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Caymus Vineyards

  • Blanca Valbuena
  • April 16, 2014

I’m sure you’re familiar with Caymus wine. Caymus is Napa royalty, known for their gorgeous reds and for the many generations of wine makers they haveĀ produced,Ā but did you know their whites are kick ass wines? Damn right they are. I had the chance to re-taste Caymus reds, and to get to know their whites last month when I met Chuck Wagner and a small group of press for dinner at Craft’s private dining space. If you haven’t tasted the Wagner family wines…you need to – STAT!

Caymus Vineyards
Award-winning line of wines from the Caymus Family Vinery
(source)

But before you get to the wine shop, here’s a little info that I learned from Chuck at dinner (he’s a really nice guy – btw).

TheĀ Caymus Vineyards

First established in 1971 by Charles Wagner and his wife Lorna, Caymus Vineyards has been producing wine for well over 30+ years.

Responsible for some of the most delicious (and yes, award-winning) wine in California, it should come as no surprise to anyone that they’ve been able to establish such a track record for success and a reputation for excellence in the wine world and build a family that is completely immersed in the wine world.

Caymus-Family-Vineyards
Caymus winery Napa location is responsible for producing both reds and whites
(source)

Produced in legendary Napa Valley, the Caymus winery Napa location is responsible for producing both reds and whites. In 1972, production consisted of just 240, and now produces 65,000 cases annually…of just Cab Sauv!

Outside of Caymus, there are a few other names you need to know when talking about the Wagner family.

Mer SoleilĀ – Winemaker –Ā Charlie WagnerĀ 

The juice for Mer Soleil comes from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterrey County. The Chardonnays we tasted that night were bright with great acidity. The name is a combination of Sea and Sun, two strong factors in the area. To showcase the duality, there are two types of Chardonnay made at Mer Soleil:

Mer-Soleil-Silver-Wine
Mer Soleil Silver wine comes in a ceramic bottle that would definitely catch people’s attention
(source)

Mer Soleil SilverĀ – This is the wine that comes in the “cement” bottle. The juice in this bottle is fermented in Stainless steel and unlined French concrete tanks made of natural limestone. This means stable temperatures and minimum oxygen contact to assure quality.

Mer-Soleil-Reserve-Wine
Mer Soleil Reserve wine presents touches of honey to the wine and a kiss of oak
(source)

Mer Soleil ReserveĀ Same grapes, same appellation, same wine maker – completely different juice. Gorgeous, just night and day….sea and sun when compared to Mer Soleil Silver. Here, the grapes ripen slowly and turn out more golden in color. There are touches of honey to the wine and a kiss of oak – so not California – in a very good way. The wine is fruity with a silkiness that is reminiscent of the texture of oaked wines, with none of the characteristics I dislike from oak.

Belle-Glos-Wine
A wine tribute to their grandmother Lorna Belle Glos Wagner
(source)

Belle GlosĀ Winemaker – Joseph WagnerĀ 

The Pinot Noirs made at Belle Glos are a monument to the winemaker’sĀ grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, one of the co-founders of Caymus Vineyards. The vineyards are located in Sonoma, Monterrey and Santa Barbara. The winery is known for its single vineyard Pinot Noirs. Quite lovely.

Conundrum-Wines
Conundrum Wine is flexible and easy to pair with food

Conundrum – Winemaker – CharlieĀ Wagner the II

This is where the family plays a little. Conundrum focuses on varietal blends (both reds and whites). These are California wines, quite accessible and food friendly.

Emmolo-Wine
Emmolo wine pays homage to their Italian roots. Just look at the bottle’s color scheme.
(source)

Emmolo – Winemaker – Jenny Wagner

If you can’t tell from the bottle, these wines honor the family’s Italian side. The winery is named after Jenny’s maternal family, the Emmolos. This branch of the winery makes a Sauvignon Blanc (Ā fresh and lively, somewhat like a Sancerre)Ā and a Merlot.

Our Dinner & The Pairings

Caymus-Winery-in-Napa-Valley-Wine Tasting
A wonderful night of wine and food!

As you know, the dinner featured Wagner wines with the wonderful food of Craft. Ā The food and wine pairings were wonderful and I may be reproducing them at home soon:

Fish-Dish-at-Craft
Spicy food blends well with wine like bread to butter

Hamachi– Citrus, Fresno Chili & Sesame – Paired with 2012 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc, 2013 Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay, & 2011 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay

Dish-at-Craft
This Quail Spaetzle is a good mix of savory and sweet!

Quail –Ā Spaetzle, Preserved Cherries & Pickled Mustard Seed – Paired with 2012 Belle Glos “Las Alturas” Pinot Noir & 2011 Emmolo Merlot

Beef-Dish-Craft
This beef dish was both roasted and braised, resulting to a perfectly medium interior!

Roasted & Braised Beef –Ā Polenta & Roasted Root Vegetables – Paired with 2011 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2011 Caymus Special selection Cabernet

The Caymus winery in Napa Valley

The Caymus Winery Napa Valley location is responsible for producing all of the wine that this vineyard puts out on a regular basis, and has been tended to (and run by) Wagner Family Wineries ever since it was first established.

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How to get Wagner family wines

If you’d like to get your hands on Caymus wine from the Wagner family wineries (but do not have a Caymus wine California connection), you can use a link on their website to connect you directly to the Caymus winery Napa Valley location.

From there, you’ll be pointed in the right direction to not only find a distributor in your local area that carries this wine (or someone that can ship the wine directly to you), but you’ll also find a whole host of resources to give you extra inside information about enjoying this wine further, pairing this wine with foods and desserts (not to mention cheeses).

The Wagner family winers have been in this business for well over 30+ years, and will continue to produce legendary vintages from their Caymus winery Napa Valley location for as long as they possibly can. You need to experience one of their delicious wine selections just as soon as possible, if only to taste exactly what wine is supposed to taste like when it was Ā€Āœborn and bredĀ€Ā in the very best land in California!

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