Cayuse Vineyards
Flying Pig Cabernet Franc Blend
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
The 2019 Flying Pig bursts from the glass with a bouquet of spiced citrus rinds giving way to dusty rose, wild blueberries and wet stone. This is silky-smooth with medium-bodied weight and vividly ripe wild berry fruits complemented by rosemary and olive nuances. Residual acidity keeps the mouth watering through the dramatic finale, as notes of licorice and peppery herbal tones resonate throughout. The combination of 45% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot really works wonders here, showing the best traits of both varieties, nicely offset by an 11% dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2023
The 2019 Flying Pig bursts from the glass with a bouquet of spiced citrus rinds giving way to dusty rose, wild blueberries and wet stone. This is silky-smooth with medium-bodied weight and vividly ripe wild berry fruits complemented by rosemary and olive nuances. Residual acidity keeps the mouth watering through the dramatic finale, as notes of licorice and peppery herbal tones resonate throughout. The combination of 45% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot really works wonders here, showing the best traits of both varieties, nicely offset by an 11% dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2023
Mar 3rd, 2023
Off list. I’ve been on the Cayuse allocation since ‘07 or so but I’ve never been offered the Pig. I did get one on a recent cellar release but I wanted to test drive a little. It’s 75% Cab Franc with 15% Cab and 10% Merlot with a relatively throttled down 14.5% alcohol. Not much nose rises from the bottle and with no Syrah I wouldn’t say I expected the Fox fur funk but I was surprised it was so timid. This wine is all there but it is definitely on its denouement and the fruit is starting to fade. I got woodsmoke, truffle, lots of earth and cranberry. I would love to have had this 5 years or so ago. I view this as the hardest Cayuse to obtain (and that may or may not be true from a production standpoint, I have no idea) so it was fun to complete my personal lineup in terms of trying Cayuse. Looking forward to trying a younger bottle to get a better handle on what’s happening here.
Off list. I’ve been on the Cayuse allocation since ‘07 or so but I’ve never been offered the Pig. I did get one on a recent cellar release but I wanted to test drive a little. It’s 75% Cab Franc with 15% Cab and 10% Merlot with a relatively throttled down 14.5% alcohol. Not much nose rises from the bottle and with no Syrah I wouldn’t say I expected the Fox fur funk but I was surprised it was so timid. This wine is all there but it is definitely on its denouement and the fruit is starting to fade. I got woodsmoke, truffle, lots of earth and cranberry. I would love to have had this 5 years or so ago. I view this as the hardest Cayuse to obtain (and that may or may not be true from a production standpoint, I have no idea) so it was fun to complete my personal lineup in terms of trying Cayuse. Looking forward to trying a younger bottle to get a better handle on what’s happening here.
Dec 10th, 2018
I love Cayuse syrahs but this is a Merlot based Bordeaux style with ~ 50% Merlot and 40% cab franc which is a little like saying I feared a medium bodied wine - was I wrong - so so wrong - killer juice - it was a full bodied baby - almost like drinking chocolate covered raspberries- what a remarkable thing to say for I had to dive through the funk - tons of Aromas of earth, peat, savory herbs and dark flowers lead to soft, sweet, smoky flavors. The texture and richness keep the interest high - almost too chewy - but after a while the wine soften and the firmness was like a waterbed of joy and sin mixed together - JD gives it 95 - will drink fantastic now with a mid decant time and last 2 decades but not sure what bottle rest will do and I think Cayuse makes to drink their wines early on - big smile of approval rating
I love Cayuse syrahs but this is a Merlot based Bordeaux style with ~ 50% Merlot and 40% cab franc which is a little like saying I feared a medium bodied wine - was I wrong - so so wrong - killer juice - it was a full bodied baby - almost like drinking chocolate covered raspberries- what a remarkable thing to say for I had to dive through the funk - tons of Aromas of earth, peat, savory herbs and dark flowers lead to soft, sweet, smoky flavors. The texture and richness keep the interest high - almost too chewy - but after a while the wine soften and the firmness was like a waterbed of joy and sin mixed together - JD gives it 95 - will drink fantastic now with a mid decant time and last 2 decades but not sure what bottle rest will do and I think Cayuse makes to drink their wines early on - big smile of approval rating
Nov 24th, 2018
2002 Cayuse ,flying pig.
Wine is showing great,no oxidation and a lot of fruit still .
2002 Cayuse ,flying pig.
Wine is showing great,no oxidation and a lot of fruit still .
2007 vintage. Lacks the acid structure requisite for long term development.
2007 vintage. Lacks the acid structure requisite for long term development.
Jul 8th, 2014
Pretty damn near perfect at 9 years. This guys is singing...snorting?
Pretty damn near perfect at 9 years. This guys is singing...snorting?
Apr 5th, 2021
One hour decant(little cloudy sediment). A thrilling tawny ruby red color. On the nose: cherries, hints of that savory Cayuse funk(luv it), gravelly rock, bacon, and sweet floral notes. Taste: The Flying Pig is flying high today!! A soft, juicy medium plus body wine with black cherry, raspberry, tobacco, spice......smooth tannins and plummy pencil lead medium plus finish. 50% merlot, 40% cab franc, 10% cab sauvignon.
One hour decant(little cloudy sediment). A thrilling tawny ruby red color. On the nose: cherries, hints of that savory Cayuse funk(luv it), gravelly rock, bacon, and sweet floral notes. Taste: The Flying Pig is flying high today!! A soft, juicy medium plus body wine with black cherry, raspberry, tobacco, spice......smooth tannins and plummy pencil lead medium plus finish. 50% merlot, 40% cab franc, 10% cab sauvignon.
Dec 19th, 2020