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Chuck Wagner and his winemakers promised themselves "a new wine bearing the Caymus name would have to be great - or, it would not be bottled"!!!
When the Wagner family started Caymus Vineyards 45 years ago, their little town of Rutherford - the center point of the Napa Valley - was a very different place than it is today. People were just beginning to plant grapes instead of more traditional crops like prunes, walnuts and grains. The Valley had no famed restaurants luring people to visit, and traffic on the roads was light. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. With all its natural gifts - from its climate to its farmland to its quiet beauty - "Napa" was still largely undiscovered and felt full of possibility. That same look and feel back in 1972 exists today in a place that is only a 40-minute drive from Rutherford. Suisun (su-soon) Valley lies to the southeast, separated from its more famous neighbor only by a county line. It, too, has a maritime climate, with warm days and cool nights, due to its proximity to the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. About one and a half times the size of the Rutherford AVA, the Suisun AVA has rich soils and historically is known for growing stone fruit. The domaine is also ideally suited to growing certain varieties of grapes. The Wagner family began an in-depth search of "The Suisun" in early 2014 and identified a few top-quality Durif vineyards in the hidden corners of this small picturesque place (Durif is synonymous with Petite Sirah). As they set their sights on producing a Caymus-style wine from one of the world's heavyweight varieties, they made a promise to themselves that "a new wine bearing the Caymus name would have to be great - or, it would not be bottled." With its deep color, rich texture, firm tannin, and bold flavors, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah. The variety was originally known as Durif, but took on its more popular moniker when it was imported to California from France in 1884. Despite its origins, it has since become known as a quintessentially Californian grape. It has been commonly utilized as a blending partner for softer Zinfandel and other varieties, but has also found success as a single varietal wine. It is most commonly grown in Lodi and the Central Valley, and to an extent in Sonoma and Napa counties. The Grand Durif features a deep, majestic purple, with a nose of blueberries, wet earth and saddle leather. The initial impression on the palate is broad, smooth and weighty, then springs into gear with rich and harmonious tannins. The key notes of this wine are the lush textural tannins that push the limits on arrogance yet also display friendly supple qualities. It's truly difficult to explain its singular style - firm structure yet super abundant fine textural softness. Oak plays a significant role in providing a vanilla character. This wine can be enjoyed now, though it is still quite a baby and has tremendous aging potential. A velvety purple with ruby-red highlights, the 2016 vintage of Grand Durif features an abundant one of dark plums and baked blueberries, woven with scents of lavender, white rose petals, sweet smoke and brown spice. Entry on the palate is smooth, yielding to a pop of high, luxurious tannins that then sneak back, revealing lush fruit flavors of dark berry cobbler. What gives this wine its singular character are the tannins - strong yet supple, pronounced while being strikingly soft. The finish is long, with warm, evocative notes of unsweetened cocoa. Still quite young, this vintage can be enjoyed now and also has tremendous aging potential. Food matches for Petite Sirah include: -Beef Filet with sautéed mushrooms Managers Notes: Petite Sirah is one of those off-beat varietals that not every wine drinker has quite gotten into their regular rotation just yet. I have constantly handed out bottles to customers looking for something "special" or "different" when going out to dinner (especially if they are having Lamb!!) and have always gotten very high regards for it when I saw them again. Now having said that, I want to make it clear just how much I think of this particular Petite Sirah. The Grand Durif is filled with flavors of dark and blue berries with an underlying stream of earthiness that rides you to the extremely satisfying finish. This is master craftmanship at it's finest. The Wagners have done it again. Enjoy!!!
Cheers!
Also check out:
Shoppers Vineyard 875 Bloomfield Avenue Clifton, NJ 07012 (973)916-0707
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