Winery Profile: Napa Valley’s Caymus

California’s Napa County is the wine core of the United States and one of the most important enclaves in the world for global wine and culinary tourism. Located about 80 kilometers north of San Francisco, Napa now hosts more than 500 wineries, with the average price of its bottles around 110 dollars, although you can still find good value when you order wine online. It is estimated that the area injects around 13 billion dollars into the U.S. economy annually through wines, tourists, and gastronomy. Of course, this California region is one of the most expensive on the American continent and also one of the most visited (four million travelers go there each year), alongside neighboring Sonoma, Bottle Barn’s home, equally famous but more a bit more laid back. 

To tell the story of Napa and its relationship with wine, one must go back to 1861 when the legendary Charles Krug opened the first winery. By the end of the 19th century, the Napa Valley was already considered the best area in the United States to plant vineyards due to the area's mild climate, classified as Mediterranean and perfect for grape cultivation. 

Napa and Caymus 

That history continued with the Wagner family. Chuck Wagner, a native of Napa, was raised on the family farm in Rutherford. In 1972, he joined his parents, Charlie and Lorna, when they decided to take their talent for home winemaking into the world of professional winemaking. 

Since the 1940s, the Wagner family has worked the Caymus Vineyards on their property, taking the historic name of the area when it was part of Mexico, known as “Rancho Caymus,” which would gradually become a producer of some very good and highly acclaimed wines. 

The Wagner's first production was only 240 cases of wine, and since then, they have released a Napa Valley Cabernet in every vintage. By 1975, the Wagners had produced their first "Special Selection," made from the extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon harvest that year. 

Caymus continues to specialize in the production of premium Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in low-fertility soils both at the valley floor and in the surrounding mountains. Their focus on detailed viticulture includes practices such as dry farming, high-density plantings, and yield thinning, resulting in a unique style of Cabernet. Inside the Caymus red wine bottle, the Cabernet is dark, concentrated, and smooth, even upon release, though with enough tannins and structure for extended aging. Additionally, they produce a limited amount of Special Selection Cabernet and a Napa Valley Zinfandel in honor of one of the winery's co-founders, Charlie Wagner. 

Such is the success that Caymus Vineyards achieved that in 2006, Wine Spectator magazine rated the Caymus Vineyards Special Selection as the best Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley, with the highest average score—94.6 points—since 1990. The Special Selection is also the only wine to have been named "Wine of the Year" by Wine Spectator magazine twice. 

Chuck, who worked tirelessly alongside his father Charlie, built Caymus's reputation, always maintaining quality, both in the vineyard and in the winery. At the 2007 Wine Experience event, presented by Wine Spectator magazine, Chuck received the Distinguished Service Award, given to individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to the wine industry. To date, only about 30 luminaries have received this honor. 

Today, Caymus remains a family winery, handling all operations from the heart of Napa Valley, and the new generation is expanding the legacy of hand-crafting wines. 

Some Caymus Wines to Try 

So, why not try the 2018 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon when you order wine online? In awarding it 94 point, Wine Spectator said it meets your palate “lush and polished, with waves of cassis and blackberry compote pouring through.” Underscoring this richness is “chocolate, espresso crema and roasted vanilla bean.” It “maintains a lush, velvety feel through the lengthy finish, where flashes of sweet tobacco and warm earth peek through.” 

Or there’s the 2020 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in a magnum size: a great value. The winemaker says it “offers layered, lush aromas and flavors, including cocoa, cassis and ripe berries.”