I have been selling Smith-Madrone wines since the 2001 vintage, and my love of them has never flagged. They make three wines - Cab, Chard, and Riesling, the one we’ll focus on today. This is a legendary wine in Napa Valley - the first Riesling to drop “Johannesburg” from the label; the first to reduce residual sugar down to an “Alsatian” level; the first wine to be dry-farmed in the Valley; and of course - the first Riesling from Spring Mountain terroir. Having been to the winery and met with Stu and Charles Smith, the brothers in winemaking together, I can assure you that this is exceptional, world-class Riesling. But sometimes the makers say it best. Here are Stu and Charles on their Riesling: “Aromatically, the 2016 Riesling has strong floral notes with an admixture of lime, stone fruits and minerality. These qualities translate seamlessly into a succulent mid-palate replete with corresponding flavors. Very Alsatian in styles, the creamy center suggests a kind of delicate forcefulness that finishes with a bright, lively, juicy-fruit acidity. Altogether lovely, delicious and stylish, the Riesling would be great ice-cold on a hot summer day or make a superb accompaniment to a wide variety of food either spicy or savory. “This wine is made from mountain grown grapes, honoring the international tradition of Riesling which thrives on steep hillsides. 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, but above all else, are wines which 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. “New with this bottling is the availability of this wine in hand-waxed magnum (1.5L) bottles: quite a stunning presentation.” Quite stunning indeed. We got just a few magnums. Order while you can!
