From: Red Mountain, Washington, USA
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: "Despite 2020 being a hot vintage, the wine clocks in at 14.0% alcohol naturally! And THAT means wonderful Cabernet character – pencil shavings, intense dried cherry fruit, spice, and kisses of Taransaud barrel on the nose. Flavors absolutely leap out of the glass – blackberry, dried cherries, and earth coddled in hints of barrel – just enough to lend a filling structure and spice to the Cabernet notes. This is a delicious, classic Cabernet that leaves no doubt about its Old World heritage and New World home." –Ben Smith, winemaker
About. Started in 1998 by husband and wife team Gaye McNutt and Benjamin Smith, Cadence is a shop-favorite Washington winery dedicated to showcasing some of the finest vineyard sites in the state. Their Bordeaux-styled blends interpret the best qualities reflected in Washington's greatest vineyard terroir. Cadence's winemaking philosophy is based on the belief that blending creates a balanced wine of greater character than the individual components. Their wines express the vineyard's power, intensity, or elegance, as reflected in the characteristics of the varietals on the vineyard site.
Cadence's estate vineyard on Red Mountain, Cara Mia, was established in 2004. It has cobbles, clay, and basalt soils.
“A great showing and all the more remarkable considering that Cara Mia Vineyard was only planted in 2004. There are any number of powerhouse Bordeaux blends being made in Washington today, but very few wines with this degree of class.” –S. Tanzer
Red Mountain is a small American Viticultural Area in the US state of Washington, located entirely within the Yakima Valley AVA, itself part of the larger Columbia Valley wine region. Red Mountain AVA covers just 4,040 acres (1,635ha), but produces some of Washington State's most prestigious wines, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.
Red Mountain is the easternmost AVA in Yakima Valley, occupying the land within a curve of the Yakima River just before it joins the Columbia River near the town of Richland. The mountain (on which grows cheatgrass that turns red in spring, hence its name) is more like a slope. It rises to 1,410 feet (430m) above sea level in the northeast corner of the AVA whilst vineyards are found on favorable aspects facing southwest above the river.
This placement of the vineyards creates a high exposure to sunlight throughout the growing season – almost two hours a day more than Napa Valley. This sunshine is followed by nights cooled by air from the north sinking into the Yakima River valley. This contributes to the balance of the grapes, with the diurnal temperature variation slowing ripening and allowing for the retention of acidity during the development of flavor. The Yakima River also helps moderate the temperatures during the growing season.
