When someone says they want Caymus, they are usually referring specifically to the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This incredibly popular Napa Cabernet — in production since 1972 — currently retails for $90 at the winery. As the production is more than 200,000 cases per year, it is available at most brick-and-mortar wine stores in the US and most online wine stores, too (often for a deal).
FYI: I find great wine deals so you don’t have to. To keep me on the hunt, I earn a commission when you buy wine based on my recommendations.
Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $90
2021 is the newest vintage and was recently released. You may still be able to find older vintages of Caymus Cab online.
From the winery: “Caymus has a signature style that is dark in color, with rich fruit and ripe tannins – as approachable in youth as in maturity. Since its founding in 1972, Caymus has become renowned as a consistent leader in the production of Napa Valley Cabernet. Grapes for this wine are farmed in a range of Napa’s sub-appellations – from Coombsville to Calistoga – with fruit from the valley floor creating lushness and the hillsides providing backbone. Diversification enables us to make the best possible wine in a given year, featuring layered, lush aromas and flavors, including cocoa, cassis and ripe berries.”
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $225
The current release of the Caymus Special Selection is 2018. You may still be able to find older vintages of Caymus Special Selection online.
From the winery: “Each year, we set aside the best barrels of our Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley to produce Special Selection. Distinguished by extremely fine, velvety tannins and enjoyable upon release or with aging. A wine of structure with intense concentration of supple flavors and dark fruits. Special Selection is the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year.””
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
$110 Size unknown Buy it at Wine Access
Caymus Vineyards California Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Region: California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $65
This the inaugural release of the Caymus California Cabernet.
From the winery: “A small, inaugural release from Caymus Vineyards, this wine is a California-appellation Cabernet Sauvignon – supple, dark and rich, bearing the signature hallmarks of Caymus. It is sourced from sites throughout the state which feature climatic conditions, soils and topography that are ideally suited to Cabernet. This project stems from excitement over California’s diverse vineyard land, often in lesser-known areas, with the potential to produce exceptional Cabernet.”
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Zinfandel Suggested Retail: $44
The current release of the Caymus Zinfandel is the 2020. You may still be able to find older vintages of Caymus Zinfandel online.
From the winery: “Although Caymus is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, we also produce a small amount of Zinfandel, which was a favorite of late Caymus co-founder Charlie Wagner Sr. It is a varietal that can produce amazing wines here in Napa Valley, and our full-bodied version is perfect for rich foods and hearty cheeses, but also enjoyed with pizza and BBQ.”
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
If you know a Caymus lover, it makes a wonderful wine gift. There are different kinds of Caymus gifts available and here are a few I recommend: Caymus All Dressed Up, Caymus Tasting Sets, and Aged Caymus.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Caymus Vineyards, they did a special bottling of their Cabernet Sauvignon in 2012. These bottles are nicely aged and ready to drink now, no need for further aging.
Give aged bottles of Caymus Vineyards Special Selection from previous vintages (secondary market). Some of these bottles may be past their drinking age so be sure to research a vintage before you buy it.
Alternatives to Caymus Cabernet
A quick look at the r/wine subreddit at Reddit.com will highlight the contentious nature of this wine, particularly among wine snobs and wine professionals.
At this website, I don’t care what you drink as long as you like it. That said, if you’re a Caymus lover (or hater) it’s good to understand why this wine can be so controversial. Here are some of the less-subjective reasons why wine pros often like to crap all over Caymus.
The Wagner Family (and Copper Cane) have a reputation for producing expensive wines that should cost less — i.e. they don’t offer good value. They produce wines at a variety of price points and for many wine drinkers, none of them are a good value.
Even though Caymus Napa Valley has vintages, it is perceived like a non-vintage wine, meaning it tastes pretty close to the same every year and that people buy it specifically because they know what they’re going to get when they open the bottle.
Caymus wines are not an expression of a vineyard or a wine region, rather they are designed to appeal to the American wine palate (sweet, smooth, vanilla/cocoa). Professionals often refer to this style of wine as “overly extracted” but all they’re really saying is the grapes were picked really ripe and you can taste the influence of the winemaker.
For many people, Caymus is a status wine — but being anti-Caymus is also a signal of status. These attributes are all related in that they are "mass market" wines. They are meant to appeal to someone who doesn't have a broad wine experience, even if they have money to burn.
Caymus alternatives from the Wagner family
Caymus is one of several brands that are part of the Wagner Family of Wines. Other WFW brands include: 1858, Caymus-Suisun, Conundrum, Mer Soleil, Red Schooner, Emmolo. Sea Sun, and Bonanza.
Among the several well-known Wagner family members working in the wine industry, Joseph Wagner has the most “Wagner family” brands associated with his own company, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions. The Copper Cane brands include: Belle Glos, Böen, Elouan, Steorra, Beran, Carne Humana, and Napa Valley Quilt.
Joseph Wagner previously owned another famous wine brand which is often mistaken as a Wagner Family wine: Meiomi. Meiomi, originally an offshoot of the Belle Glos brand, was a part of Copper Cane for a while, and has since been purchased by Constellation Brands (in 2015).
