Red Wine Caymus Red Schooner Voyage 9. Decant for 1 hour prior to drinking The Red Schooner is a fascinating wine made from 100% Malbec grapes grown in the Mendoza region of the Andes Mountains in Argentina; however, after being harvested, these grapes are immediately chilled and sent to Napa Valley. Upon arriving in Napa, the Wagner family produces a wine made in the same style as the Caymus Cabernet, one of their flagship wines. This results in a dark, inky purple and ruby wine with black cherry, pepper, and toasted vanilla aromas. On the palate, this wine is classic Argentinian Malbec, with powerful yet supple tannins, and ripe plum, dark chocolate, and toasted hazelnut notes. A smooth, balanced finish rounds out the wine. A crowd-pleasing wine, this Malbec would do well with rich braised beef stews, a grilled steak, or with a dark chocolate cake topped with a blueberry compote. The Wagner family began the experiment that would lead to Red Schooner with a novel, but genius realization: in Napa, all their presses are used during Napa’s harvest, late August through early October. However, the rest of the year they lie dormant. But what if they could ship grapes from abroad? The answer, of course, lay in the Southern Hemisphere, where harvest is the exact opposite time as Napa’s: Argentina’s harvest occurs between late February and early April. This led to the creation of Red Schooner, a non-varietally, vintage, or origin-of-grape labelled wine that nonetheless has made a big splash in the industry.
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Red Wine Caymus Red Schooner Voyage 9
Red Wine Troublemaker Red Blend 14. Drink now or cellar for up to 6 years Decanting time: Serve upon opening or decant up to an hour. A powerful, elegant blend that is characteristically Paso yet Rhone inspired. Troublemaker’s multi-vintage, multi-varietal approach–from sustainably grown grapes, no less–brings the craftsmanship behind the wine onto centre stage. An unobtrusive yet decisively bold offering, Troublemaker is the brainchild of Winemaker Austin Hope, who intended to make a full-flavoured offering with just the right amount of attitude, ready to enjoy upon release. Aged in French oak barriques for approximately 14 months. Lively aromas of red cherry and black licorice with well-constructed hints of vanilla, nutmeg and tobacco melt into a complex bouquet with a floral top note that connotes the interwoven depth of artisan cured meats. Flavours of fresh, red berries underscored with subtle notes of dark chocolate, pepper, anise and tanned leather. This wine carries impressive depth and intensity, and is clearly the well-structured results of a thoughtful, bold approach to winemaking. Tannins are chewy and remarkably present, and the subtle, yet nuanced acidity balances the wine and allows the complexity of the varietals and vintages to burst with persistence. The spicey, woody undertones are well-integrated and enhance the experience mid-palate. The rich, velvety mouthfeel is full of texture leading to an elongated, sumptuous finish. It might be assumed that an offering this bold and this big would be aggressive, but the fact that it is not is where the magic of the craftsmanship takes over. Superb drinkability for a wine that is both multi-faceted and sleek. Pairs well with BBQ, chocolate ganache or lamb encrusted with pistachios, hazelnuts and pecans.
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