Cadaretta Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon (SBS) 2009
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Connoisseurs' Guide
78% Sauvignon Blanc; 22% Semillon. Somewhat sedate for a full-blooded Sauvignon Blanc, this one gets better grades when its true identity is revealed and its green melon, citrusy and figgy aroma turns out to suit its blend quite nicely. It is full and firm on the palate and tastes, as it smells, of melons, figs, a squeeze of grapefruit and wisps of grasses, and it finishes with a pleasantly vital, lithe quality.
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2011-
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This winery is named for a ship that once carried our family’s goods to market. Today, that part of our history, that ship’s name, is carried on with a new generation of our family company: Handcrafted wines from our home state. Cadaretta is a Walla Walla winery owned and operated by the Middleton family. The Middleton commitment to Washington State dates back to 1898, when we started the Anderson & Middleton forestry products company in Hoquiam, Washington.
We diversified into grapes in California 20 years ago. We’re now bringing that grape and wine experience back to Washington, and to our family roots. We’re planting wines in the Walla Walla Valley viticultural area, and we’ve named our wine “Cadaretta,” after one of our family’s early lumber schooners, used to ship timber from Washington to California in the 1920s and 1930s.
Our boutique Walla Walla winery combines our family’s agricultural history with an international style and flair. It joins our essential commitment to the land with our abiding passion for making the best from that land. Cadaretta is a blend of science and soul, tempered with tradition and balance.
Two of our wines are generally available. These are our Cadaretta SBS (Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon) and Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon. They can be found in fine wine shops and restaurants, and can usually be ordered directly from the winery, through our on-line shop or by telephone.
Other wines are made in very small quantities and are available exclusively to our offering list, to winery visitors, and to a handful of retailers and restaurateurs. These wines include Cadaretta Syrah, Cadaretta Chardonnay, Cadaretta Merlot, Cadaretta Springboard (our Bordeaux varietal blend), Cadaretta Windthrow (our Rhone varietal blend), and Cadaretta Highclimber (our Italian varietal selection).
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.