I remember the Caymus’ of old, wines of depth and complexity. This was neither. It was served blind, and I thought it was a sub $15 commercial bottling, notable for its sweetness (it tasted as if someone had added a spoonful of sugar to each glass). The host was embarrassed enough to open a back up bottle of Bordeaux.
I would not have bothered to write a note, but for the Caymus name, and the astonishing price tag and our earlier discussion.I understand this will be a seriously divisive post, but for my taste, this is to date the worst (healthy) wine I have tasted this year.
My tasting note on WB back in December 2014. Nearly the only time I’ve ever used that scornful of a tone about a wine (Daou’s reserve chardonnay might be the other one just going from memory?), in now 15+ years on the board, as I usually try to find things to appreciate in wines and try to be respectful of things.
++++
. . . a friend poured me that 2012 Caymus a week ago, and it is the most non-wine-tasting wine I think I’ve ever had. It’s like some sweetened blueberry vanilla beverage, and not even an alcoholic one. It might be the worst wine I’ve ever had before, including at wedding receptions and neighbors’ cookouts. I really have no idea how anyone makes that wine, and frankly, I can’t image that people who like big/ripe/modern styled cabs would like it, even a little bit.
Somebody (maybe not anybody you associate with) would love to have it. Consider donating it to a charity that does auctions to raise money. Deduction to boot.
YES! Someone else who remembers what Caymus used to be like. For me, I was an apprentice wine lover at the time, but the cabs of mid/late 1990’s had some real character and complexity. My wife and I visited the winery in 2004 for an appointment tasting and walked out at the end having not purchased a thing but the tasting receipt. The bloom was off the rose at that point.
chris! the 40th anniversary is truly a wonder.