Spring Mountain is one of my preferred sub-appellations of
the Napa Valley (along with Howell Mountain and Stag’s Leap District) and there
are many wineries worth visiting up there. If you only have time to visit two,
I highly recommend
Terra Valentine (a long-time love of mine) and
Smith-Madrone (a new favorite), which provide two totally
different experiences.
I recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with
Smith-Madrone founders and brothers, Stu and Charlie Smith.
The tour starts in the vineyard with Stu. Perched 1900 feet above the valley, the sweeping views from
Smith-Madrone are amazing. The rows of Riesling,
Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon zigzag over the landscape. As Stu explains, they have
been laid out to maximize sun exposure for early ripening. He discusses the
challenges that come along with growing grapes on a steep hillside and the difficulties they had clearing the space almost 40 years ago. They now have a total of 38 acres planted to vines; the rest of their property is still covered in forest, densely populated with Douglas Fir, Manzanita,
and oak trees.
Stu points out the large single madrone tree in the middle
of the young Riesling vineyard and explains that this tree was the inspiration behind
the name of the winery. He and Charlie wanted to put their name on the label,
but they also wanted something more original than “Smith Winery” and “Smith
Brothers” was already synonymous with cough drops. So they settled on
Smith-Madrone (admittedly, it has a better ring to it than Smith-Douglas Fir or
Smith-Manzanita).
From the top of Spring Mountain, the valley below looks so
peaceful and quiet below, which is not really the case at least this time of
year. Most wineries are currently in the throes of harvest right now, with
traffic congesting sections of Highway 29, but the Smith brothers are calm and
relaxed—they have already picked the last of their estate-grown grapes and they
don’t source additional fruit from any other vineyards.
Stu leads us back down to the winery and inside the barrel
room, where we are handed wine glasses and introduced to his older brother
Charlie. An old oak barrel turned upright serves as a table as we taste through
the estate-bottled current releases.
 |
| Clinking glasses with Charlie! |
The 2009 Chardonnay ($30/bottle) is a refreshing delight (it
was about 95 degrees the day of our visit). It is crisp and clean despite going
through 100% malolactic fermentation. No buttery or popcorn flavors in this
glass! A pale straw hue, this wine has mouthwatering acidity with zesty citrus
and tropical fruit aromas. The entry is alive with flavors of Meyer lemon,
pear, and minerals while the mid-palate offers richer notes of crème brûlée,
sweet cream, and stone fruit. This Chardonnay, although particularly light in
body, would pair nicely with many types of foods.
The 2006 ($45/bottle) Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark, brooding
beauty. Blended with 9% Merlot and 6% Cab Franc, it is still very youthful with
tight tannins and the promise of more to come. Smelling this wine is like
sticking your nose into a bag of dark chocolate-covered cherries! Yum. On the
palate, flavors of bright red currant, cherry cola, and black plum are
complemented by savory notes of tar and exotic spice. The finish is ripe and
brimming with impressions of blueberry and juicy black fruit.
With lower alcohol, the Smith’s design their wines for
longevity. The 2006 Cab has only 13.9% abv, which is relatively low compared to
most Napa Cabs. That being said, I found the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (to be
released soon!) very approachable. With blue and black fruit aromas and a
velvety mouthfeel, I would probably drink the 2007 sooner than I would the
2006. I was surprised to hear that Charlie had recently tasted their 1984 Cab
and it was holding up very well.
There wasn't an extra bottle of that
vintage around for us to sample, but we did try one more
wine. The 2011 Riesling ($27/bottle) at 12.6% abv, is a terrific wine to enjoy
at lunchtime or as an aperitif. The perfume is effusive and reminds me of Juicy
Fruit gum with kumquat, mandarin and grapefruit. Light and delicately flavored,
this wine would be the perfect pairing for Asian cuisine, salads, and on its
own!
For what started as a hobby, the Los Angeles-born Smith brothers
have achieved great success in crafting unique small-production wines from
their Spring Mountain estate vineyards. You won’t find an art-filled tasting
room or chef-endorsed food pairings at Smith-Madrone; the experience is rustic
and replete with old-Napa charm—and that’s what makes it so wonderful.
Like most of the wineries on Spring Mountain, make an
appointment first. And enjoy the drive!
