I had a fabulous tasting at Silver Oak - on a Tuesday you get Twomey as well. I think Peju has taken a huge turn downwards as its volume increased, and while some here secretly love Caymus, few will admit it publicly.
And here we thought the shibboleth was inclusivity. How can you advocate to exclude anyone, for any reason?
(prepare for this post to be excluded)
I went to Caymus once in the late 80s. It was an old house in front of the winery. The old man was mowing the lawn himself. Things have changed I hear.
I reluctantly agree on Silver Oak, UNLESS your friends are like Jen and absolutely adore Silver Oak, as you’ll taste maybe 4 wines - all Silver Oak cabs, potentially two vintages of each, or more of the Alexander Valley. We’ve been there half a dozen times and are going back next month for the Alexander Valley release party, as it’s Jen’s all-time favorite wine. That’s the only reason to go, really, is if you or someone you are with is ‘all in’ with Silver Oak.
I’d go to Failla and hang out there. Maybe visit Peju - they’re really nice people.
I dislike the overt commercial aspect to Darioush. If you do go to Frank Family ask to taste their Promise bottling.
Add Larkmead to the visit. But I’m admittedly biased.
One stop at Home Depot instead, for cheaper and quicker oak lumber.
Very expensive tasting, but good wines and pretty estate
I would echo the above sentiment about Chimney Rock, nice wines lately.
Caymus you can buy everywhere, so why bother?
Silver Oak- I mean go pay all that money to taste 2 wines? Why bother?
Peju- Last time I had these, they were undrinkable. Worse, if your friends do like Caymus and Silver Oak, they will NOT like these wines.
I use to love to visit Caymus in the 80s and had a similar experience with Charlie out pruning a citrus tree in the yard. I asked if that was Charlie doing the pruning. Yes said the person behind the counter taking his birthday gift from the tasting room staff for a “test drive.” The gift was a tripod orchard ladder. A few years later Caymus had changed their tasting format to a reservation only sit down tasting. Haven’t been back since.
He actually got off the lawnmower and sold me some wine. 1 bottle of 84 SS and 2 of the 83. He was grumpy, if he had been nice to me I probably wouldn’t remember that day. He was a bit of history and never thought he was doing anything special.
Caymus. Silver Oak, Peju. Peju wines have been stinkers over the last 5 vintages. Yes, they are nice folks but they are a winery.
I loved those days.
I even had Charlie “I” autograph some bottles for me. I liked him a great deal. He was a farmer. (Not mean as snark toward anyone or anything, he just identified with that.)
Thanks for that trip down memory lane. À la recherche du temps perdu!!!
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I would drop all of them lol. I prefer the smaller operations like:
Baldacci
Philip Togni (if you can get him to let you in that is)
Bevan Cellars (WARNING Russell is rough around the edges but Victoria is extremely nice)
Amici
VinRoc
777 Cellars
Corley Family
Moone Tsai
Black Cordon
Just my 2 cents worth
Agree with Caymus, Silver Oak and Peju.
I would certainly leave Chimney Rock on the list. A few years ago we had a Napa day of Shafer, Chimney Rock and Mike Smith. Mike was the BEST! Shafer was a disappointment and Chimney Rock was a pleasant surprise. The wines were really good and they sat the four of us in there main ball/barrel room. It was a great setting which we truly enjoyed.
I really hope they DIDN’T skip Failla! It would have been a beautiful contrast to that entire list, not to mention its tasting cottage nestled along the Silverado Trail is a cute little oasis.
Fantastic usage of “Oasis.” Angelo would be proud.