Jenn

9.2

Delicious, buttery, full bodied without over powering. Memorial Day 2026 — a month ago

Brian Hearty

9.1

2021. A little ❤️ Day wine with my wife and our daughter! — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Dark ruby red color, some purple edges, with aromas of dark fruits and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with vanilla, cedar and cinnamon spice. Fine tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, cedar and spice. — 5 months ago

Joseph Barsky

9.7

2015 Vintage. 14.7% ABV. Wow wine for sure. Thomas Rivers Brown -excellent job! — 5 months ago

S.Carey

9.5

Top of this line, though big at 14.1%. Still, well balanced and so amazingly characteristic — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Served blind alongside what was eventually revealed to be the 1971 Mouton Rothschild. This almost had me leaning Napa by a classic producer due to the gorgeous fruit and generous, scratch that, lavish use of new French oak. After careful deliberation with those at the table with more experience drinking Mouton both young and old, I was able to come alongside the others that this was indeed young Pauillac. All the cassis, cigar box, tobacco and baking spices ones heart could desire with some of the loveliest acid. Speaking of, the structure still has quite a grasp of this one but with all the lovely fruit, everything is in brilliant balance, even at 18 years young. Given that, I expect this wine to drink well for decades to come, particularly since secondary characteristics have hardly entered the chat. Definitely a wine I hope to enjoy many more times over the years but so grateful I got to try now. — 3 years ago

Brian

9.5

Smooth full bodied with dark berry fruit, well balanced, drinking well now and maybe 2-3 more years when we’ll stored. — 4 years ago

Simon lemmens

9.2

Zwarte bessen, stevige body, klein zoetje in afdronk. Heerlijk met stoofvlees. — 5 years ago

Julia Indik

9.2

An easy favorite. Earthy aroma, with black cherries, figs, coffee and licorice. Tannins are laced with leather, smoke and mild acidity that holds tight. — 3 months ago

with Robert

Daniele Cuzin

9.0

Had the 2022 vintage in Feb 2026. Fruity and spicy taste and nice to drink — 5 months ago

Debra Copeland, WSET3, CSWS

9.2

Classic Pinot and perfect with grilled Alaskan sockeye salmon and ahi tuna. — 5 months ago

Marc Melser

9.5

We had the 2017 Vintage on 1/3/26. A fantastic Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara. An earthy bouquet with subtle red fruit. Raspberry, strawberry, clove, mushroom and baking spice on the palate. Nice mouthfeel to this Medium bodied, well balanced and still New World wine. Of all the wines we had on our May, 2025 trip to SB, this was the best. We bought this at the winery. — 6 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Could age longer. On the fruitier side of Syrah. Spiced plums. Dried banana. Smoked meat, tart cherry. — 8 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

8.9

Tighter than a Nun’s… Medium ruby color. Aromas of cherry, cranberry and oak. A little high alcohol concentration at first. Needs to open up a bit. Tasty red fruit with a oaky finish. — 3 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.1

Oh so elegant. On a class of its own. Will post notes next time but this is great stuff. — 3 years ago

with Jose, veronique and 1 other

Frank Heinz

9.2

Wylds Cafe — 5 years ago

Brian

9.4

2020 vintage. — 4 months ago

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. — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 7 months ago

Laura Purdy

9.0

First of many wines for tonight’s Far Niente and Nickel and Nickel event. — 4 years ago