Cadence

Cadence
9320 15th Avenue South, Unit CF
Seattle, Washington
USA 98108
Phone: (206) 381-9507
http://cadencewinery.com/

Contact: Gaye McNutt
Email: [email protected]

Cadence reflects our love of classical music, opera, dance, and also our involvement in competitive cycling and triathlons. In our wines the term invokes the qualities of balance, harmony and precision.

Gaye McNutt grew up in Texas and Maryland, and went back to Texas for her undergraduate (Rice) and Jurisdoctorate (U. of Texas) degrees.

Summer internship lead her to the Pacific Northwest, and she found it an easy decision to come back to Seattle after law school. In January 2003 Gaye left her software law practice to focus on the winery. Gaye and Ben met in 1993 and fell in love with Washington vineyards and wineries during the grape harvest that year.

Benjamin Smith is a product of Ohio, having grown up in Columbus and attended Ohio State University. He graduated with a BSME in 1985. Boeing supplied the reason for his move to Seattle in early 1986. Ben spent the next 14 years involved in airplane design, focusing for several years on the flight control systems for the Boeing 737 and 757 airliners. Ben’s passion for winemaking began in the early 90’s using fruit from the well-known Boushey Vineyard.

he story of Cara Mia Vineyard began in 1997, before Cadence was founded and even before Gaye and I were married. Through my home winemaking experiments and our extensive tasting of Washington red wines we knew that Red Mountain was one of the ideal viticultural areas in the state. Our travels across Washington often led up Sunset Road on Red Mountain, and we were surprised one day to see a For Sale sign in the middle of a large expanse of sagebrush and tumbleweed.

On a whim we called the owners, and were soon immersed in negotiations for 16 acres of property. Ultimately we purchased 10.5 acres in the summer of 1997. It did not have water rights. We applied, but knew the process was extraordinarily lengthy, so soon moved on to other phases of our life like house purchases, starting a winery, marriage, house remodels and child (mainly in that order). Cara McNutt Smith was born on September 9th 2001, and naming the vineyard became an easy decision.

In the fall of 2003 Larry Pearson, the owner of Tapteil Vineyard, called us with startling news. Larry determined that he owned the water rights to our property, and was willing to transfer them to us. The sheer coincidence still amazes me; Larry is the owner of our favorite vineyard and the first vineyard we approached upon starting Cadence. That he owned the rights and was able to transfer them to us is fortuitous beyond belief.

Winemaker: Benjamin Smith

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