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IT’S BEEN 50 YEARS since my parents and I first made a Caymus Cabernet. In 1972, few wineries existed - and each of us had a chance for a bright future. Maybe only Robert Mondavi truly believed that Napa Cabernet would reach extraordinary heights. I recall he put his finger on wine's long history - being a healthful accompaniment to fine dining and greater enjoyment for body and soul.

Caymus consisted of a mom, pop and son team - that was it. We began with fermenting tanks that resembled redwood hot tubs and a manual wine transfer pump that operated like an antique exercise machine. Inglenook and Beaulieu gave us some of their used barrels, a kind of neighborly generosity that might seem remarkable today.

We were so small we did it all - my father Charlie the winemaker who taught me the trades of grape growing and winemaking, my mother Lorna Belle the stalwart supporter who held us together. The years with my parents were great, and I am fortunate now to be working alongside two of my children, Charlie and Jenny - accomplished winemakers in their own right. Much in the wine world has changed, but for us much is the same, as we remain family owned. We still farm vineyards, taste and make wines - and enjoy a good bottle with those we hold close. This 50th vintage calls back to the excitement of the first Caymus - lush, dark, softly textured and balanced, our signature Napa Valley Cabernet. - Chuck Wagner, Owner/Winemaker

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