2019 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay –Soft and Cuddly Chardonnay Lovers Need Not Read
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Winery
(Photo by Matthew Dewey, Smith-Madrone Website)
Smith-Madrone Vineyards is located on 200 acres on top of Spring Mountain west of St. Helena with 38 acres planted in vineyards. The vineyard elevation ranges from 1,300 to 2,000 feet. The Founder, managing partner and enologist is Stuart Smith, Charles Smith is the winemaker. Truly a family affair! All the wines are estate grown and dry-farmed on top of the mountain. Annual production is between 3,000 to 4,000 cases a year. Currently they are producing Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc). The Chardonnay grapes come from an elevation of 1,900 to 2,000 feet on a 30% slope!
The Wine “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This is the second vintage of their Chardonnay I have had the opportunity to taste (previously a 2018). First, if you are a buttery Chardonnay wine lover stop reading as this is not your wine. If you are soft and cuddly Chardonnay drinker, again stop reading this story. This wine being dry farmed, has enough minerality to mirror spelunking in a cave. The wine tastes like no other Chardonnay in recent memory and I have enjoyed many Chardonnays.
On the eyes, while possessing your typical light straw or golden coloring and medium body viscosity, something is “different”. Next on the nose, lemon zest is the predominant aroma wafting into the senses. Almost a Sauvignon Blanc bold characteristic. No tamed or water downed Chardonnay with roundness and little flavor. On the palate, minerality and freshly rained on granite stones, come bursting to the forefront along with white stone fruits. The acidity is sharp, pointed and clearly targeted for specific food pairings. The finish is crisp, lively and an extremely dry and balanced Chardonnay. A Chardonnay packing a punch of a heavy weight boxer!
The wine is from Spring Mountain, barrel fermented for 9 months in 55% new French oak. Only 1,153 cases were produced and it goes for $45/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2019 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay was selected for this meal with its acidity and strong citrus flavors. The dinner was a light whole wheat spaghetti pasta with spinach and topped with fresh scallops. The scallops were sautéed in a minimal of butter and a touch of brown sugar and topped off with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. The citrus flavor of the wine was a perfect Yin/Yang (opposite but interconnected forces) to the soft sweetness of the scallops. Believe that this wine would be excellent with fresh oysters, seafood with a fresh fruit salsa or any fish cooked with lemon/lime juices.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 
September 27, 2023 at 3:55 pm
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