Is Caymus worth it?
Caymus is worth it if you want a big, plush, instantly impressive Napa Cabernet for a celebration, but at about $95 it is a splurge, and there are better values if you are buying for flavor alone.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon · Cabernet Sauvignon · Napa Valley, California · wine shops, Costco and larger grocery stores
- Alcohol
- About 14.5%
- Sweetness
- Dry, but very ripe and plush
- Grapes
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Made by
- Caymus Vineyards, owned by the Wagner family
- From
- Napa Valley, from 8 of its sub-regions
- Price
- About $80 to $110
- Calories
- About 125 to 130 in a 5 oz glass
What it tastes like
Dark cherry, cassis (blackcurrant), cocoa and vanilla. Super rich and velvety, with a ripe, almost sweet-tasting flavor that lingers on and on.
- Bodylight → big
- Sweetnessdry → sweet
- Zingsoft → zippy
- Gripsmooth → grippy
Is it worth $95?
For a birthday, a promotion or a gift to someone who knows the name, yes. For dinner on a Tuesday, no. Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet gives you a classic Cab experience for a fifth of the price.
Who it’s for
For lovers of big, lush, polished reds and anyone who wants a bottle that feels like an occasion. If you like lighter or earthier wines, it will feel heavy.
How to serve it
Decant or open an hour before dinner, and serve just below room temperature, around 60 to 65°F.
The backstory
Caymus is still run by the Wagner family, who have farmed in Rutherford since the 1940s and made their first Caymus in 1972: 250 cases at $4.50 a bottle. Chuck Wagner built the ripe, velvety style that made it famous, and his son Joseph went on to create Meiomi and Belle Glos. Today the Napa Cab blends grapes from eight corners of the valley, valley floor for lushness and hillsides for backbone, which is why it tastes so smooth even when young.
How it compares
- Caymus vs The Prisoner
The Prisoner is a jammier Zinfandel blend at about half the price; pick Caymus if you want true Napa Cabernet.
- Caymus vs Decoy Cabernet
Decoy is a softer Sonoma Cab for about a quarter of the price; great for dinner, while Caymus is the occasion bottle.
- Caymus vs Louis Martini Cabernet
Louis M. Martini is drier and more classic for about $20; pick Caymus only if you love that rich, chocolatey Napa style.
What to eat with it
Questions people ask
- How much is a bottle of Caymus?
- Usually about $80 to $110 for the Napa Valley Cabernet, and warehouse stores tend to be cheapest. The Special Selection is a different, fancier wine and runs $160 and up.
- Why is Caymus wine so expensive?
- Napa Valley grapes are some of the priciest in the world, and Caymus uses a lot of oak. You're also paying for the name: it is one of the most recognized Cabs in America.
- Where is Caymus winery?
- In Rutherford, in the middle of Napa Valley, California. The family also opened a newer winery, Caymus-Suisun, in Suisun Valley.
- Who owns Caymus?
- The Wagner family. Chuck Wagner founded it with his parents, Charlie and Lorna, in 1972, and it is still family owned.
- What is the difference between Caymus Napa Valley and Caymus California?
- Caymus Napa Valley is the classic, all-Napa bottle. Caymus California, added with the 2021 vintage, uses grapes from places like Paso Robles and Suisun Valley and usually costs less.
- Does Caymus need to age?
- No, it's made to taste great right away. It will hold for 5 to 10 years, but it does not need the long nap that firmer Napa Cabs do.
If you like this, try
- The PrisonerRed blend (Zinfandel-led, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Syrah) · about $50It's fine
- Decoy CabernetCabernet Sauvignon · about $25Good buy
- Louis Martini CabernetCabernet Sauvignon · about $20Drink this one
Where Moxie recommends it
Last checked 2026-10-04. Moxie Vino isn’t affiliated with Caymus Vineyards; this is our honest take.