The Collectable Wines of Caymus

By Nicole Ness
Staff Writer

In the “business” of wine drinking, some wines are meant to be drunk, while others are considered collectables, meant to be purchased and then tucked away where they can further age in the bottle, hopefully producing an even better wine while also increasing the value. As pretentious as this all can be, like any other hobby it can also be pretty enjoyable. To me, some tasty bottles of wine in my basement hold much more appeal than some raggedy old postage stamps with someone else’s spittle on them (very sorry to all of you avid stamp collectors!).

In the past I was never able to keep my good bottles of wine for very long. Inevitably, the wine would taunt me from the basement, begging me to pop the cork before its time. Lately I have decided to become a bit more of a big girl wine drinker by attempting to accumulate a respectable collection of quality wines- and for MORE than just a month or two. On this note the iconic wines of Caymus Vineyards are a perfect complement to anyone’s cellar. While not exactly inexpensive, compared to some of the astronomically priced and hard-to-find treasures out there, these are comparably affordable for the level of quality and the high marks they always receive.

It was a friend of my family, an avid wine drinker who knows her stuff and suggested I write an article on Caymus Vineyards. She had recently purchased a bottle of the 2007 Caymus Napa Cabernet along with a more approachable (and affordable) white blend called Caymus Conundrum and had nothing but wonderful things to say. She thought it would be great if more people were clued into the greatness of the wines being produced by this well respected family-owned company.

Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley was founded in 1972 by Charles F. Wagner, his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, and their son Chuck. The main Caymus claim to fame is red wine, specifically Cabernets. They make a highly regarded Napa Cabernet along with a “Special Selection” Cabernet, which is chosen from the best lots in only the best years and then given extended barrel aging. The Caymus “Special Selection” Cabernet was named “Wine of the Year” by Wine Spectator magazine for its 1984 vintage and then again for its 1990 version. This makes it the only wine out there to be selected for this prestigious honor more than once.

In a world where every red wine description these days tends to contain some sort of reference to” black fruit this” and “red fruit that”, one starts to wonder if there are more adjectives out there to describe the incredible diversity of wines, even from one Cabernet to another. Since I have not had the pleasure yet of trying either of these wines I looked to the winemaker/owner Chuck Wagner’s own thoughts on the matter and I absolutely loved his description. In his words, “the aromas are layered with pipe tobacco, fermentation pumice, log cabin fire, moist steel, dried Poblano peppers and fine quality oak.” What an intriguing portrayal and one that leaves me longing for a whiff. Sourced from different vineyards in order to get the best of the best, the Napa Cabernet and the “Special Selection” Cabernet consistently achieve high ratings in the Wine Spectator, a highly regarded resource for wine collectors. The 2007(current) vintage of the former received 92 points while the latter got a whopping 94 points out of a possible 100. The Napa Cabernet usually retails for around $65-$75 while the “Special Selection” can be found from $120-$140 a bottle, so start saving your pennies (unless you collect those too).

With the name recognition and quality to back it, Caymus has also become known for an interesting white blend called Conundrum. A lot more reasonably priced at around $18-20 per bottle, this California white “secret” blend offers class and sophistication synonymous with the Caymus label even though it is considered a completely separate brand. Although the varietals are known—Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Semillon, Chardonnay, and Viognier—the percentages of each used are meant to remain a mystery. It is fresh and fruity and makes an excellent partner to everything from appetizers to fish courses. Although considered complex and nontraditional, it is well balanced and light enough that even a novice wine drinker will love it.

Like Conundrum, the unique Mer Soleil Chardonnay is owned by Caymus yet considered its own entity within the company, and does not carry the Caymus name on the label. Mer Soleil, named for the two natural forces that create its growth conditions, the sea(mer) and the sun(soleil), this vineyard produces the Mer Soleil Chardonnay and Mer Soleil “Silver” Chardonnay which is unoaked. Charlie Wagner II is the winemaker and viticulturist, choosing to remain where he began his education while still in high school. While possessing many of the varietal characteristics of a true high quality California Chardonnay, it is fashioned after the white wine style of Burgundy. The Chardonnays both run in the range of $25-$30 per bottle with the 2007 “Silver” earning a 91 point rating from Wine Spectator.

While one brother makes excellent Chardonnays the other brother, Joseph, also an esteemed winemaker, is out there making some pretty incredible California Pinot Noirs under the Belle Glos(pronounced BELL GLOSS) label. The objective of these wines is to showcase the distinctive Pinot Noir-producing regions of California. They were named after Joseph’s grandmother, the cofounder of Caymus. The single-vineyard selections run in the range of around 50-55 bucks with a more affordable version called Meiomi (May-OH-mee) at $22-$25 per bottle. The Meiomi is fashioned from grapes of three different regions, Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties, again utilizing this principle of using different vineyards to find the highest quality grapes from each vintage.

This week it was really refreshing to write about a topic I thought I knew more about than I did. What I learned about Caymus Vineyards not only helped me further my own pursuit of wine knowledge but also contributed to my professional goal of being a well rounded and informed wine retailer. The topic of wine as a whole is so huge that sometimes it is hard to choose and/or narrow down a topic of interest. Add that to the fact that my wine taste certainly may not be your wine taste and it became clear…I could use some input people. So I propose to any of you out there who are interested in wine, why not drop me a line, ask me a question, or suggest a topic? Not only does this take some of the pressure off coming up with something fresh and interesting every week, but it ultimately helps me expand my horizons as well as yours, educating us both about this immense and always changing industry.

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