From: Yakima Valley, Washington, USA
Varietals: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot
Tasting Notes: "...notes of herb, flower, mineral, and black fruit. The palate is incredibly tightly wound, full of dark fruit flavors and firm tannins. It needs time in the cellar to come together. Best after 2022." –Sean P. Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast, 90 Points (tasted February 2019)
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.
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.
Tapteil Vineyard was established on Red Mountain in 1985.
"In the older vines, you get more balance, more minerality uptake. It brings in the character of the place, of the soil." –Larry Pearson, owner of Tapteil
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 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 cheatgrass grows 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 itself also helps to moderate the temperatures during the growing season.
