Red Schooner Voyage 12 Malbec
Full-bodied dry red wine · Caymus Vineyards
Vintage: Non-vintage designated by sequential voyage (Voyage 12, bottled November 2023)
Type
Full-bodied dry red wine
Producer
Caymus Vineyards
Country
Argentina and United States
Vintage
Non-vintage designated by sequential voyage (Voyage 12, bottled November 2023)
Region & Appellation
Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Varieties
100% Malbec
Color & Appearance
Deep, saturated opaque ruby-purple color with a youthful violet rim, showing thick, slow-moving legs that signal high extract and alcohol.
Aroma Profile
Intense aromas of ripe black plums, blackberry preserves, and dark cherries, layered with secondary notes of French oak, vanilla, baking spice, and a subtle hint of sea air.
Tasting Notes
A powerful and lush initial palate attack featuring opulent dark fruit, evolving into a velvety mid-palate with rich texture, culminating in a long, warming finish with lingering cocoa and sweet spice.
Flavor Profile
Dominated by lush blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry, supported by secondary flavors of vanilla bean, mocha, sweet tobacco, and a touch of earthiness.
Body & Texture
Full-bodied with a rich, plush, and velvety mouthfeel, high extract concentration, and a smooth, rounded texture that coats the palate.
Acidity & Tannins
Moderate acidity that provides enough freshness to balance the richness, coupled with fine-grained, ripe, and supple tannins that offer structure without harshness.
Sweetness Level
Dry, though the exceptionally ripe fruit profile and high glycerin create a perception of natural sweetness and lushness on the palate.
Alcohol Content
15.1% ABV
Aging & Oak
Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels, with 60% of the oak being new, imparting pronounced notes of vanilla, toast, and spice.
Food Pairings
Ideal with heavy, rich proteins such as grilled ribeye steak, roasted leg of lamb, braised short ribs, or hard aged cheeses like gouda and cheddar.
Serving Suggestions
Serve slightly below room temperature at 60-65°F (15-18°C) in a large Bordeaux-style glass. Decanting for 1 to 2 hours is highly recommended to allow the wine to open up.
Price Range
50 USD to 60 USD
Quality Assessment
Score range of 90-93 points, representing a premium, highly innovative luxury-tier red wine with exceptional crowd-pleasing appeal and consistent quality across voyages.
Production Methods
Sourced from high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza, where grapes are harvested, chilled, and shipped via ocean voyage to Caymus Vineyards in California, followed by a slow and delicate fermentation and aging in French oak barrels.
Terroir
High-altitude Mendoza vineyards characterized by intense mountain sunlight, poor rocky soils, and significant diurnal temperature variation, yielding thick-skinned grapes with deep color and concentrated flavors.
History & Heritage
Created by the Wagner family of Caymus Vineyards, Red Schooner is an experimental and unique concept born from the desire to craft world-class Argentine Malbec using a novel transoceanic transport and California vinification/aging approach.
Interesting Facts
Rather than featuring a traditional vintage year, each annual release of Red Schooner is designated as a sequential voyage, referencing the maritime journey the harvested grapes take across the ocean.
Cellaring Potential
Enjoyable upon release and capable of graceful cellaring for 5 to 8 years, during which secondary leather and earth notes will develop while the lush fruit softens.
Similar Wines
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino, Viña Cobos Cobos Malbec, and The Prisoner Red Blend.