Winemaker Notes

Caymus has been producing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon since 1972. In the decades since, we have learned a great deal about the conditions that enable the production of this varietal. These conditions can be found in other parts of California. Places from Paso Robles to the lesser-known areas in Lake Monterey and San Benito Counties can produce great Cab. We search for special pockets of land with warm days and cool nights, whose rocky soils mean that vines struggle, thus producing rich, concentrated wine.

Since the early days of Caymus, we have worked to create a signature style of Cabernet - dark and lush, with ripe fruit and luxurious tannins, drinkable upon release or with age. This wine displays that Caymus character. Just as Napa came from obscurity to demand attention, so may other parts of the state. This wine reflects optimism about how much remains to be explored and cultivated in the world of fine winemaking.

Winery Notes

History of Caymus

In 1972, Chuck Wagner started Caymus Vineyards with his parents, Charlie and Lorna, with a humble plan and an uncharted future. The Wagner family were farmers with deep roots in the Napa Valley – in 1857, Chuck Wagner’s great-great grandfather captained a wagon train to California from Bible Grove, Missouri. Working together for decades, Chuck Wagner and his parents established the family’s work ethic, appetite for innovation, down-to-earth sensibility, and deep appreciation of the pleasures of good food and wine enjoyed with family and friends.

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Today, Caymus Cabernet is one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated wines. Made from grapes farmed in 8 of Napa Valley’s 16 appellations, the wine has a signature style that is dark in color, with rich fruit and ripe tannins – as approachable in youth as it is in maturity. Chuck Wagner continues to make two world-renowned Cabernet Sauvignons – Caymus Napa Valley and Caymus Special Selection. Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is the only wine in the world to be honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year” for the 1984 and 1990 vintages.