Caymus 'Special Selection' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018
Caymus 'Special Selection' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 is the flagship reserve of Napa Valley's most famous Cabernet house — a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon in a 750mL bottle at 15.7% ABV, drawn from the best barrels of the 2018 vintage and aged 16 to 18 months in mostly new French oak. It earned 94 points from Wine Spectator ("lush and polished… cassis and blackberry compote… espresso crema and roasted vanilla bean") and 94 from Wilfred Wong. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Alcohol: 15.7% ABV — 750mL, 2018 vintage
- Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
- Oak: 16–18 months, mostly new French oak
- Scores: Wine Spectator 94, Wilfred Wong 94 (2018)
- Winery: Caymus Vineyards, Rutherford — Chuck Wagner
The Only Twice-Crowned Wine
Special Selection is chosen the old-fashioned way: at the end of each vintage, Chuck Wagner tastes through the cellar and sets aside the best barrels for the reserve bottling — the wine that made Caymus a household name. It remains the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. The 2018 is a lush, powerful vintage of the wine, built for the long haul. Explore more Napa Cabernet or browse everything from Caymus Vineyards at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per Wine Spectator: lush and polished, with cassis and blackberry compote, espresso crema, and roasted vanilla bean — deep, velvety, and built on ripe, substantial tannins.
How to Enjoy
Decant at least an hour and serve at 60–65°F with prime rib, dry-aged steak, or hard aged cheeses. This is a 15- to 20-year wine — drinking beautifully now, better with patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Special Selection different from regular Caymus Cabernet?
It's a barrel selection: only the best barrels of the vintage go into Special Selection, aged longer in newer French oak.
What did it score?
Wine Spectator 94 and Wilfred Wong 94 for the 2018 vintage.
Is Caymus really a two-time Wine of the Year?
Yes — Special Selection is the only wine in the world to be named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year twice.
Napa's benchmark reserve Cabernet — buy the 2018 Caymus Special Selection at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.