|
February 2005 Washington Wine Club
2002 Cadence Bel Canto
I think you all know by now that I´m quite a fan of winemaker Ben
Smith. Ben came out of the Boeing Winemakers Club to become one
of the finest (and most highly rated) vintners in the state. Bel
Canto is his reserve wine, made only from the best barrels of the best
vineyards and, as with all his wines, is exclusively from Red Mountain
fruit. The famed Ciel du Cheval vineyard (source of some of the
softest, most elegant Red Mountain wines) provides the Cabernet Franc
(48%) and the Petit Verdot (4%); the more powerful Taptiel vineyard is
responsible for the Merlot (48%). The wine is a blockbuster, a
beautiful song indeed! There´s a bit more in stock at
$59.75, and I´d give the wine another three to five years before
drinking it. We have a bit of his other wines in stock;
production was down this year - not due to low crop levels, but
because the corking machine screwed up the other releases, a real loss
to our cellars.
2001 Animale Maria Carmela
There´s nothing quite like finding out about a new winery.
Usually, I have to go somewhat far afield to find them. This one
comes all the way from ... Ballard? Matt Gubitosa makes these
wines in his garage (a true garagiste in the Bordeaux sense!) in such
limited quantities that he seems to regard 50 cases as a lot.
There´s a lot less remaining of this one. It´s a
blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot,
with minimal winemaker intervention, and minimal new oak - quite a
relief from a lot of what I try. It´s $19.75, and
there´s some left (like 15 cases). It´s excellent
wine. We also have in stock his 2002 Syrah, 2002 Cabernet Franc,
2002 Merlot, and 2002 Zinfandel. Good wines all. I´d
consume this over the next five years; it does seem to improve with
decanting right now.
back
|
