Caymus used to source grapes for the Special Selection Cabernet solely from the estate's
Rutherford vineyards, resulting in production levels around 1,000 to 2,500 cases per year. Beginning with the
2001 vintage, however, the wine has been made using grapes from throughout Napa Valley, yielding between 8,000
to 12,000 cases a year. The 2004 vintage, rated a 94, is a sign that this winery still delivers on quality
despite increased production.
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Clos des Papes, run by Vincent Avril, has been one of the most consistent wines from
the Southern Rhône in terms of quality. While the 2003 and the 2004 garnered top scores for the appellation,
the 2005 vintage is Avril's best wine yet and was selected as Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year for 2007.
The 2003 shows up regularly at auctions --a case was recently sold at Hart Davis Hart for $130 per bottle
(97 points, $68 release price).
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Sixty-six bottles of the 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes (94 points, $75 release,
$100 current) changed hands in 2007 while trading solidly in the $100 range. The 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Vieilles Vignes (96 points, $100 release) has seen average highs near $130 with 13 bottles trading at auction
this past year.
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The better vintages of this Italian red have appreciated in value at auctions. The 1998
(95 points, release price $160) and the 1997 (93 points, release price $135) are currently averaging $185
and $268 on the Wine Spectator Auction Index, respectively.
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