Caymus 2012 40th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Third Coravin Tasting)
In 1971 Charlie Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery. If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in Napa Valley and move to Australia. Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards. The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Caymus has focused their efforts in the production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
Back in the summer of 2015, I received a birthday gift of a Coravin wine system. The Coravin allows you to take wine out of the bottle (no screwcaps, only corks), leaving the cork in place and preserve and protect the wine until you are ready for another glass or want to open the bottle. I took out a glass on July 25, 2015 and took out a second glass on February 5, 2016, and a third glass September 16, 2016.
The wine was still superb, actually with a little age now, even better than my original notes. Deep ruby red with focused aromas of black fruit, herbs and spice. The palate is focused, with fresh flavors of sweet ripe dark fruit, mostly plum, blackberry and black cherry, with complex oak, leather and chocolate. The wine is well balanced, tannins continuing to develop nicely, slightly savory, finishing with sweet vanilla oak notes. My notes from my the three pours using the Coravin were very consistent. It works! This is an Elegant Wine! It was perfect to drink now as well as for future aging, but why wait? More still left in the bottle, check back in about 6 months for another taste.
Cheers!