Leflaive and Caymus Special Selection!

I know I know. Caymus? We don’t do that here. 80’s Caymus, however, is not the same as modern Caymus. Randy Dunn was the mastermind of Caymus in the 80s, with this vintage actually being the first that he stepped away in a fully official capacity from the property. Tasting notes for both wines as follows:

2014 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet: where do I begin? A legendary vineyard and producer combination with a great white wine vintage to boot. I think the wine has started to come around nicely, with an excellent balance of fruit and slight funkiness starting to come in. Lemon curd, roasted yellow apples, Bosc pear, and hints of pineapple and guava meld perfectly with the white truffle and mineral character of the wine. The oak frames the wine well, adding subtle vanilla and baking spice notes that interplay nicely with toasted hazelnut. The real standout is the structure. Incredible persistence with a richness and creaminess that is perfectly offset by the acidity. Special wine.

1986 Caymus Special Selection: don’t ever let anyone tell you that Napa can’t age. Some of my favorite wines ever have been Napa Cabernet from the 70s and 80s. Still plenty of fruit, though the character was more dried. Cherry, blackberry liqueur, black cherry, and fruit leather are what comes to mind. There’s an earthiness to this wine, like fresh turned soil and roasted oyster mushrooms. Coffee, dark Chocolate, burnt cinnamon, and cigar box notes are very present. Elevated tannins are balanced by surprisingly present acidity. Once again, a finish that just doesn’t quit. I also had some 2001 Mouton at the same time, and was surprised to prefer the Caymus to the Bordeaux. If only they still made wines like this!

This was a great meal that was made better by the people I got to share it with. Wine is meant to be consumed and shared, so let this post be a reason to open that wine you’ve been holding onto!