Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 (6-Bottle in a Case)

The Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2018 is the flagship wine from this iconic Napa Valley producer, renowned for its distinctive style and consistent quality. This wine is born from a philosophy centered on "extended hang time," a unique viticultural technique championed by Caymus. This involves leaving the grapes on the vine for an unusually long period, even risking an early winter, to allow for maximum physiological ripeness. This extended hang time is credited with developing the grapes attractive suppleness, rich, mature flavors, and the extremely fine, velvety tannins that define Special Selection. Grapes are sourced from their estate vineyards and carefully selected grower vineyards across Napa Valley, contributing to the wines intricate blend and depth. In the winery, the process emphasizes gentle handling and maximizing flavor extraction. Grapes are meticulously sorted, often undergoing a three-tiered sorting process including an optical sorter, before whole berries are gently delivered to fermentation tanks via gravity. Cold soaks are often employed before fermentation to extract color and aromas. Fermentation itself is managed through a combination of délestage, pump-overs, and punch-downs to fine-tune tannin profiles and ensure rich extraction. The wine then undergoes extended maceration, typically ranging from four to five weeks, to perfect the mouthfeel and complexity. Aging is a critical component, with the wine spending approximately 21 months in French oak barrels, a significant portion of which are new (around 48% for the 2018 vintage). This careful barrel aging contributes notes of chocolate, espresso, and roasted vanilla, while maintaining the wines intense concentration of supple dark fruit flavors and luxurious, velvety texture. Caymus Special Selection is unfiltered, further preserving its inherent richness and depth.