Freddy R. Troya

8.9

The Delicious Monster White Blend 2024
W.O. McGregor – South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
A vibrant and cheerful South African white blend composed of 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Muscat, and 20% Chardonnay. Produced in the McGregor region, this wine leans into youthful freshness, aromatic charm, and easy-drinking appeal without becoming overly sweet or simplistic. A surprisingly polished everyday white that overdelivers on pure drinkability.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive notes of tropical fruit, ripe pear, melon, white peach, citrus blossom, and soft floral nuances jump from the glass. The Muscat adds aromatic lift and perfume, while the Chenin Blanc keeps the wine energetic and refreshing. Subtle orchard fruit and light honeyed tones round out the finish.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with refreshing acidity and a smooth, uplifting texture. Crisp and youthful, yet balanced enough to maintain freshness through the finish. Very approachable and easy to enjoy casually.

Food Pairings
Excellent with spicy Asian dishes, summer salads, grilled chicken, shrimp tacos, light curries, fresh fruit platters, or casual patio-style sipping.

Verdict
A fun and approachable white blend that delivers far more charm and balance than expected. Bright, youthful, aromatic, and dangerously easy to drink. A great reminder that uncomplicated wines can still be genuinely enjoyable and well-crafted.

Did You Know?
South Africa is home to some of the world’s oldest Chenin Blanc vineyards, and the grape has become the country’s signature white variety, capable of styles ranging from crisp everyday wines to age-worthy masterpieces.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the type of bottle you open casually and suddenly realize the bottle is almost gone. Bright energy, great finish, and incredibly approachable without feeling generic. Cheers! — a month ago

Lyn Farmer

9.8

Exceptional wine - deep ruby color with a huge bouquet of violet, plum, black pepper, black cherry, licorice, vanilla, clove, prune and dried rose petal. Velvet tannins, the alcohol is well balanced with the fruit and full-bodied texture. Still in its infancy but already delicious, this wine has a stunning future — a year ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Changing it up with some Napa Cab! 91 HM is totally in the zone with stunning depth of aromatics and pure velvet on the palate. There is an incredible balance of fruit and secondary character. Fantastic. — 4 years ago

Malcolm Trimble

9.2

Dark ruby color. Nose and palate of dark fruit -raspberry cherry currant and a hint of vanilla. Very smooth. And the velvet label. This is a great Cabernet flying below the radar — 5 years ago

Sarah Beth

9.0

Pleasing, grapey velvet — 7 years ago

Nicole Pigg

9.2

Sweet, but not overly so. Very good dinner wine! — 7 years ago

Yuta Goto

9.0

Bright, well-defined acidity comes through smoothly, with a sense of weight and a satisfying, full-bodied feel on the palate. — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Caymus Vineyards – Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Napa Valley, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Special Selection is Caymus’ flagship bottling, the only wine to twice earn Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year.” The 2013 vintage comes from a benchmark Napa year—warm, consistent, and producing deeply concentrated fruit. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from prime valley-floor sites, this wine showcases the Caymus hallmark: bold, plush, and fruit-driven Napa opulence.

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent blackberries, cassis, and baked blueberries, wrapped in layers of cocoa, espresso, and toasted vanilla. Secondary notes of licorice, sweet tobacco, and graphite add depth. With time in the glass, hints of cedar and leather start to show, signaling the early stages of graceful evolution.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and richly textured, almost velvet-like, with powerful yet polished tannins. The 2013 vintage delivers intensity and weight, but with balance—long, lingering finish loaded with ripe dark fruit and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Meticulous cluster selection, long maceration for depth, and extended aging in new French oak barrels (18+ months). Chuck Wagner’s hallmark style: unapologetically ripe fruit, creamy oak integration, and a seamless, approachable structure even in youth.

Food Pairing
A natural match for grilled ribeye, braised short ribs, or herb-crusted lamb. For a more indulgent pairing, try it with aged Gouda or truffle-infused dishes.

Verdict
A monumental vintage of Caymus Special Selection—ripe, hedonistic, and still showing youthful vigor more than a decade later. Built for aging, yet already a crowd-pleaser. A benchmark expression of Napa Cabernet’s luxurious side.

Personal Pick Highlight
2013 stands out as one of Napa’s greatest modern vintages, and tasting it now is like catching Caymus in its prime sweet spot: power meeting polish. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Conrad Green

9.2

Dark and sweet with dense tannic grip. Red currant, plums and violets. A bit of a monster — 4 years ago

with Paul and Ara

LeMel Humes

9.5

This is by far one of the best wines I’ve ever had. Smooth full body floral notes with velvet taste. — 5 years ago

with Suzanne

Richard List

9.6

We tackled this monster at The River Cafe over the summer. Larger formats always seem to evolve that bit better over time and this was no exception. Absolutely fantastic. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Last night in MT at the lake. Gave this several hours of air. Nice dark tawny color. Vibrant in the glass. The nose is great right away and stayed on point through the evening. Notes of black cherries, warm raspberries, old cedar, some plums and a little leather saddle. Rich and silky in the mouth. Velvet glove. Long finish. Great wine. — 7 years ago

Scott Wren

9.4

Love ChP when it’s got some age on it. (1998) Totally different beast and this was spicy velvet. — 8 years ago

k

8.9

Balanced with front fruit and decent body. No overpowering aspects. — 8 months ago

Conrad Green

9.7

gorgeous plum and violet. Black cherry and gorgeous velvet texture. Really classy and rounded and long — 9 months ago

with Matt and Paul

Joseph Barsky

9.6

2014 Vintage. Was a bit funky on opening but opens and lost that funk with air. Massive Syrah fruit and velvet mouthfeel. Great job Russell! — a year ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.5

Massive monster of a wine that will obviously polarise. The type of wine that you drink while being fed grapes and fanned with a giant palm leaf. Opulent and luxurious with blackberry, brambles and tar. Its going to be too much for a lot of people but if you like your wines full of flavour then this is for you! — 2 years ago

Kayla Wooldridge

10

Sweet at first and then tart to finish. A very good contrast. Not too sweet and not too tart. My favorite wine so far. — 4 years ago

David MacMillan

9.7

Ridiculous wine. Blue cheese, velvet tannins with the mildest chalk level, tiny amount of menthol and cherry, that made it perfect. Great wine for Todd’s leaving shindig — 6 years ago

with Robert and Mike

Lindsey Hanson

9.0

Smooth... Buttery finish. Full bodied flavor, but not overwhelming — 7 years ago