Just tried Caymus 40th.....

WINE TALK
281

This has nothing to do with Parker.

He somehow likes Myriad wines, and I agree on that.

This is purely about how bad the 40th cabernet is.

282

Yak.[/quote]



I take that as a complement.

Yaks eat grass, herbs, moss and lichens.

I’m guessing that Yaks would like Chinon, and I would like Yak with Chinon.

283

Yes and no. His palate is still spot on with the type of wines he made his mark on rating: Traditionally ripe Cabernet. To oversimplify it, he likes intensity. This move to late picking both plays to his likes and exposes his blind spot. He is unable to discern a qualitative difference between something truly outstanding, like Myriad, and well constructed industrial plonk like this Caymus. His notes also belie an apparent label bias in giving this wine the benefit of the doubt that it has ageability and a huge amount of amazing complexity that there’s no sign of at the moment (to him, even).

So, part of this comedy is the high rating.

284

That was a terrific insight.

285

I wonder what percent of this wine is sold and in consumers homes and bellies.

I am sure the corporate steak houses back up the truck on this one.

286

Yep. I was at Shula’s steakhouse recently and a couple at a table next to us were drinking a bottle. I was somewhat surprised when the couple ordered a second bottle to take to their room after dinner, as I had recently tried some at a tasting and was unable to down the glass I had been poured.

Also, I know that Flemings buys it for their whole chain and sells a bunch.

287

[quote
John Glas wrote:I am sure the corporate steak houses back up the truck on this one.


Yep. I was at Shula’s steakhouse recently and a couple at a table next to us were drinking a bottle. I was somewhat surprised when the couple ordered a second bottle to take to their room after dinner, as I had recently tried some at a tasting and was unable to down the glass I had been poured.

Also, I know that Flemings buys it for their whole chain and sells a bunch.][/quote]
The sad reality is they would have enjoyed a Columbia Crest Grand Estates as much and I am sure the Caymus was $140 on the wine list.

288

I think he believes that anyone who dislikes a wine that he likes is a snob.

289

Very good guess. It was $145.

290

Drink what you like and let others drink what they like . . .

Why not just say you don’t like it rather than it is ‘bad’? That’s what I don’t get around here . . .

Cheers.

291

I don’t even mind someone saying they think a wine is bad, if they really think so and aren’t confusing “not the style I prefer” with bad or just saying it to try to strike a pose. Where people lose me is with the need to take the next step into “Anyone who drinks [this wine I don’t like] must be a score whore, an ugly American who grew up eating fast food and drinking Coke, a showoff, a sheep, a snob, etc. etc.”

I feel like commercial wine is fair game for the most part. I just don’t care for the personal insults at those who . . . gasp . . . don’t like the same wine I like.

Having said all of that, I realize I was uncharacteristically liberal in my first comments about this wine in this thread. And I really disliked it that much, but I probably should have communicated it in a more thoughtful manner.

292

Chris,

My comments were certainly not aimed at you - I know you to well and know that you are very open minded . . .

And I do owe you an email - I’ll have to backfill the '11 next time I see you. Couldn’t find any in my library but I finally did :slight_smile:

Cheers!!!

293

I have said nothing I need to apologize for.

This vintage backs me up.

294

The only thing worse than Caymus Cabs, are their Belle Glos PN’s. All their wines are over-ripe, over American oaked, they taste like jelly doughnuts. As a sommelier for the past 10 years, I love it when I’m tableside and a guest tells me " I love Pinot Noirs, Meiomi is my favorite"…that immediately tells me they don’t like PN, maybe zin perhaps? I have a few friends that have sat for the masters exam and I always like to blind them on a belle glos PN, Nobody has ever called PN on it, it always gets a zin or rhone red call. I guess wine that aren’t “varietaly correct” just annoy me. Just my $0.02

295

Me neither!!! Hence my snob comment (which was not meant to directed at anyone specific-sorry if it came across that way). Seems like anyone who buys/drinks Caymus, Silver Oak, etc. should be vilified for doing so.

296

Well, in a perfect world.

neener

297

[welldone.gif]

I just believe that much RS to be a flaw in “dry” wines.
But since I am not king in that perfect world, carry on.

298

Exactly my reaction to the Belle Gloss “PN.” The crying shame is that in the early days at Caymus, Charlie Wagner knew how to make a “proper” pinot noir. The versions he made in 1973 or 1974 were recognizably pinot noir and pretty tasty – if not profound. The Cabernets from that era (1972-1981) were wonderful wines, right up there with the best made in California. Other than being very proud of their fortune, I think the old man would throw up in his mouth to see what his kids and grandkids foist off on the public these days under the label and name he built up.

299

I think you’re still missing the point. It’s the scam that attracted so much interest to this wine. As I posted above, it’s not the ripeness level alone, it’s not the rating alone. There is simply nothing about this wine that says anything to indicate this is anything other than a lower shelf Cab. It tastes like inexpressive valley fruit, picked late and oaked up. It’s well polished and flawless, but that’s it. If there was even a hint of site expression, then maybe you’d have a point.

So, if you think that people who think a wine that tastes like a $12 wine, and would probably be profitable for the winery to sell at $12, but instead sells for $65, are snobs… Really? And again, most people who’ve tasted it didn’t hate it, they just thought it tasted simple.

Order of events:

  1. Massive rating.
  2. Poor reviews spotting on CT. (Implication being some of those people bought because of the rating and because they trust Parker’s palate enough to fork out $65.)
  3. Some Berserkers buy bottles to investigate for themselves.
  4. Most think it cheap. A few think it undrinkable, at least partially due to style. None think it very good. And again, my group had some riper Cabs that were mostly liked. It’s not about style. It’s about no there there.
300

Those who have expressed dislike for this wine have been pretty clear as to why. If you like the wine maybe, you should express why you liked, and why you think it is a good wine.