Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

When I’m not drinking a Napa Cab, and I’m having a fillet mignon, I reach for a Jordon. Blend of 87% Cab Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot & 1% Malbec, aged 13 months in 100% French oak (35% new). Deep Ruby red color with aromas of red fruit, floral and an array of herb spices. On the palate flavors of blackberry and raspberry with oak, vanilla spice, leather and cacao notes. Rich fine tannins, well balanced and integrated with fruit and oak. Very Nice! Will age well. Just had this at a chophouse, Nice! — 23 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2023 pours a deep ruby/garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. On the nose the wine is developing with heady notes of tart cherry, mixed brambles, spearmint, red and purple flowers, old school permanent marker, licorice, tomato, green herbs, clove and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the body is, ooof…very nice. Another delicious vintage of Cuvée Réservée. Drink now through 2043. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Slight younger looking , a little more ruby both in the core but still mostly garnet rim.
This is high toned slightly redder fruit , less dense than the preceding 3 . Cherry , red plum , cedar, seaspray . On the palate this is again quite elegant and refined , cherry , red plum some cassis , red plum , cigar box . Not overly weighty with perhaps a little less noticeable tannin than some of the others . Long vibrant , spicy grafite tinged finish . Very elegant , reserved and I suppose very Lafite , this grows during the experience but was actually voted in last place by the group , that somehow doesn’t surprise me, at the end of the day one wine did have to come last, and this was relatively discreet only showing its real breeding and class with time in the glass. Needs time , but is very promising , probably another 5-10 years (as with almost all the others ) , will last well a further 20 if not more . The elegance and style of this wine is fantastic , this really grows in the glass . Had to be Lafite for me . Bronze medal here . — 2 months ago

John W

9.8

Deep ruby coloration. On the nose, dark berry, cassis, forest floor, minerals and earth, cherry, cocoa powder, plum and vanilla. On the palate, dark berry , blueberry, cherry, smokey vanilla, and secondary and tertiary notes of oak, espresso, and chocolate. Complex and excellent full bodied wine with velvet mouthfeel. — 3 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. — 3 months ago

Janhavi Prasada

9.0

Soft on the palate, floral bouquet, ruby red, distinctive legs m, rich mouth feel ! — a month ago

Andy Stabile

9.0

Big ol’ Pinot… if by name only

Heavy body….. deep ruby color.
Musty, earthy nose
Powerful Friit - maybe black cherry
A touch earth / bitter lingers. A touch of oak.
Zin / Cab vibes
Nice glass of wine…
(Remedy 21)
With Sue and Riley — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Tasted blind . Slightly more mature colour than 1 . Ruby with some garnet and a more garnet tinged rim . Cooler more mineral on the nose , touches of grafite and wet rocks , sea spray , with some dark spicy cassis . On the palate this is more dark cassis , spicy grafite , cedar , touch of iron filings . Good roundness on the palate , with dusty tannins and balanced acidity, intense and saline . Long cedar tinged grafite length . Quite intense and stlight sterner overall , a little more aloof , more Cabernet , darker in style. Better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this as Margaux . My 5th placed wine . — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

2nd wine . Medium garnet ruby, thin garnet rim . Quite serious and mineral , more grafite and , tobacco , seaside scents , spice . Quite cool and elegant in the mouth , sweeter tannin though quite dense still on the palate . Cassis , grafite , cocoa and tobacco finish . Quite rich , good length , spiced finish. This is quite refined and elegant , well balanced freshness , if rounder , more plump than the others (alcohol perhaps ? This is 14,5% but it doesn’t stick out ). Again quite young , needs another 5 years and will last a further 10 or so . Had this down as the Margaux ! — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium deep ruby garnet , with quite wide garnet rim . Slightly smoky , earthy nose , mint , some spicy cigar , red currant , raspberry , dried cherry . On the palate this is quite lean in style , with fresh acidity , cherry , raspberry , red currant , some smoky blackberry , tobacco , cigar box. Quite good length and fine tannins herbal , mineral tinged finish . This is ready, just at peak still, now and over the next 5-10 years , don’t think this will improve much from here , but is still showing very well — 3 months ago

Mark S.

