2006 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

92 points Wine Spectator: "Full-blown, ripe and rich, with intense and sharply focused dried currant, wild berry and blackberry fruit that's still fairly tannic at this stage. Ends with a long, persistent finish." (12/08) 90 points and one star from the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: "Ripeness and sweet oak are the governing traits of this very rich and wide-open wine, and it is more geared to dark chocolate and caramelly sweetness than it is to classic Cabernet fruit. That said, it is positively plush on the palate with extract to spare, so much so, in fact, as to make its hard turn to tannin and heat an acceptable sin." (12/08) 90 points Stephen Tanzer (Dec 08). Established in 1972 Caymus Vineyards is one of the benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon producers in Napa Valley with an enviable track record of producing some of Napa's finest reds. The 2006 is a worthy successor in this lineage of full-bodied, fruit-forward, opulent cabs. The nose starts out with alluring aromas of cherry cola, cassis and coca powder while on the palate the wine displays flavors of blackberry, crème de cassis and sweet oak. There is a lot of stuffing here and the wine is definitely still an infant with several years ahead of it to truly show its potential. A wine of immense size, structure and complexity the 2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is a high-octane wine that will handsomely reward the patient consumer in 5-10 years. (Alex Pross, Wine Club Director)