Red Schooner Voyage 11

Red Schooner Voyage 11 is a 750ml Argentine Malbec bottled at 14.9% ABV, produced by the Wagner family's Caymus Vineyards using grapes sourced from Argentina's Andes Mountains. This unconventional expression stands apart by shipping chilled Malbec grapes across the ocean to Napa Valley, where they are vinified using Caymus's signature winemaking techniques—a process that gives Voyage 11 a character unlike any traditional Argentine Malbec.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14.9%  |  Origin: Mendoza, Argentina (vinified in Napa Valley, California)  |  Varietal: Malbec  |  Voyage 11 (2021 Vintage)  |  Producer: Caymus Vineyards (Wagner Family)

Production & Heritage

Caymus Vineyards was founded in 1972 by the Wagner family in Rutherford, Napa Valley, and has long been recognized for producing rich, fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon. Red Schooner represents the family's ambitious side project: high-altitude Malbec grapes are harvested in Mendoza's Andes Mountains, then chilled and shipped by sea to California, where they undergo fermentation and aging at the Caymus facility. Because this cross-continental process falls outside standard wine labeling regulations, no vintage date appears on the bottle—instead, each release is designated by a numbered "Voyage," with Voyage 11 corresponding to the 2021 harvest.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Vibrant cherry-red in the glass, Voyage 11 opens with a warm, inviting nose of ripe plums and attractive blackberries. Deeper inhalation reveals rustic layers of wild sage, scrub brush, saddle leather, and a faint campfire smokiness.

Taste: The entry is silky and strikingly smooth, giving way to lush dark plum and blackberry fruit at mid-palate. Fragrant spices and a subtle hint of licorice emerge as grippy, fine-grained tannins build structure across the tongue without overwhelming the fruit.

Finish: The finish is medium-long with a textural, velvety quality and lingering impressions of dark fruit and dried spice. Tannins remain present but polished, leaving a clean, satisfying close.

How to Drink Red Schooner

Red Schooner Voyage 11 is best enjoyed at cellar temperature (60–65°F) in a large-bowled glass that allows its aromatic complexity to fully develop. Decanting for 20–30 minutes helps soften the tannins and open the nose further. While this is primarily a sipping wine, its bold fruit and spice profile make it versatile in wine-based drinks: a Kalimotxo (red wine and cola) gains real depth from the Malbec's dark fruit; a Red Wine Sangria benefits from the plum and blackberry notes layered with citrus and brandy; and a classic Mulled Wine during cooler months draws out the existing sage and spice character beautifully.

Best For

• Gifting a Caymus fan who wants to explore beyond Napa Cabernet
• Pairing with a Saturday evening steak dinner at home
• Introducing adventurous wine drinkers to an unconventional Argentine-Californian hybrid
• Building a comparative Malbec tasting flight alongside traditional Mendoza bottlings

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Red Schooner Voyage 11 taste like? Voyage 11 delivers lush ripe plum and blackberry fruit with accents of wild sage, licorice, and fragrant spice, wrapped in silky, fine-grained tannins. It is strikingly smooth with a medium-long, fruit-driven finish.

How does Red Schooner compare to a traditional Mendoza Malbec? While both share Andes-grown Malbec fruit, Red Schooner is fermented and finished in Napa Valley using Caymus winemaking methods, resulting in a rounder, more polished texture than many rustic Mendoza bottlings. The fruit profile leans riper and more concentrated, consistent with the Wagner family's signature style.

Is Red Schooner good for sipping on its own? Absolutely—Voyage 11's smooth tannins, layered aromatics, and rich fruit make it an excellent standalone sipper, especially after a brief decant to let the nose open fully.

Where is Red Schooner made? The Malbec grapes are grown at high altitude in the Andes Mountains of Mendoza, Argentina, then shipped chilled across the ocean to Caymus Vineyards' facility in Napa Valley, California, where the wine is produced and bottled.

What foods pair well with Red Schooner Voyage 11? Grilled Argentine-style skirt steak (chimichurri amplifies the herbal sage notes); braised short ribs (the wine's dark fruit stands up to rich, slow-cooked meat); hard aged cheeses like Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano; roasted lamb with rosemary; and dark chocolate desserts that echo the wine's plum and spice depth.

What sizes does Red Schooner come in? Red Schooner Voyage 11 is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Red Schooner worth the price? Red Schooner positions as a mid-premium Malbec that delivers a distinctive experience not replicated by any other producer—the cross-continental production method and Caymus pedigree place it above everyday Argentine Malbecs in both complexity and presentation, offering strong value for those curious about the intersection of Old World fruit and New World winemaking.

Why Red Schooner?

No other wine on the market replicates what Red Schooner does: taking high-altitude Argentine Malbec and finishing it through the lens of one of Napa Valley's most recognized families. Voyage 11 captures the ripe, concentrated fruit of Mendoza's Andes vineyards while layering on the polished, approachable texture that Caymus has built its reputation around. The numbered Voyage system itself reflects how unusual the production journey is—each release is a distinct snapshot of a harvest transported thousands of miles by sea. For drinkers who know Caymus Cabernet and want a different expression of that winemaking philosophy, or for Malbec fans seeking something genuinely outside the norm, Voyage 11 delivers a bottle that earns conversation.