Expensive wine 94: Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On
The Cadaretta cabernet sauvignon is a classic Washington state red wine
Washington state wine, and especially its reds, remains less known and less appreciated than the bottles the Winestream Media and its scores push for. Case in point is the Cadaretta cabernet sauvignon, a classic Washington state effort.
The scores for the Cadaretta cabernet sauvignon ($50, sample, 14.8%) aren’t bad, but shouldn’t a $50 wine get more than 90 points? In this case, the wine isn’t exactly what the Winestream Media looks for. Yes, there is powerful dark fruit (blackberries?), but also tannins lurking in the background, a wonderful and unexpected earthiness, and even some black pepper. But the wine isn’t a fruit bomb and the oak, while obvious, doesn’t get in the way. It’s about as balanced as a wine of this style is going to get.
Highly recommended, with the caveat that there isn’t much of it. But if you can find it, it’s a prime rib and holiday dinner wine, and should get better over the next couple of years. The fruit and oak should tone down, and the wine will get more complex.
As a Washington wine geek, I’ve wanted to try Cadaretta for a while. I prefer WA to CA for Cabernet because of what you described- balance without overpowering fruit and a pleasant earthiness. Tonight we opened a bottle of Sparkman cab from Red Mountain for a special celebration dinner and it was just perfect.