2009 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red

Cadence was started in 1997 when Ben Smith and Gaye McNutt purchased 10.5 acres on Red Mountain in Eastern Washington. Smith trained as an engineer and McNutt as an attorney, but the couple wanted to make Bordeaux-style wines in very small amounts. Typically Cadence produces about 2,400 cases a year of Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines. The name of the winery comes from the couple’s deep interest in classical music and individual sports requiring cadence, or endurance for the long haul. Wine Advocate has noted that “Winemaker Ben Smith continues to fashion classic, old school and age-worthy Bordeaux blends from his Seattle based winery.”

Yakima Valley AVA was the first AVA created in Washington State. The valley, a 600,000-acre area in south central Washington, was granted AVA status in 1983. In 1984 Columbia Valley was given AVA status, and Yakima Valley was enclosed within the Columbia Valley AVA. Nevertheless, Yakima Valley remains home to the largest concentration of vineyards and wineries in the state. There are more than 60 wineries and some 16,000 vineyard acres, and nearly 40% of Washington wines are made with Yakima Valley grapes. The most frequently planted grape is Chardonnay, followed by Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaking here dates to 1869, when a winemaker from Alsace planted grape vines. Vineyard planting and wine production plodded along slowly until the early 1980s when numerous modern pioneers started making well-reviewed Yakima Valley wines. Some of the state’s newest, most closely watched appellations, including Red Mountain AVA and Horse Heaven Hills AVA, are contained within Yakima Valley.