Hello again, Berserkers! Cadence is back for our fourth BerserkerDay with another set of deals from our small Seattle winery. In a nutshell, Cadence is known for producing elegant, restrained and ageworthy Bordeaux blends - often showcasing Cabernet Franc - from the Red Mountain AVA. These days we are 100% estate with all fruit coming from our 10-acre Cara Mia Vineyard, planted in 2004 and farmed by the inimitable Dick Boushey. Annual production is just 2,000 cases.
Cadence celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and was honored to be chosen as the Honorary Vintner for the 2023 Auction of Washington Wines gala and selected as a Top 100 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine.
Want to know a bit more about the winery? ![[scratch.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/42a16863a8714da3c1604419e3eb9206bb87aa50.gif "scratch"){kind=small}
Read our newbie intro from BD12
This year’s offer includes the the triumphant return of Coda - named “one of Washington’s true outstanding values year after year” by Sean Sullivan, a gorgeous and lithe new Cabernet Sauvignon clocking in at a modest (for Red Mountain!) 14.0% abv, and another seamless rendition of our right-bank flagship, Bel Canto. Additionally, we are offering special pricing on full cases of Tapteil 2019, our final release from this fabulous site. Wines are discounted up to 35% this year with ground shipping included on full cases and $15 otherwise.
I’ll be online and following this thread for most of BD15, so feel free to say hello or ask questions!
Praise for Cadence:
There are quite a few threads here on WineBerserkers discussing/praising Ben’s wines, but I’ve also included a few highlights from critics below.
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“There are any number of powerhouse Bordeaux blends being made in Washington today, but very few wines with this degree of class.” - Stephen Tanzer
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"I was blown away by the seamless, elegant textures. Don’t miss these beauties!” - Jeb Dunnuck
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“I’ve long been entranced with Cadence’s wines." - Jon Bonné
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"Ben Smith is a Cabernet Franc savant.” - Sean Sullivan
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“Immensely impressive. A decidedly Bordelais aesthetic.” - William Kelley
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"Sure to entice any serious collector of Washington wine” - Owen Bargreen
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Wine & Spirits Magazine Top 100 Winery of the Year 2023, 2021, 2014, 2012, 2007 & 2002
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2023 Auction of Washington Wines Honorary Vintner
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Seattle Magazine Winemaker of the Year, 2012
The fine print:
Please note, we cannot ship to: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee & Utah. Wines ship via FedEx, weather dependent, with adult signature (21+) required at time of delivery. Sales tax, if applicable, will be calculated at checkout. Free shipping/$15 flat rate applies to lower 48 only, AK & HI will be extra.
Without further ado, here are this year’s options…
Offer #1: Full Case Sampler - BD15 price $442, retail price $590 (save $148)
- Four bottles each of Coda 2021, Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 & Bel Canto 2020
- 25% discount with free shipping
- Click HERE to order
Offer #2: Six Pack Sampler - BD15 price $236, retail price $295 (save $59)
- Two bottles each of Coda 2021, Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 & Bel Canto 2020
- 20% discount & $15 shipping
- Click HERE to order
Offer #3: Three Pack Sampler - BD15 price $125, retail price $147.50 (save $22.50)
- One bottle each of Coda 2021, Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 & Bel Canto 2020
- 15% discount & $15 shipping
- Click HERE to order
Offer #4: Case of Tapteil - BD15 price $390, retail price $600 (save $210)
- Twelve bottles of Tapteil 2019
- 35% discount & free shipping
- Click HERE to order
Wine Info:
2021 Coda - Cara Mia Vineyard, Red Mountain - $27.50 retail
coda, n. a. A music passage of more or less independent character introduced after the completion of the essential parts of a movement, so as to form a satisfactory conclusion, b. The second label of Cadence winery. The home for barrels not essential to the estate or vineyard blends.
- 46% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon - 50% new French oak
- 860 cases produced
- 93 points Vinous, 92 Owen Bargreen
- 14.4% abv
Winemaker notes: “Our second vintage of Cara Mia Coda (and 16th overall vintage from the vineyard!) leads with baking spices, wonderful dusty (dare I say Tapteil-like) minerality, and intense red and black fruit. Wonderful Cabernet Franc texture on the palate, caressing but firm at the same time. The Petit Verdot component lends some acid zip to the long finish. A classic Coda, elevated by being 100% Cara Mia estate fruit.”
