The '13 Bel Canto was coy at first, taking time to develop it's feminine bouquet of stone dust and fresh cherry, along with savory notes of sage and lavender. On the palate however, it was anything but coy, with a vibrant thrust of tart cherry, cranberry and minerals on a lifted acid-driven frame with hints of tannin adding grip toward the close. The finish switched gears on the experience once again, this time with saturating red berry and a web of fine tannin, which made the cheeks pucker, and seemed to last for over a minute.
It's moments like this that I wish Cellar Tracker permitted score ranges, because I have a feeling that this wine may one day deserve a much higher score.
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(Cadence Bel Canto Cara Mia Vineyard) Hello friends. There’s nothing quite like a reunion. Seeing an old friend again, no matter how sporadically, can be a special occasion filled with fun, excitement, and remembrance. With a true friend, it can be as if no time has passed at all—you pick up right where you left off. You know who they are, and they know you. There are few things as reassuring in life as an old friends and the consistently wonderful times you can have together. Here at Full Pull, that’s pretty much how we feel about Cadence. We have been offering these wines in one way or another since 2009—and have always loved the style, grace, and power of Ben Smith’s winemaking. Vintage after vintage, Ben is consistent. He has a house style, Red Mountain vineyards that he sources from regularly, and a way with Bordeaux blends that is truly rare. It finally feels as if the rest of the world has caught up to what our list members have known for a while now—Cadence is the real deal. We’ve included this lil’ excerpt from Stephen Tanzer in previous offers, but if it’s new to you, take note: In recent vintages, Ben Smith has taken his Cadence wines to the top echelon in Washington. And with the vines he and his wife Gaye McNutt planted in their Cara Mia vineyard in 2004 on the verge of entering their teen years, the best is yet to come. The Cadence wines always had energy, but recent vintages have brought denser, sweeter wines with any loss of vibrancy. Smith is routinely an early picker, and he noted that the harvest of 2013, the second warmest vintage to that point behind 2003, was a bit rushed for him, as he wanted to bring in the fruit before potential alcohol levels skyrocketed. Still, he emphasized, the 2013s “exhibit drive and thrust that can only be compared to 2011, but with richer, more forward fruit than that of 2012.” He went on: "The ‘13s have the structure and acidity to appeal to the Euro crowd. The ‘13s, along with the ‘11s, are my favorite vintages of the past ten years.” Today we’ve got a stellar lineup of red beauties for you. Two new vintages of some of our old favorites grace this page—along with two bonus reoffers from earlier this year. See key for # of bottles currently available.
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9/15/2021 - Nutty08 wrote: flawed
All VA and heat. Not drinkable.
Picked up at retail so unclear storage.
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7/24/2018 - blabbott Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium weight wine with spicy full flavored fruit and just delicious! Really a bright flavor and tastes just super clean and fresh.
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3/28/2017 - Eric Guido Likes this wine: 92 Points
The '13 Bel Canto was coy at first, taking time to develop it's feminine bouquet of stone dust and fresh cherry, along with savory notes of sage and lavender. On the palate however, it was anything but coy, with a vibrant thrust of tart cherry, cranberry and minerals on a lifted acid-driven frame with hints of tannin adding grip toward the close. The finish switched gears on the experience once again, this time with saturating red berry and a web of fine tannin, which made the cheeks pucker, and seemed to last for over a minute.
It's moments like this that I wish Cellar Tracker permitted score ranges, because I have a feeling that this wine may one day deserve a much higher score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment