Caymus Vineyards, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California

Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022

Wagner Family of Wine (Caymus Vineyards, est. 1972)

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is what happens when five decades of patience in the vineyard meet an unwavering commitment to a single vision. Chuck Wagner's approach is simple in concept and demanding in execution: wait for the fruit to reach perfect ripeness, blend across multiple Napa sub-appellations for complexity, and give the wine enough oak to frame the fruit without overwhelming it. Critics have debated the Caymus style for years — some find it too ripe, too rich, too crowd-pleasing — but the marketplace has settled the argument: this is one of the most consistently sought-after California Cabernets in existence. The 2022 vintage continues the tradition — dark, plush, generous, and built for the table rather than the cellar. Wagner's genius is making a wine that feels effortless, but that effortlessness comes from 50 years of learning what patience in the vineyard actually means.