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. — 6 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2013 Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, aged for 20 months in oak barrels, has a perfumed, honeyed bouquet with mango and yellow plum. It doesn't quite have the complexity of the 2014. The palate is well balanced with a pure entry, a keen line of acidity, orange zest-tinged honeyed fruit and nougat and hazelnut notes on the finish. The palate has a tad more complexity than the aromatics, but overall, it is very fine, if not the long-term prospect of other vintages. (Neal Martin, Vinous, April 2024)
— 2 years ago

Trinity Pickle

9.0

One of my basic faves! Pretty sweet but tastes amazing with any sort of fresh fruit topped! — 6 years ago

Gary McCoy

9.5

Yummy, smooth, decently sweet flavor for wine with a fruity, acidic kick — 8 years ago

Manchester Sheldon

9.3

Violets and peppercorns on the nose, it needs some air to open up, dark wood and some earth on the background. — 9 years ago

Jonathan Pytko

10

Education wine, awesome earth and acid. Still has time in the bottle — 9 years ago

with Andrew

Michael Schollmeier

10

Great sweet wine — 10 years ago

Sanja Partalo

9.2

Citrus, grapefruit, sweet but refreshing. — 12 years ago

Patrick Dolan

9.7

Aroma of rich berries. Smooth and slightly sweet with a sour note. Very good. — 13 years ago

Dean Oq

9.0

Sweet light — 7 months ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.3

Open for business. Nothing mind blowing, just beautiful, sweet claret in fine form. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Pale lemon in color.

Strong nose and medium plus in body with high acidity, and light evanescence.

Sweet on the palate with lots of acidity to balance the sugars.

Showing tropical fruits, spices, citrus, mangoes, apricots, kiwifruit, pineapples, honey, yellow apples and minerals.

Long finish with pineapples and honeysuckle.

This is a very tasty sweet wine from Italy. Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and interesting.

Good by itself as a dessert.

5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$19. — 9 months ago

Tanya Koob

10

Very sweet. Great for summer. — 3 years ago

gen

9.7

Very fruity but not sickly sweet. Goes well with a meal but just as pleasant by itself. Would definitely buy again — 5 years ago

Osiris Martinez

10

It’s delicious and sweet — 7 years ago

Philip Kestell

9.5

Got this for our anniversary. It was amazing. — 8 years ago

Monica

10

Great. Sweet but not too much. — 9 years ago

Miranda Wesloski

10

Super sweet — 10 years ago

Ole Simen Orningård

9.0

Nice, dry and a little Sweet. Drank with sushi. — 11 years ago

Craig Haserot

Founder and Proprietor Sojourn Cellars

9.7

Magnum - Sweet fruit glycerin cigar box -very tasty — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 8 months ago

Eve Marie

9.1

A bit too sweet for me not cloying, greatly appreciated by all my Moscato loving friends. — 9 months ago

Vanessa

10

Fruity, bubbly/fuzzy, sweet. Always have it in hand — 4 years ago

Luis Salas

9.0

Excelent for warm weathers. The chillest, the better. Sweet but not over indulging. Wonderful for paella or straight meat. Rib eye, new york, porterhouse. — 7 years ago

Niki Shelton

9.4

Nice, bubbly, very sweet. — 8 years ago

Mike Smith

9.2

This is a very nice light resiling. I really enjoyed its delicate lime and peach flavors. Much lighter in flavor and less sweet than American. — 9 years ago

Kristie Ficklen

9.0

Not very bubbly for an Asti & jus a tad on the sweeter side but would def buy it again — 9 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.5

A classically done wine by a classic producer. This Morgon expression is more on the garden earth/mineral/floral spectrum than the fruit spectrum, which is fine by me. Dense and structured, was singing after an hour in the decanter. — 10 years ago

Michelle Raspanti

9.1

This wine is inexpensive, kind of sweet, and good for unwinding. I was happily surprised! — 12 years ago

Christy Msal

9.9

Drank at Farinas winery & cafe in grapevine TX — 14 years ago