Dec 30, 2022
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Capiaux Cellars
| Owner(s) | Sean Capiaux |
| Web site | www.capiauxcellars.com |
| Link to this site |
Proprietor and winemaker Sean Capiaux has a degree in enology from California State University Fresno and has a notable career as a winemaker working at Jordan, Pine Ridge and Peter Michael in California, Macari, Jamesport and Schneider in Long Island, New York, and Houghton's in Australia. He started his own label, Capiaux Cellars in 1994 and also is the proprietor and winemaker for O'Shaughnessy Winery, a producer of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Howell Mountain appellation of Napa Valley.
Capiaux currently produces five vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs from Garys' Vineyard and Pisoni Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, Wilson Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast, and Widdoes Vineyard and Freestone Hill Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. An additional Pinot Noir, Chimera, is a blend from Sonoma County.
The wines can be purchased online and through limited retail distribution. Mailing list members are guaranteed the best opportunity to obtain the wines.
Articles About Capiaux Cellars
Reviewed Wines
2007 Capiaux Chimera Sonoma County Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $30.
·
An offbeat nose displaying scents of
smoky oak, green brush, and exotic spices. More enjoyable in the mouth with a light core of darker cherry and
berry fruits accented by notes of cola, root beer, oak and string bean. Lacks flair and interest. Decent.
Reviewed March 11, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Capiaux Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $40.
·
Leads off with scents of
black cherries, toasty oak and charcoal. Delicious aggressive attack of ripe cherries that are tar- and earthtoned.
Nicely balanced with firm tannins and a moderately length finish. Soft in the mouth and aims to please
but a little clumsy and doesn’t offer much nuance. Decent (+).
Reviewed February 15, 2010
ARTICLE »
2006 Capiaux Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.6%
alc., $46.
·
Very fruity nose replete with black cherries and blackberries with a
hint of savory herbs and spice. The dark fruits cascade over the palate in
waves with an appealing silkiness. The tannins are supple, the oak is faint
and supportive, and the whole package is on target. Nicely crafted.
Score: 91.
Reviewed October 3, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Chimera Sonoma County Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $29.
·
Black grapes, wood shed, char and
plenty of oak on the nose. Monolithic dark fruits with a sidecar of seasoned oak. Lacks nuance.
Reviewed September 5, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $37.
·
Slightly porto
aromas overshadow pleasing scents of berry jam, spiced plum and fresh-baked cookies. Overripe flavors of
currents, raisins and cola with prominent toasted oak. Decent acidity but it can’t match up with the aggressive
tannins.
Reviewed September 5, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Freestone Hill Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc.,
$40.
·
Interesting aromas that change in the glass consisting of fresh berries, forest
floor, pine, smoke and mint. Juicy black cherry and dark red berry core with finegrained
tannins. The oak is reigned in nicely. The lightest weighted of the 2005
Capiaux wines tasted and my favorite.
Reviewed September 5, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.7% alc., $46.
·
Darkly fruited nose with
a generous dose of oak. Big and intense with mouth coating dark fruits, moderate fine-grain tannins and a
lemon peel note on the finish. Like all the 2005 vintage Pinot Noirs from Capiaux, the oak supersedes the fruit.
Score: 87.
Reviewed October 3, 2009
ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Garys‘ Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $52.
·
Lovely aromas of ripe,
dark cherries and strawberries. Full-bodied and a bit rustic with very ripe dark fruit flavors of berries, root beer
and brown spice. A solid fruit core but a touch too ripe for my taste. Balance is spot on.
Reviewed September 5, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Capiaux Chimera Sonoma County Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $30. · An offbeat nose displaying scents of smoky oak, green brush, and exotic spices. More enjoyable in the mouth with a light core of darker cherry and berry fruits accented by notes of cola, root beer, oak and string bean. Lacks flair and interest. Decent. Reviewed March 11, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Capiaux Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $40. · Leads off with scents of black cherries, toasty oak and charcoal. Delicious aggressive attack of ripe cherries that are tar- and earthtoned. Nicely balanced with firm tannins and a moderately length finish. Soft in the mouth and aims to please but a little clumsy and doesn’t offer much nuance. Decent (+). Reviewed February 15, 2010 ARTICLE »
2006 Capiaux Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $46. · Very fruity nose replete with black cherries and blackberries with a hint of savory herbs and spice. The dark fruits cascade over the palate in waves with an appealing silkiness. The tannins are supple, the oak is faint and supportive, and the whole package is on target. Nicely crafted. Score: 91. Reviewed October 3, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Chimera Sonoma County Pinot Noir
14.4% alc., $29. · Black grapes, wood shed, char and plenty of oak on the nose. Monolithic dark fruits with a sidecar of seasoned oak. Lacks nuance. Reviewed September 5, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Widdoes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $37. · Slightly porto aromas overshadow pleasing scents of berry jam, spiced plum and fresh-baked cookies. Overripe flavors of currents, raisins and cola with prominent toasted oak. Decent acidity but it can’t match up with the aggressive tannins. Reviewed September 5, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Freestone Hill Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., $40. · Interesting aromas that change in the glass consisting of fresh berries, forest floor, pine, smoke and mint. Juicy black cherry and dark red berry core with finegrained tannins. The oak is reigned in nicely. The lightest weighted of the 2005 Capiaux wines tasted and my favorite. Reviewed September 5, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.7% alc., $46. · Darkly fruited nose with a generous dose of oak. Big and intense with mouth coating dark fruits, moderate fine-grain tannins and a lemon peel note on the finish. Like all the 2005 vintage Pinot Noirs from Capiaux, the oak supersedes the fruit. Score: 87. Reviewed October 3, 2009 ARTICLE »
2005 Capiaux Cellars Garys‘ Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir
14.6% alc., $52. · Lovely aromas of ripe, dark cherries and strawberries. Full-bodied and a bit rustic with very ripe dark fruit flavors of berries, root beer and brown spice. A solid fruit core but a touch too ripe for my taste. Balance is spot on. Reviewed September 5, 2009 ARTICLE »