Mark your calendars for June! Caymus 50th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is a testament to fifty years of exceptional winemaking by the dedicated, passionate, and family-owned Caymus Vineyards. Since 1972, they have remained a beacon of excellence in Napa Valley, staying true to their roots and producing unparalleled Cabernet Sauvignon. This limited edition wine is a celebration of their rich history, tradition, and relentless pursuit of quality across generations.
Winery Notes:
Each year, we set aside the best barrels of our Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley to produce Special Selection. Distinguished by extremely fine, velvety tannins and enjoyable upon release or with aging. A wine of structure with intense concentration of supple flavors and dark fruits. Special Selection is the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year.”
I feel this wine expresses the greatness of California and its hidden pockets where Cabernet can excel. The cold Pacific Ocean running the entire length of the state presents maritime influences – and with each small distance eastward the climate warms. Stony soils, south facing slopes and moderately warm conditions are the keys to producing dark, rich and good tasting Cabernet.
A small release from Caymus Vineyards, this wine is a California-appellation Cabernet Sauvignon – supple, dark and rich, bearing the signature hallmarks of Caymus. It is sourced from sites throughout the state which feature climatic conditions, soils and topography that are ideally suited to Cabernet. This project stems from excitement over California's diverse vineyard land, often in lesser-known areas, with the potential to produce exceptional Cabernet.
Caymus has a signature style that is dark in color, with rich fruit and ripe, velvety tannins – as approachable in youth as in maturity. We farm Cabernet grapes in eight of Napa’s 16 sub-appellations, with diversification enabling us to make the best possible wine in a given year. This Cabernet offers layered, lush aromas and flavors, including cocoa, cassis and ripe dark berries.
While the wine has sufficient tannins and structure for long-term bottle aging, Caymus Cabernet is dark and concentrated, with ripe, luxurious, fruit-driven softness that shows from the day of release.
Caymus Suisan Grand Durif is made from 100 percent Caymus Suisan Grand Durif.
Only 30 minutes from Napa, Suisun Valley (which became an AVA in 1982) is still largely undiscovered. With its warm days and cool nights, this pastoral region reminds us of Napa Valley in the 1960s. Known for delicious stone fruits and walnuts, it is also gaining recognition for exceptional wine. Durif is synonymous with Petite Sirah, the widely grown grape in the region – we added “Grand” to the name for its grand style. With harmonious tannins, this wine is opulent, luxuriously soft and totally enjoyable.
Matthews Winery Columbia Valley Cuvee is made from 65% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec.
The 2021 Columbia Valley Cuvée sparkles with purple and deep garnet in the glass. Meadow flowers, fresh red berry, black plum, and cocoa powder aromas exhilarate leading to flavors of morello cherry liqueur, cardamom, mountain blackberry, and licorice snaps. This merlot-dominant blend is plush and weighty on the palate with powdery tannins. Dark stone fruits and dusty minerality coat the palate for a long, seamless finish.
Reviews:
A handsome blend, structured and polished, with expressive black cherry flavors accented by tarragon, mocha espresso and toasty spices that sail toward refined tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2031.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
This Merlot-based blend is a part of the Matthews tradition. Wildly fruity aromatics with whole berries, destemmed aromas driven by red berries, mountain blueberries, and a touch of green peppercorn and mocha dust. A streak of graphite underlines red berries, early season blackberries and a savoury herbal character that mingles complexity with fresh ripe fruits.
-Decanter 93 Points
Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is made from Clairette blanche & Rose, Grenache Blanc & Gris, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul and Picardan.
Gold bright green color. Expressive nose with pear and stone fruits aromas (peach, apricot) with jasmine and roasted almonds notes. The mouth is smooth and fleshy like stone fruit we can smell, with a long a nice finish.
Review:
Always terrific, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is no exception, and readers who love vibrant, age-worthy Rhône whites can safely buy this cuvée in just about every vintage. Based on 30% Clairette, 20% Grenache Blanc, 25% Bourboulenc, 22% Roussanne, and splashes of Picardan and Picpoul Blanc, the 2023 reveals a medium gold hue as well as textbook aromatics of pear and orchard fruits intermixed with honeyed flowers, chalky minerality, and subtle green almond nuances. This balanced, medium-bodied, vibrant white is very much in the fresh, focused, yet still textured, approachable style of the vintage.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points