“The 2021 Coda Cara Mia Vineyard, a blend of 46% Cabernet Franc, 42% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, is impossible to ignore, with a stunning blend of crushed raspberries accentuated by dusty rose, a spritz of orange zest and sweet smoke. It’s silky smooth, with racy acidity and crisp red fruits that cascade throughout, giving way to sweet spice and a caking of crunch minerality. This finishes long and staining, with a blackberry and plum concentration that lingers along with notes of tobacco. A coating of sweet tannins and hints of blood orange slowly fade. This is fun yet classic.” - Eric Guido, Vinous
2020 Cara Mia Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain - $50.00 retail
- 100% Cabernet Sauvignon - 50% new French oak
- 225 cases produced
- 94 points Owen Bargreen, 93 points Decanter
- 14.0% abv
Winemaker 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.”
"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” - Owen Bargreen
“Ben keeps on demonstrating what pure, perfectly made Cabernet can taste like from this state, when the new oak is downplayed and the extract is kept to a minimum. This is really a time warp of what David Lake was shooting for 40 years ago.” - Doug Charles, Owner of Compass Wines in Anacortes, WA
2020 Bel Canto, Cara Mia Vineyard, Red Mountain - $70.00 retail
bel canto, n. a. A style of singing characterized by beauty of tone rather than dramatic power [Italian, literally: beautiful singing], b. Cadence blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot grown on its estate, Cara Mia Vineyard.
- 73% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot - 50% new French oak
- 275 cases produced
- 95 points Decanter, 95 points Owen Bargreen
- 14.4% abv
Winemaker notes: “Deeply floral notes with herbs and huckleberries in an opulent nose. On the palate, blueberries, dried herbs and an underlying savory iron component that provides energy and backbone to the wine. The tannins are velvet, persistent, and already integrated. 2020 was a tough vintage in parts of Washington, but Cara Mia Vineyard turned out a superb set of wines.”
“Bel Canto is Cadence’s homage to Red Mountain Cabernet Franc with 27% Merlot blended in. Aromas of black and white pepper, crushed basalt and ripe black cherries mingle alongside purple florals. The acidity of this wine is outrageous. It balances such depth and concentration with an absolute freshness: Gingerbread, red and black currants and loads of savoury herbs. Red Mountain’s signature concentration with approachability and freshness are the keystone at Cadence, and it’s here in spades.” - Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
2019 Tapteil Vineyard, Red Mountain - $50.00 retail
tapteil, n. a. Yakama, narrow river, b. Red Mountain vineyard named for its site above the Yakima River where the Tapteilmin lived, c. Cadence blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc grown on Tapteil Vineyard.
- 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc - 40% new French oak
- 443 cases produced
- 95 points Owen Bargreen
- 14.4% abv
Winemaker notes: “Our final bottling of this great vineyard! Beautiful, broad aromas of red and blue fruit plus the signature dusty/mineral Tapteil nose. The energy and lift of the vintage is apparent on the palate with a perfect blend of tannins and refreshing acidity driving dried cherry and blackberry fruit. The long finish hints at the graceful evolution this wine will see in the bottle. A superb vintage for Tapteil and a wonderful way to complete the arc from 1998 to present.”
“Ben Smith has sourced from this site since 1998 and this is the final vintage of this storied Washington wine. For my palate this has to be one of the finest — if not the finest — renditions of this wine. Black rose petals and toasty oak notes combine with tar, anise and shades of loganberry jelly. The palate is seamless and soft, showing an incredible elegance and the flavor density is outstanding considering the challenges of the vintage. Every moving part seems to fit just marvelously here, as the outstanding 2019 ‘Tapteil’ will cellar on for another two decades. Give this a one hour decant if enjoying in its youth.” - Owen Bargreen
Thank you for your support, and Happy BerserkerDay! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
www.cadencewinery.com