WTN: I'll have the Special

[Jenise]

With a grilled 2 lb Porterhouse sprinkled liberally with salt, pepper and sugar to create more symbiosis with this wine:

2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection Napa Valley
Not at all a fan of anything Wagner and I'm more interested in Bordeaux than California, but long ago I developed a soft spot for the Special Selects and even this warmer-than-usual vintage didn't disappoint. Showed its signature sweet blackberry/blueberry fruit and violets on both nose and palate, adding a touch of cola nut and mocha on the long finish with just a tad of heat. Tannins are fairly resolved, everything's in balance.

[David M. Bueker]

Somehow over the years I have rarely had the Special Selection. Only ever had a couple from the early 1990s, which were great.

[Jenise]

That's when I loved them too. Fell in love with them at a particular restaurant in Anchorage we frequented who had them on their list at barely above retail, and we partook often. Then--in fact, may have been the '90 vintage itself but I'm not sure, it made #1 on the Spectator Top 100. Retail price shot up to around $75, and I was in one of those Liquor Stores That Time Forgot that Alaska had a few of back then and found five bottles priced around $50, which the previous vintage had been. I bought all five and loved every one of them. This '09 was a gift from a friend I shared one of those 90's with back in the day. I was leery given the vintage and all recent experiences with Caymus products, but this bottle was remarkably true to the SS style.

I have the 90, 91 and 92 Special Select. Time to pull some corks, I think!

[Jenise]

Bill, not very long ago I had the last of my Alaskan stash, a '92. It was terrific.

If we do a rib event this summer, that could be one to bring out.