Winery - Smith-Madrone
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From a tiny estate vineyard on Spring Mountain, this is a rich and tremendously concentrated Cabernet. Blackberry and cassis flavors are tightly wound around firm but pretty tannins, and the oak is modulated. Polished and elegant, it's ready to drink tonight, but will age for many years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
With 12.9% alcohol, this Riesling is absolutely dry and fascinatingly complex. High acidity frames citrus fruit, green apple and mineral flavors. Should develop in interesting ways over the next six years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Shows the bone-dry, crisply acidic minerality of the winery’s Chardonnays, a brisk, elegant wine whose complexities make it fascinating. The lemon and lime flavors are enriched with a touch of oak and lees. Try aging for six years to experience an aged California Chardonnay.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Nice and crisp in acids, with a sleek oak coat that adds smoke and vanilla notes, this Chard sure tastes good by itself. But it’s balanced and food-friendly, with flavors of perfectly ripened white peaches.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Dry, crisp and minerally, this Chard has intensely pure flavors of ripe white peach, pear, green apple and pineapple that have a stony scour of cold steel. It’s the opposite of the modern style of oaky fruit bomb Chards, with an elegant integrity that’s food-friendly and ageworthy. Fine now, and should do interesting things for a decade.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Ripe and fancy, and not your usual oak-drenched Chardonnay. Fat, lush flavors of apples, peaches and pears have smooth accents of smoke and spice from wood, and crisp acidity makes for a bright mouthfeel. Possesses great concentration and intensity. —S.H. .
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
California’s best Riesling grown for 25 years at 1,800 feet above Napa Valley. Crisp and concentrated flavors of apples, lime and minerals are encased in fine acidity and drink steely and sleek. The residual sugar us 0.7%, which is off-dry, but the acids are so good, the wine feels dry in the mouth. By the way, this wine will age for a long time.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This long-time producer of dryish Rieslings is still one of California's best. Apple, honey and peach aromas lead to juicy, fruity flavors, and rich acidity spreads spices all over the palate. This stylish wine will be versatile at the table. Adventurous types will age it.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the opposite of those gooey, cult-style wines grown down on the valley benches and floor. It’s pure mountain in the tannins, acidity and dryness, with below 14% alcohol. It’s a food wine, with cassis, cedar and mineral flavors. Should age well for a decade.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The winery held this Cab back longer than most. Tasted in late 2007, it was quite soft and immediately drinkable. The flavors are rich and ripe, suggesting red and cherries, cassis, licorice, cola and milk chocolate. The wine finishes a little too sweet.
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