Caymus Vineyards (Wine Styles, Best Wines 2024)
Want to know more about Caymus Vineyards wine - the Cabernet stars of Napa Valley?
Caymus Vineyards is a family-owned treasure nestled on the sunshine coast of California. The Wagner family, who owns Caymus Vineyards, has over a 100 years of history in winemaking. They are well-known for their bold, fruit-forward, award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon wines.
This article will dive into the history of Caymus Vineyards, the wine styles to look for, and the best ones to invest in 2024. Also find out the easiest way to invest in these wines!
Further reading
- Dive into the How-To Of Wine Investment in this super-insightful article!
- Discover more about the beautiful Bordeaux region and its best wines.
A Quick Intro to Caymus Vineyards
Caymus Vineyards is owned by the Wagner family and turned from a family project to a fully-fledged winery in 1971.
The vineyard spans over 60 acres in Rutherford, Napa County. The name “Caymus” comes from the Mexican land grant “Rancho Caymus” in the 1800s, which encompassed the land that the vineyard is planted on today.
The vineyard is now owned by Chuck Wagner. He inherited it from his parents, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner and Charlie Wagner, after helping them build the winery into what it is today.
Also read: If you feel like popping open a bottle of bubbly - we’ve got all the secrets to help you find the world’s best ones! Just don’t forget to use the right Champagne glasses!
A Brief History of Caymus Vineyards
Caymus Vineyards was started by Lorna and Chuck Wagner, whose ancestors also have a long winemaking history. The Wagners are one of the oldest wine-growing families in Napa Valley.
Lorna Wagner’s maternal great-great-grandfather arrived in Napa Valley, California, in the mid 19th century. Lorna’s grandfather, Lafayette Stice, started making wine in Napa in the late 1800s.
Carl and Catherine Wagner, Chuck Wagner’s grandparents, moved to Rutherford, Napa Valley, from San Francisco in 1906. Just over a decade later, the family had a fully-fledged winery producing over 30,000 gallons of bulk wine a year.
In 1941, Charlie and Lorna bought 73 acres of land in Rutherford to plant grapevines. They started Caymus Vineyards, along with their son Chuck, in 1972.
Further Reading:
- Love a good glass of white wine? Read all about elegant Riesling, or perhaps you would prefer a light and delicious Sauvignon Blanc?
Their 1973 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon caught the attention of wine critics for its rich complexity and flavor. Later, they created their ‘Special Selection’ Cabernet Sauvignon in 1975- the only wine to have won the “Wine of the Year” award from Wine Spectator twice.
Now, almost five decades later, Chuck Wagner’s children Charlie and Jenny Wagner, help run the family wine business.
His youngest son, Joe Wagner, started his own California winery called Belle Glos, after his grandmother and longtime winemaker, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. The Belle Glos label produces fine Pinot Noir wines.
Also read: Discover what makes a goodZinfandel,or which bottles of Barbera wine to serve at your next dinner party! If neither of those suit you - transport yourself to Tuscany witha sip of Chianti!
Caymus Vineyards Wines
The Caymus Winery produces four wonderful wines.
1. Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
The Caymus Special Selection is a varietal wine made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It is bold and concentrated, with a lovely sweet touch that is typical of Napa Valley Cabernets.
The Rutherford AVA, where the Caymus Winery is situated, has a warm and sunny climate, with soil that drains quickly. This gives the Cabernet a rich and deep palate, plus a lower-than-usual acidity.
The Wagners’ viticultural practices help achieve the unique and fragrant aromas of the Caymus Cabernet. They leave the fruit to hang on the vine, which creates a supple and textured wine. The winemakers only allow measured sunlight to reach the vine’s fruit zone, and patiently wait for increased ripeness.
2. Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
This is Caymus Valley’s standard Cabernet. In some years, it is a varietal wine, whereas, in other years, it contains small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc grape varieties. It has an alcohol content of 14.4%, with flavor notes of oak, plum, and vanilla.
3. Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley Zinfandel
The Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel is bold and smooth. Incidentally, the Zinfandel grape was one of the favorite grape varieties of Charlie Wagner, Chuck’s father.
4. Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif, Suisun Valley
This bottle of Durif is made from grapes harvested in Suisun Valley, under an hour away from the Caymus Napa County Winery, where the other three wines are made.
Though it is made under the Caymus wine label, it is not produced from grapes grown at Caymus Vineyards. This wine has flavors of rich fruit and sweet tobacco with textural tannins.
Read more: Having friends over and want to impress them with your skill behind the bar? Here are some easy recipes for a zesty Mimosa and a sultry Sangria!
Now, besides Caymus Vineyards, the Wagner family have multiple other wine labels that fall under the larger umbrella of The Wagner Family of Wine.
The Wagner Family of Wine
These Napa Wineries are among the finest in California and are great ambassadors for how far California winemaking has come.
1. Conundrum
The Conundrum label was first thought up when Charlie Wagner started mixing wines for fun at the dinner table.
This playful pastime eventually developed into a fully-fledged wine label in 1989 - starting with Conundrum White and the addition of Conundrum Red in 2011.
The grapes are sourced from all over the USA - including Monterey County, Napa, and Santa Barbra.
Today, Charlie Jr - the original Charlie’s grandson - oversees Conundrum.
2. Mer Soleil
Chuck Wagner founded the Mer Soleil winery and wine label in the late 1980s. Like Conundrum, it is run by his son, Charlie Wagner, today. The Mer Soleil vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands are planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
A Mer Soleil Chardonnay has hints of lemon, as parts of the property are planted with lemon trees whose flavor sneaks into the wine! The Mer Soleil Pinot Noir is round and supple, with tangy acidity and earthiness.
3. Emmolo
Emmolo wine was founded by Jenny Wagner, the daughter of Chuck Wagner and Cheryl Emmolo, who named the wine label after her mother.
Emmolo produces two beautiful wines - a Sauvignon Blanc and a rich, deep Merlot.
The Wagner family of Wine also includes the labels Red Schooner, Sea Sun, and Bonanza.
Caymus Vineyards offers wine tasting at their California winery, where you can experience it all first hand. Visit the tasting room and try out the complete Wagner Family of Wine portfolio, including the exquisite Chardonnay and fine Pinot Noir of Mer Soleil, a Caymus Cabernet, an Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc, and even a sparkling Merlot.
Also read: Want to discover a historical appellation in the beautiful Bordeaux?Châteauneuf du Papeis for you!
Best Bottles of Caymus Vineyards Wines to Buy in 2024
All bottles of Caymus are of high quality, but some vintages stand out from the rest.
1. Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1976
When tasting this Caymus Special Selection, aromas of black currants, sweet licorice, and brown spice will hit your nose. It has medium tannins, well-balanced acidity, and a superb long finish.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1976: $525
2. Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1991
Here’s a bold and fragrant Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. It has intense fruit flavors of cassis, plum, and cacao. It is quite a dry wine and has slightly sweet undertones. Pair this Caymus wine with a mature cheese board.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1991: $411
3. Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 2004
This Caymus Cabernet is well-balanced and bold. It is smooth with aromas of cassis, chocolate, and coffee. The tannins are round and refreshing, and the finish lingers in your mouth.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 2004: $301
4. Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1986
This exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon has a gorgeous deep red color and is smooth and dark. It has flavors of dark fruit, cassis, and brown spice. Pair this Caymus wine with a rich venison dish.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1986: $244
5. Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1994
From this Napa Valley winery comes a bold and well-balanced wine, with lovely textural tannins and aromas of sweet tobacco, vanilla, and blackberry. Along with the flavors, this bottle has a friendly chock richness and is a fine product of the great winemaking practices at Caymus vineyards.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 1994: $236
6. Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 2012
This is a silky and smooth Caymus wine, with deep flavors of dark fruit and aromas of chocolate, cassis, and leather. The tannins and acidity in the wine are both well-balanced and complement the complexity of this bottle. Pair this California wine with a dinner of roast chicken and grilled vegetables.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA, 2012: $279
7. Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 1974
This wine is bold and well structured with a palate of sweet licorice, brown spice, and cherry. It has a supple texture with the flavors of rich fruit.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 1974: $440
Read more: Discover the delights of the complex and fruit-forward Malbec wine!
8. Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 1979
Here we have a gorgeous Zinfandel from the Caymus winery. It is fruit-forward, clean, and supple with a friendly chock richness and textural tannins. Pair this California wine with a leg of lamb.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 1979: $71
9. Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 2017
This is a delicious jammy, oak flavored Zinfandel with notes of rich fruit and strawberry. It has a supple texture and a soft mouth-feel. Pair this red wine with a beef dish.
Price of Caymus Vineyards Zinfandel, Napa Valley, USA, 2017: $48
Also Read: Want to try your hand at yummy DIY cocktails? Check out these recipes for a champagne cocktailor a cheeky Kir Royale!
Now let’s see which Caymus wines are worth investing in!
Investing in Caymus Wine
Most Caymus wines are best consumed within five years and don’t make great long-term investments.
However, some of the best vintages of the Special Selection are great investment wines, get great critics’ scores, and have increased in value over time.
The 1991 vintage scored a 97 on the Robert Parker scale. It was priced at $230 in 2019 and steadily increased to $433 in 2021 - an 88% price appreciation. The Special Selection wines are also sold by prestigious auctioneers like Christie’s.
If you’re unsure how to tell what wine is of investment standard and will pay off in the long run, then your best bet is to invest with an experienced wine investment company like Vinovest.
Also read: If you’ve been searching for something light, fruity, and divine - try some of the world’s best bottles of Rose!
Buy Caymus Vineyards Wines and other Fine Wines through Vinovest
Vinovestis an online wine-investment platform where you can easily buy, store, and sell fine wines from all over the world.
How does it work?
It’s easy! Get started with these steps:
- Sign up.
- Fill out a questionnaire so Vinovest can understand your risk appetite and investment preferences.
- Fund your account with a $1,000 minimum.
- Watch your portfolio grow!
Benefits
Here are 7 benefits of working with Vinovest:
1. Buy and Sell Wines with Ease
Vinovest offers a state-of-the-art AI platform so that you can buy and sell fine wines with just a few clicks! So no matter where you are in the world, you can get rare bottles of Screaming Eagle, Pomerol wine or any others, easily!
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Vinovest has all the right connections - they source your wine directly from wine merchants, exchanges, and even the winemakers themselves. Because they are no middlemen - the wine is available at great below-retail prices.
3. A Curated and Personal Portfolio
Vinovest employs a team of world class Sommeliers and data scientists - to make sure that your wine portfolio is the very best it can be.
4. Optimal Storage and Safety
Vinovest makes sure that your wines are secure by storing them in bonded warehouses. They are kept at optimal temperatures, as well as the perfect humidity, light, and vibration levels at all times.
5. Low Overall Costs
Vinovest’s fees are lower compared to other wine investment companies - an annual total of 2.85%, which is dropped to 2.5% for portfolios over $50,000. This fee includes your insurance, portfolio management, wine storage, and the buying and selling of your wine bottles.
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6. Tax Advantages
There are significant tax advantages with Vinovest as you’re not charged any excise duty or VAT because the wines are stored in bonded warehouses.
Time for some California Sunshine in Your Wine Cellar!
Caymus wine is special - not only because of its remarkable taste but because of the rich history and winemaking practices behind the wine.
With Vinovest, you can get your hands on the best bottles of Caymus and other California wine no matter where you are in the world.
So sign up with Vinovest today and start growing your wine collection!
