shavings, some sweet graphite, steeped black tea & withering/candied, dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, perfect, round acidity with an incredibly; balanced, well knitted-toned-structured, elegantly/smartly polished finish that goes on and on and long sets on beautiful earth & spice.

94+ This experience is becoming rarer & rarer. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Often the Grosset Polish Hill doesn’t live up to its billing as perhaps Australia’s finest dry Riesling but with this 2017 it probably exceeds expectations. It is simply fabulous. Some ripe lusciousness to the mid palate amid lime and lemon notes, but finishes bone dry. My first of 4 bottles so I will enjoy the journey over the next 5+ years if I can keep my hands off it. HH said it is shaping up as one of the greatest Polish Hill Rieslings. — 9 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.3

Getting to taste some stuff we helped make. Yummm. — 5 years ago

E D

9.0

Nice version of this variety. Rich grape. Quite dry and acidic on the tongue. — 5 years ago

Frank

9.0

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

Chris England

9.4

Top year 904 @ £75 that was drank in Zalto burg glass as its like an aged burgundy

🐽 Paired w/ Iberian Ham 😍

🍷 Garnet ruby w/ brick

👃 Smoked burnt oak, soggy earthy leaves, leather, dark cherry & figs w/ balsamic & damson

👄 Med body of creamy stewed cherry w/ earthy balsamic & slight mocha

🎯 Med finish of above w/ earthy balsamic linger

Reaching peak but I preferred the 95 904 over this but the 890 94 was better than the 95! — 9 years ago

Michael Schamis

9.2

A classic California Chardonnay nose. Full and rich with notes of oak and butter with just a touch a white peach and stone. Lush and full on the palate with a nice touch of spice. Creamy flavors of stone and smoky oak lead more subtitle flavors of spice box and citrus pith with big, lush acidity. The finish is full and warming with touches of white pepper and lingering acidity. Thanksgiving wine #2! — 10 years ago

with Jeffrey and Kati

Courtney Fletcher

8.9

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

Jason Meneses

9.2

Wow, so big, so fruity, a bit sugary. It’s old school cool, like a true OG CA Zinfandel. — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley, with caves that extend for over a mile. Pale lemon color with aromas of stone and tropical fruit, sweet oak, spice and floral scents. On the palate flavors of ripe peach, melon and apple, with vanilla spice, creamy texture. Medium+ finish, well balanced with acidity, ending with mineral notes. — 8 months ago

Ming L

9.0

Drinking alongside the Sliver, the ‘21 Chalk Hill comes across as richer and more extracted, offering dense layers of blackcurrant, blackberry paste, dark chocolate, and roasted herbs. The palate is deep and mouth-coating, showing ample oak sweetness and firm tannins, but the concentration slightly outweighs its sense of balance. Power and ripeness dominate, giving a bold, muscular Bordeaux style expression. — 8 months ago

Alexandre Czesnat

8.9

BlackBerry, Oak, Tobbaco aromas, chocolate, a bold Cabernet Sauvignon with really good quality — 2 years ago

K L

9.2

Staple. Always great. — 3 years ago

with Matt

Ming L

9.0

A tropical fruit filled chilled SB with jumbo stone crab in a summer like day.
Life goes on! — 7 years ago

Matthew Humbaugh

8.9

Really enjoying this wine. Very drinkable. Don’t know anything about Monastrell but would definitely drink more. For a $15 wine, this is great QPR! Drink this all day! — 7 years ago

Doctor No

9.1

Wow. This is young, and the nose is a bit of dark red berry suffusing a sea of resolving American Oak. The American oak is so pronounced that, had I tasted this blind, I might have taken it for Ridge... :) This has decades ahead, even if -only- a Riserva. Like La Rioja Alta 904, a fantastic value in old school Rioja... — 9 years ago

Christopher Beatty

9.0

Full flavor. Not too jammy. — 10 years ago

Lynn

9.3

We've only just begun...🎤 — 10 years ago

with Pat

Trish Barry

10

Nothing more to say about this wine except for AMAZING!!! — 12 years ago

Marc Melser

9.2

We had a vertical tasting of 2018 and 2020 Little Hill Single Vineyard PN. Both have similar bouquets and palates. Black cherry and minerality. 2020 is a little more floral. 2018 has a more darker tone; and that is good. Both have nice mouthfeels with smoothed out tannins. 2018 is a little more velvety. Both very good. It seems these PN need more time in the bottle — 8 months ago

AEL

9.0

Tight, structured, took over an hour to really open up. Crushed raspberries, balsamic. — 8 months ago

Gage Orion

9.2

Cherry, vanilla, black berry.. on sweeter end of a cab. I know there are finer wines out there, but cake bread has consistently been some of my favorite wine for years now. I always look forward to a package when it arrives! — 8 months ago

Greg Andrew

9.0

12/20/25 - Steak dinner with spinach nookie & bread roll. — 9 months ago

with Beth

Mark

9.3

Deepest of Ruby color. Amazing nose with a hint of cinnamon. I’m a big fan of Malbec but the petit Verdot really balances this wine out. Great legs and deep color make a visually appealing drink. Tons of fruit and mild tannins to balance the fruit out. Drinking this wine on Christmas Eve and I feel a little guilty like I opened a present early. Trefethen never disappoints. — 2 years ago

Chris Miller

9.3

Degen. Goes well with pasta. Chan likes — 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

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.3

I love this wine. I love this wine because it exists all the way at the 'painstakingly clean and precise' end of the skin-contact spectrum. Don't get me wrong, I love the super-natty wild and wooly and of the spectrum too. But this. This is so purely and exactly what it sets out to be. And I love it. — 10 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 — 10 years ago

Randy

9.5

Surprisingly good — 11 years ago

Puerto Rico Wine News

9.3

Really nice stuff — 13 years ago