9.0

Ruby red. Raspberry and strawberry, slightly sweet and charming. Fresh fruity, red tea. Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M+ Acidity M+ from cool climate. Tannin M soft Bitterness M Body M+ Finish M Ken Wright Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 24 @1500/G, G5, 260203 — 5 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Medium deep ruby garnet with wide garnet rim . Open and classic on the nose with tobacco , grafite , herbal , mint , seaweed and some mixed summer fruits . On the palate this is quite fresh and slightly lean in style , quite rustic , bitty tannins and a herbal touch. Mixed summer fruits on the mid palate and a reasonable earthy tobacco tinged finish . Best drunk now and over the next few years on the basis of this bottle . — 5 months ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.6

This was a gift from a close friend who worked for Silver Oak as a garden manager until they eliminated that part of their business. Beautiful color in the glass. Ruby with a hint of rust on the edge. Aroma is complex with berries and flint. Also just a hint of pine needles. Christmas trees. Flavors are full and fine. This is BIG BOY wine. Delicious. — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

First pour of this and I was like, “uh-oh”. It was clearly full of flaws (Brettanomyces, VA and maaaaybe some slight TCA) but would they be too much to appreciate the wine? Only time would tell so into the decanter it went. After a lot of air, it became clear this was Brett and VA. The wine pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still) with notes of blackberries, umeboshi, animale, purple flowers, black pepper, red Flintstone vitamin, horse blanket, wood varnish, and sous bois. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. An elegant, complicated bottle. This is my second time with the 1997 vintage and due to the flaws, a different adventure than previous. That being said, this decidedly grumpy, Burgundian expression of Clape’s Cornas paired really well with the dry-aged steaks. Drink now, with a lot of patience, through 2037? — a month ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.6

Tasted blind . Médium deep ruby with medium wide ruby rim , slightly younger looking than the rest. Quite spicy dark fruits , touch of pain grillé , mineral , grafite , cedar . On the palate this has a lot of grip and density , but also great balance . Spicy dark fruits , touch of grafite and earthy cedar . Quite rounded mouthfeel. Balanced acidity and grippy ripe tannins . Long balanced finish . Overall this showed well , with a roundness and balance , lovely fruit still , really quite open and fresh . With more time this show a floral character with lovely precision . Of all the wines this though very young is probably showing the most today . Even better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this down as Haut Brion . This took the silver medal . 96
— 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim and medium intensity.

Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. Complex with a soft mouthfeel. Elegant and fruit forward. Drinking at its peak right now, and a little metallic on the nose.

Robert Parker 93 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

This 14 year old Pinot Noir is a good sipping wine, that also paired nicely with food.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$120. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.3

Medium deep ruby with a thin garnet ruby rim . Quite closed with some grafite, hickory , cedar and crème de cassis , dark cherry , red plum , quite dense but with quite a classic , dusty profile . On the palate this is again quite classic , with crème de cassis , cedar , blackberry, plum . Good acidity and fine , gritty tannin , well balanced . Pretty good length with a saline, grafite touch. With time
in the glass this is drinking quite well , still showing dark fruit and youthfulness but at the same time quite classic and serious. Probably will improve over the next 5 years or so and last well a further 5-10 — 3 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Deep ruby color. Aromas of dark cherry, plum, eucalyptus and baking spice. Blackberry on the palate, nutmeg/clove, earthy finish. — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Referred to as the “Baby Grange,” blend of 53/47 Cab Sauv & Shiraz, aged for 12 months in American oak, partly in previous-vintage Grange casks. Dark Ruby with aromas of fresh black fruits, complex with sweet spice. On the palate flavors of juicy black cherry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and toasty spices, from cooler vintage. Well balanced with acidity, full ripe tannins, long ending with smoky spice, fruit well integrated with oak, drink over next 10 years+, will only get better. Nice! — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Decant for sediment and pour(decent chunky/fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red color. On the nose: jumping from the glass are port drenched cherries, pencil shavings, tobacco, toffee, balsamic, and cinnamon. Taste: silky, balanced, still fresh wine with currants, little dried cherry, tobacco, earth, dried herbs, and a spicy saline graphite satisfying finish. YUM! In the home stretch, drink. — 5 months ago

with Brenda