In the Rutherford Cross area of Napa Valley lies the cloistered estate of Caymus Vineyards. Low rock walls topped with ornate metal railing enclose the winery buildings, vegetable gardens and tasting areas. There is an understated European ambiance present as you walk under the vine-covered pergola toward the rock-walled winery and the elegant tasting room. Inside is a small, brightly colored room with a curved ceiling and a brick floor scattered with oriental rugs. There is long wooden tasting bar and a display table with a few logo items for sale.

Adjacent to this room is a special, very refined, private place for enjoying the Caymus wine experience. A long oak table with a dozen upholstered chairs is set up for formal, hosted wine tastings. The elegant room has heavy curtains, some Victorian-era leather furniture, wall tapestries, framed family photographs and a small window into the winery’s barrel room.

The winery was founded by the Wagner family, who first immigrated to California from Alsace in the late 1800s and acquired farmland in Napa Valley, where they built a pre-Prohibition winery. In the 1940s the current Caymus property was purchased and began growing wine grapes, supplying fruit to wineries in the area. In 1972 the family established Caymus Vineyards, a name from the "Rancho Caymus" Mexican Land Grant that -- in the 19th century -- encompassed much of the area surrounding what is now Rutherford.

Since their early vintages the winery has had great success with their Cabernet Sauvignon, earning accolades and prestigious awards. In addition to purchasing grapes from local growers, the winery’s prized vineyards provide much of their fruit. The wines are long-lived, big and bold, with plenty of fruit and finesse. The majority of their production is to Cabernet, but they also produce Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.