2013 Cadence Ciel du Cheval
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Tasting notes
Bright ruby-red. Knockout nose combines medicinal black cherry, cassis, crushed-rock minerality, violet and black pepper. Wonderfully suave, deep blend with a layered texture and restrained sweetness. This called to mind a superb Right Bank style with density and ripeness but also tautness and savory soil notes. A wine of outstanding nobility and a compelling example of Red Mountain elegance. Spreads out to saturate the palate and vibrates on the very long, slowly mounting finish, where the very fine-grained tannins reach the front teeth. Saline and firm but seamless and not at all dry. (Smith also showed me the 2006 version of this wine and this evolving but still-energetic wine was in a very happy place, displaying captivating spicy energy and lift to its sexy flavors of dark berries, musky minerals and flowers. This ripe, concentrated, tactile wine finishes with broad, mouthcoating tannins and a suggestion of chocolatey ripeness.)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Possessing a pretty bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, lead pencil and licorice, the 2013 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (39% Cabernet Franc, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot and the rest Merlot) is medium to full-bodied, with a tight, reserved style that will reward cellaring. It’s a beautiful wine that needs 3-4 years of bottle age and drunk over the following decade.