Today we share a Washington wine icon. Now in their 25th year, Ben Smith (http://owenbargreen.com/benjamin-smith-cadence) together with his wife Gaye McNutt have been making exceptional, cellar-worthy bottlings from some of the state’s great sites. These wines age so gracefully and I had a chance to taste older vintages with both Gaye and Ben in the spring, proving more evidence how these wines are so stable and delicious after many years in the cellar. It has now been more than a decade that they planted their own vineyard on Red Mountain, the Cara Mia Vineyard, where most of their wines come from. I’ve enjoyed tasting these wines at the ten year mark where they seem to start collecting secondary characteristics.
Just as I enjoyed the 2019 wines from a tough vintage, this new set of releases come from the even tougher 2020 vintage. These are wines that you can buy with confidence as they all come off clean. As with any wines that I review from 2020, they are wines to be enjoyed now.
I think that you would be hard pressed to find a better value than the 2021 Cadence ‘Coda’ Red Wine (OB, 92) which shows good richness and flavor range. I adored the 2020 Cadence ‘Bel Canto’ Red Wine (OB, 95) which is a remarkable achievement in this vintage and definitely is one of the standout wines produced. Learn more about this great winery at cadencewinery.com and here are my reviews of the the beautiful new wines by Cadence.
2021 Cadence ‘Coda’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Coda’ combines nearly all Cabernet Franc and Merlot with small parts Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This shows pretty red florals from the Cabernet Franc. Garrigue and red bell pepper combines with wild blackberry and hints of wild mushroom on the nose. The palate is silky and smooth with a terrific mouthfeel. Very ripe for this winery, this is downright delicious juice that is best consumed now and over the next seven years. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2020 Cadence ‘Cara Mia Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Cara Mia Vineyard’ is a truly great wine from a tough vintage. 100% varietal, this displays good purity and balance, with a seamless texture. Layers of juicy red fruits brighten this wine, with scorched earth, boysenberry and dark chocolate shaving flavors. Seriously delicious, and well-structure, this clearly has the weight and finesse to go on for another decade. But why wait? This is a perfect example of trusting your producer in a hard vintage. Drink 2023-2029- 94
2020 Cadence ‘Camerata’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Camerata’ is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) with the remainder Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The nose shows off red bell pepper tones alongside anise, black currants and shades of sandalwood. The palate is soft, refined and generous with plenty of richness and underlying finesse. Coming off clean with a beautiful range of black fruit flavors alongside graphite, dried herbs and refined tannins, this is a world-class wine made in a tough vintage. Like any great wine made in this vintage, no reason to cellar. Drink 2023-2031- 95
2020 Cadence ‘Bel Canto’ Red Wine- A consistently fantastic wine in the Cadence lineup, the 2020 ‘Bel Canto’ is a Right Bank inspired blend of 73% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Merlot. Chocolate cake and shades of pencil lead all fill the nose with purple red petals and shades of lilac. The palate is fresh and viscous with lovely herbal undertones and fantastic finesse. Tar and black licorice notes mark the palate alongside a core of beautiful red fruits and tobacco leaf. This is quite simply a joy to drink right now, as this is best enjoyed over the next seven plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 95