2001 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (10/5/2009)
Intriguing nose. Mineral,vitamin pill, smoky, leafy, underbrush with that classic Ciel du Cheval violet perfume. A medium bodied wine, sweet core, some chocolate notes, silky, and resolved. Nice acidity but the fruit fades out on a somewhat lean finish. (89 pts.)
01 or 02? (bottle seems to show 02 but that might just be the label used in CT).
Anyway, here’s a TN on the 02 from a bit ago:
Popped and poured after being pulled from a cold cellar and stood up for an hour. Nose gives the impression of roses and violets, but with a cool overtone and notes of cocoa. There’s no noticeable oak at all (and this was, if I recall correctly, only about 30% new oak). All of these notes follow through on the palate. It certainly has fruit sweetness but that’s balanced by the acid. The finish has a slight dusting of tannins but these are fine vs coarse.