Winemaker Notes
One of the most allocated and collectible Cabernets in the world, Caymus Vineyards Special Selection is crafted from the outstanding barrels of the vintage. Special Selection is produced only in vintages that proprietor Chuck Wagner feels are suitable for this designation.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is made in the classic Caymus style that Chuck Wagner has perfected, seemingly so easily. It’s a big, ripe Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (as it should be) coming in at 15.2% natural alcohol. This has gorgeous notes of fig, plum, blackberry, cassis, with no real oak showing through, at least at age ten. Low in acidity, opulent, sexy and fresh, it is indeed a beverage of pleasure, and Chuck Wagner certainly knows how to deliver it in spades. This full-bodied, juicy Cabernet Sauvignon will age easily for another 10-15 years, but why wait? It is that stunning at present.
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Wine Spectator
Firm, intense and well-structured, with a mix of spicy oak, red and black currant, mineral, sage and dusty berry. Turns elegant and refined, yet shows a sturdy backbone on the finish.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.