Event

In 1971 Charles F. (Charlie) Wagner and his wife Lorna Belle Glos Wagner asked their son Charles J. (Chuck) Wagner, who had just graduated from high school, if he would be interested in joining them in starting up a winery. If Chuck declined the offer, Charlie and Lorna were planning to sell out of their ranch in Napa Valley and move to Australia. Chuck accepted his parents’ offer to launch the winery, Caymus Vineyards.

 The Wagners produced their first vintage in 1972, consisting of 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, Caymus has focused their efforts in the production of quality Cabernet Sauvignon. Today’s production is 65,000 cases.

 Caymus Vineyards remains 100% family-owned by the Wagners. Charlie, Lorna Belle, and Chuck worked together as a remarkable team for over 30 years building Caymus Cabernet. Today, Chuck, his two sons, Charlie and Joe, and one daughter, Jenny, have joined the family team. Farming grapes remain the priority with the family farming about 350 acres of choice Napa Valley land.

 The Wagners took the name Caymus from the Mexican land grant known as Rancho Caymus, given to George Yount in 1836, which encompassed what eventually became the town of Rutherford and much of the surrounding area.

 For five generations, my family has lived and loved the Napa Valley. Our grandfather settled here in the 1800s and from that moment forward, we"ve grown to understand there is simply no substitute for an intimate knowledge of the land that only comes by "living" in the vineyard. Working the land with our own hands has given us insights into California winemaking that can"t be found in any book or corporate farm manual.

 Chuck Wagner continues to direct the world-reknown Cabernet program at Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley; Charlie is making exquisite Chardonnay at Mer Soleil in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County; Joseph is making fine Pinot Noir under the Belle Glos label in the coastal areas of California; Jenny is learning the ropes here at Caymus and ah yes, our longtime winemaker for Conundrum, Jon Bolta, continues his craft of making that puzzling, white wine blend.