NEWBIE INTRO: Smith-Madrone - The Mountain Men

Dear Berserkers:

We’re delighted to participate in BerserkerDay IX.

In case we’re new to you …this is what Todd French had to say on his recent visit …

Lots of accolades have come our way…we may be proudest of having been chosen as The Daily Meal’s Winery of the Year in 2014, and to have been in the top ten of their 2017 Best Wineries in America. Our wine has also been featured in the Top 100 Wines in Wine & Spirits Magazine.

We were very proud to have won the Gault-Millau Wine Olympics in Paris for our Riesling in 1979. We are long-time champions of this varietal; in the 1980s Stu fought to have American Riesling be indicated on the label as “Riesling” vs. the former nomenclature “Johannisberg Riesling.” He was successful in that fight and in 1984 the BATF did change their regulations. We were also honored by having been named the best Riesling in North America in Stuart Pigott’s book Best Wine on Earth: The Riesling Story.

P.S. Just can’t resist: a little more Smith-Madrone reading: on Riesling, on Chardonnay, on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cook’s Flat.

LOCATION & COORDINATES: 4022 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, California 94574
Phone 707/963-2283; Fax 707/963-2291 > http://www.smithmadrone.com> , > info@smithmadrone.com
http://www.cooksflatreserve.com > Open by appointment only at 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. Tasting fee is $25 per person; this fee is waived with a wine purchase.

FOUNDED: 1971, by Stuart Smith

MANAGEMENT: Stuart Smith, Managing Partner, Enologist; Charles F. Smith III, Winemaker, Sam Smith, Assistant Winemaker

MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS: The vineyards sit at elevations between 1,300 and 2,000 feet, on steep slopes which range up to 34%.

ESTATE : 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.

SOIL: The soils are mostly deep-red Aiken Stoney Clay loam, part of the Aiken, Kidd, Forward complex of soils which are volcanic-based, well-drained and deep for mountain soils. The underlying geology is the Franciscan Assemblage, unique to California coastal ranges, which includes altered mafic volcanic rocks, deep-sea radiolarian cherts, sandstones, limestones, serpentines, shales and high-pressure metamorphic rocks, all of them faulted and mixed in a seemingly chaotic manner as a result of tectonic plate activity. The soils are rocky, with some as large as small cars.

FARMING: Smith-Madrone is a pioneer of dry farming. Stu Smith explains in this video.

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Ok, here’s our newest Newbie, and I’m very excited to have them on BerserkerDay!!

No ‘newbie’ to many of you, but new to BerserkerDay, so they get this nice intro, including my tasting notes, which aren’t worth squat as I don’t know a thing about wine anyway!

Very cool!

IN.

This BD may be painful on the CC.

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May???

Well Bud, the newbie list alone WILL make it painful … [cheers.gif]

Smith-Madrone makes some fantastic, age-able wines. A relative bargain for the pedigree.

This! ^^^^

I loved Charlie’s whites. If you’re up the mountain, he’s fun to taste with.

Agreed - hope we see some Cab and Chard in the BD offer!

Had the 12’ Cab recently, great stuff.

Let’s just say I had some influence over the offering…

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One of the best tasting experiences we’ve ever had, and we’ve been to wineries all over the world. These guys are awesome.

Awesome to have these guys! Had a fantastic visit there last year.