Winemaker Notes
Powerful Tapteil dust, with deep blue and black fruits complimented by spice on the nose.The palate reflects the aromas, carrying waves of plum fruit and spice through a long finish. There is enough acidity to keep Tapteil fresh, and the tannins are quite fine, powerful and long. Another powerhouse showing from our oldest vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As it was in the 2005 vintage, the 2006 Taptiel Vineyard is my favorite among the Cadence offerings. It is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Franc from vines planted in 1985. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up a complex perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, incense, black cherry, and black currant. Rich, dense, and layered on the palate, it manages to combine elegance with power. Structured and well-balanced, it will evolve for 5-7 years and offer a drinking window extending from 2015 to 2026.
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Wine Enthusiast
The Tapteil vineyard designate is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cab Franc and 32% Merlot, from vines that are now 20 years old. With each new vintage the wine seems to gain in detail as a result. Tapteil fruit is distinguished by a distinctive dustiness, and sports an elegant structure whoselightness belies its power. With its spicy, acidic berry flavors, and hints of smoke and leather, this has an Italian personality as well.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A coveted source of top quality red grapes among premier Washington producers, the Red Mountain AVA is actually the smallest appellation in the state. As its name might suggest, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. Instead the appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area. It is on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River, ideal for the ripening of grapes. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain.
Red Mountain produces some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington and there are a few reasons for this. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.
The most common red grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others. Limited white varieties are grown, namely Sauvignon blanc.
The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.