Caymus alternatives from other wineries and producers
Even for the folks who really like Caymus, choosing alternative wines at different price points can be something worthwhile. Not every day calls for a $90 bottle of wine, but every day definitely calls for drinking wine you love.
When I make recommendations of what wines to drink, I like to help people identify the characteristics of the wines they like so that we can find them in other wines.
I avoid matching purely on grape variety + wine region and instead look at a wine’s flavor profile to find matches (though I also use grape variety and wine region to narrow it down).
Some flavors are very attractive to some red wine drinkers, like vanilla or cocoa and are often prominent in wines — it’s important to look at these oak-imparted flavors as part of what you probably like about a wine.
In the case of the Caymus, “ripe berries” is a signal that the wine is fruitier or possibly even a drop sweet. The cassis is very much a love-it-or-hate-it flavor.
Lastly, many Caymus drinkers report loving it because it is smooth. Something that stands out about Caymus is its smoothness because most Napa Cab is not meant to be consumed while it’s young, while Caymus very much is. The tannins present in oaked Cabernet Sauvignon would mellow over time, but there’s no chance for that to happen if you’re buying the 2021 to drink with dinner this week. So… “smooth” is an important aspect of the wine’s taste to look for when searching for alternatives.
Here are some alternatives to Caymus Cabernet that share similar taste profiles.
Amici Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County 2021
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot Suggested Retail: $50
From the winery: “The 2021 Amici Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful, rich, and beautifully balanced wine. Dense aromas of dark cherry and plum are accented by hints of cocoa and creme de cassis. The full-bodied palate presents notes of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, baking spices, and toasty oak. Silky tannins are laced throughout the long finish, promising beautiful ageability for years to come.”
Matches to Caymus: cocoa, creme de cassis, ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, silky tannins.
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec Suggested Retail: $50
From the winery: “Bursting with bright aromatics of cassis and crushed raspberry, they are balanced with an earthy hint of dried sage and clove. The wine offers an energetic play between acid and tannin on the front palate with notes of blackberry and violet with a touch of cocoa on the mid-palate. Fine-grained tannins follow throughout each sip leading to a long, rich, finish.”
Matches to Caymus: cassis, cocoa, fine-grained tannins.
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Buehler Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $40
This wine is produced by a winery whose customer is more accustomed to vintage variation. Not all vintages or Cabs made by Buehler are suitable substitutes for Caymus. When evaluating the 2019 Napa Valley Cab from Buehler, I looked to some of the critic’s tasting notes rather than just relying on the winemaker’s notes at Buehler.
Matches to Caymus: James Suckling notes blackberries and spiced cocoa beans, while Wine Spectator’s reviewer hinted at sweetness by mentioning boysenberry pâte de fruit (a French confection made with fruit, vanilla, and sugar).
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Region: Napa Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $40
Frequently recommended as an alternative Caymus, the Scattered Peaks Napa Cab has a great pedigree to go with its approachable price tag.
From the winery: “The 2018 Scattered Peaks Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vintage is the best yet. It has intense black and red fruit aromas bolstered by hints of anise. On the palate, opulent and brooding fruit flavors of black cherry and cassis mingle with essence of black licorice and violets as well as dark cocoa notes. Fine and velvety tannins and a touch of vanilla support the long, lingering finish of this classic Napa Valley Cabernet.”
Matches to Caymus: cherry, cassis, dark cocoa, fine and velvety tannins.
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Region: Alexander Valley, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $35
Despite this wine hailing from the Sonoma-side of the Mayacamas mountains, Alexander Valley’s Cabernets are excellent substitutes for Napa if the Napa name doesn’t matter to you.
From the winery: “This powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from the hillsides of Alexander Valley has aromas of lush, red plum and dark berries that dominate the glass, while hints of cassis and milk chocolate play in the background. The dried fig and chewy tannins give this wine a strong backbone, while the 24 months of barrel aging have softened this bold wine just enough to enjoy now with a cheese and charcuterie board, filet mignon with grilled vegetables or a dark chocolate mousse. Drink over the next 5 to 7 years.”
Matches to Caymus: cassis, lush dark berries, milk chocolate.
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
2020 Rodney Strong Estate Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
$26.95 Regular (750mL) Buy it at Wine on Sale
Region: Sonoma County, California Grape Varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Suggested Retail: $22
From the winery: “Balanced and vibrant, this medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon shows off expressive aromas and flavors of dark, red fruits and berries with notes of black licorice, cocoa powder, dried sage, and toast. the oak is well integrated for good structure and a smooth, lingering finish.”
Matches to Caymus: red fruits and berries, cocoa powder, well-integrated oak, smooth finish.
Where to buy it (updated today)
Please note: if the wines aren’t an exact match, they’re there for a reason. Check those out,too!
Inspired by frequent questions from friends and family about different wines and wine practices, I write Useful Wine Guides so that people I don’t know might benefit from my knowledge and desire to share information, too.
