94pts Wine Enthusiast - Cellar Selection

Smith-Madrone tends to fly under the radar for Napa Valley Cabernet, but discerning palates understand its place in the pantheon. Vintages aren't always kind to this mountain fruit, but in 2009, the conditions were just right to produce a wine of immaculate structure. It has firm tannins and brisk acidity, and the flavors are classic, suggesting blackberries and cassis. As delicious as it is now, this will have no problem aging 10–15 years.

Tasting Notes

Wonderfully complicated and intense aromas of cassis, blueberry and black cherry characterize our 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. The aromatics lead straight into a beautiful demonstration of just how much fun an oldfashioned, low alcohol wine (13.9%) can be. The signature of this wine is the lively and oh-so-flavorful fruit in the middle followed by a crisp juicy finish of unusual length. 

Smith-Madrone’s Cabernet Sauvignon is grown at the top of Spring Mountain (1,800-foot elevation), west of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. The vines are planted on very steep slopes (up to 35%) in red “Aiken” soil which is derived from weathered volcanic materials and sedimentary rock. The underlying geology, the Franciscan mélange, is just 500 miles long and was created by the Continental Plate grinding off the top of the Pacific Plate
as it subducts under the Continental Plate.

Winery Notes

At Smith-Madrone our goal is to make artisanal wines which are distinctive and are an expression of both the vintage and us, as vintners, yet above all else, the wines must bring pleasure to the senses. Every year our wine is made from the same vineyards, pruned by the same people in the same way, cultivated in exactly the same manner and harvested at similar levels of maturity, yet Mother Nature stamps each vintage with a unique set of flavors, senses and character. Vintage dating is a celebration of that uniqueness and diversity. 

A tribute to the Smith brothers and the predominant tree on the ranch. The Madrone is an evergreen with a red-brown trunk and branches. In spring the tree bears lily-of-the-valley-like flower clusters; in fall orange-red berries appear.

All wines made entirely from the winery's dry-farmed estate vineyards surrounding the winery on top of Spring Mountain in the Napa Valley. Stuart Smith chose specific slopes with different exposures for specific varietals when planting the vineyards: eastern exposure for Riesling, southern and western exposures across flat stretches for the Cabernet Sauvignon and the coolest north-facing slopes for the Chardonnay. There are numerous historical sights on the ranch, as well as the huge array of natural beauty and wildlife.

Blend: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot & 8% Cabernet franc.