WineCOW.com - A Good Place for Great Washington Wine

You will be hard-pressed to find a winemaker in the Washington wine industry more pleasant than Ben Smith of Cadence. No self-inflated ego or tyrannical opinions here. Instead, the modest engineer originally from Columbus, Ohio has been quietly making some of the best red wine in Washington. Red wine that manages to pull some of the highest scores in the state and within the last few years has really put Cadence on the map.

That is a map you will need to bring along in order to find the winery. Located in South Seattle past Qwest and Safeco Fields, Ben Smith’s winery is so inconspicuous that most people have a tendency to drive right by. It appears to be an old tire shop and the only way you can really tell that it might be a winery is by a single barrel outside. That barrel would normally have no business in such an industrial area, but sitting on top is a small sign reading "Cadence."

And that’s where we met with Ben to discuss wine and taste through some of his recent releases.

WC: What originally got you interested in making wine?
BS: “I like to taste the place.”

Ben Smith originally caught the fermentation bug in the late ‘80s by brewing beer at home. It wasn't until a friend suggested that they pick grapes and try making wine that he really found his passion. His acute interest in being able to taste the difference in wine depending on where the grapes were grown was the most enjoyable element of his new-found fascination. “What you grow matters; I like to taste the place. You don’t get that in beer” said Ben. He has carried this notion about quality of life and quality of fruit with him and today it plays a large part in his outstanding wines.
For Ben, it's all about location, location, location. That explains why he likes Washington so much compared to his home state of Ohio. He stated, quite correctly, that the “quality of life means a big deal to the people out here.” And it’s this emphasis on place, which was one of the original concepts, that continues to shape his winemaking style. On Ben’s notable list of favorite places is Red Mountain, one of the state’s finest regions for growing grapes, and he gets all of his grapes from there today.

WC: Being a relatively young winemaker how did you get your hands on such great fruit?
BS: “The Boeing Wine Club offered opportunity to great sites.”

In 1993, Ben went to work for Boeing as an engineer. Through the Boeing Wine Club, Ben was able to get his hands on some of the most sought after fruit in Washington State, including that from Red Mountain. He couldn't believe the treasure he had access to, but he fell in love. “Red Mountain can really make a lot of different fruit. I liked the structure and deep berry.” As his passion for winemaking continued to grow so did his production, almost doubling each year, with the quality dramatically improving each time. In 1996, his Bouchey blend took Best of Show at the Boeing Wine Competition and in 1997 he entered five different wines all of which took Best of Class and again he took home Best of Show.
Around the same time he was receiving acclaim as an amateur winemaker, Ben and his wife Gaye were driving through Red Mountain on their way home from Walla Walla. They decided to stop at a "for sale" sign amongst the acres of sage brush. He immediately called about the land and ended up purchasing two 5 acre lots next to each other. He named the land Cara Mia, but at the time had no real idea of what he was going to do with it. He just knew from his experience at Boeing and working with Red Mountain fruit that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

WC: What made you take the leap from winemaking as a hobby to opening up a commercial winery?
BS: “No one falls into the wine business…you’re drawn to it.”

After the success of his wines at the Boeing Wine Competition, which included a lot of encouragement from several of the judges and a prime piece of grape growing real-estate on Red Mountain, Ben took the next logical step. Along with the help and support from his wife they decided to start their own winery. Gaye, a Microsoft attorney, was able to develop a business plan and handle the finances while Ben used his knowledge and experience in winemaking.
The result was “Cadence”, which represents several things to both Ben and his wife. In the musical sense, it means the beat or measure of something that follows a set of rhythm. Ben plays the violin and his wife plays the piano, so the musical reference has significance in both their lives. Secondly, 'cadence' is the number of pedal revolutions per minute in cycling and both are avid athletes, Ben is a cyclist and Gaye is a tri-athlete,. Regardless of the meaning Ben made sure to point out that “Smith Cellars has no ring to it!”

WC: After opening your own winery how do you feel about the experience?
BS: “It is just ¾ of a liter of fermented grape juice, but it would be a shame to treat it that way.”

Even after making the decision to start their winery, Ben still continued to work at Boeing for another year-and-a-half. With the launch of his 1998 vintage, the first commercial release for Cadence, he needed to get his face out into the public. Ben believes that “you’ve got to make it personal, people like that.” But Ben and his wife were not alone in their efforts. When he went full-time into winemaking and he was actually surprised by all the people eager to help out and lend a hand. “That was a side of the business that I wasn’t expecting” referring to the addictiveness of the winemaking passion and all the friendships he created. “I’ve met some great people thru wine.”

WC: What made you choose to focus on Red Bordeaux varieties?
BS: “I think Bordeaux is perfectly suited for Washington.”

Smith, who crafts Bordeaux style blends from some of Washington’s finest vineyards, produces wine with the perfect balance of American punch and French elegance. He claims that “even though my wines show New World fruit I like to integrate Old World style.” While Ben’s preference in wine definitely leans toward a more European style, he appreciates what Washington has to offer. “I can’t get around where I make wine (referring to New World winemaking) but hopefully my wines reflect some elegance and grace along with their size.”

WC: How do you like the sales side of owning a winery?
BS: “I’m not a marketer. I make what I like.”

Ben finds it hard to sell what he’s not totally behind. “What I don’t like is 15.5% blueberry ooze monsters.” And so that’s why he makes wine that he loves to drink. The other benefit to making what you like is that “if I’m going down, I’m going down with a couple hundred of my best friends” said Ben referring to his wine.
Well he obviously likes good wine and seems to have no problem with sales. Business is so good, in fact, that his wines always sell out each year, most of it going to premium Seattle area restaurants and his own mailing list. It also doesn’t hurt that he consistently garners high scores from Wine Spectator. His reserve Bel Canto pulled in a 93 from Spectator and Enthusiast, while his Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain blend received a 94 from Spectator. We could go on and on with the 90+ ratings for all his wines but I think you get the idea.

Cadence is one of only a handful of wineries actually located in Seattle city limits. Most in the area can be found up in nearby Woodinville. Unfortunately, his winery is only open twice a year for release parties. But even though you can’t visit the winery, you can always find Cadence at local retail shops and restaurants. Ben himself, who does a great job getting out in the market and supporting his wine, might be there to pour you a glass. That is, until it sells out.

FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERIES

FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERY

CADENCE WINERY - SEATTLE, WA