Caymus 2020 Special Selection Cabernet

The 2020 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon stands as one of Napa Valley’s most resonant expressions of power, precision, and velvet-lined hedonism, a wine that captures the region’s signature opulence while maintaining an uncanny sense of balance. What emerges from the glass is a deeply concentrated, dark-fruited profile that immediately signals the pedigree of a cuvée built from only the most exceptional barrels each vintage. The nose unfurls with crushed blackberries, cassis liqueur, and warm black cherries, all wrapped in nuances of cocoa dust, espresso roast, and exotic vanilla bean. Even at this youthful stage, the aromatics project a sense of layered richness that promises decades of evolution while delivering sumptuous pleasure from the first pour.

On the palate, the 2020 Special Selection is quintessentially Caymus: voluminous, textural, and enveloping, yet never heavy. The tannins are remarkably fine and polished, a hallmark of the wine’s meticulous selection process. They glide across the palate with a velvety smoothness that frames dense flavors of black plum, macerated berries, and dark chocolate shavings, supported by subtle undertones of baking spice, licorice, and toasted oak. There is a structural backbone here that anchors the wine with refreshing lift, ensuring that the richness remains bright and delineated rather than brooding or monolithic. Each sip provides a crescendo of dark fruit intensity balanced by finesse, allowing the wine to feel simultaneously commanding and graceful.

What sets the 2020 vintage apart is its sheer concentration paired with purity, a rare combination achieved only in years where Napa’s growing conditions allow for full phenolic ripeness without sacrificing freshness. The result is a wine that not only showcases immediate appeal but also possesses remarkable aging potential. With time, the already complex fruit core will integrate seamlessly with its oak-derived textures, revealing tertiary notes of truffle, cigar box, and dried violets that collectors of Caymus Special Selection have come to treasure.

As the only wine in the world to be honored twice as Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year,” Special Selection carries a reputation that few bottles can match, and the 2020 release reinforces that legacy with confidence. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon crafted for those who seek depth, luxury, and authenticity in Napa’s most celebrated style. Whether enjoyed upon release or cellared for a decade or more, the 2020 Special Selection delivers a singular experience that reaffirms Caymus’ enduring mastery of world-class Cabernet.

Alcohol: 15.7%

95 POINTS - "This delivers almost unbridled plum sauce, blackberry preserve and melted licorice flavors, but keeps a smoldering edge for form while picking up alluring black tea and incense notes on the broad finish. There's a long echo of chocolate adding to this hedonist’s delight. Drink now through 2032." - Wine Spectator

94 POINTS - "This wine embodies the richness and structure that puts it among the world's top producers of Cabernet and Bordeaux styled wines. Its aromas and flavors of bright and bold black fruits, earth, and luxurious oak." - Wilfred Wong

Each year, they set aside the best barrels of their 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.”