Smith-Madrone Vineyards – Paradise Found!
Photo of Stuart on the left and Charlie on the right ©Michael Kelly
When John Milton wrote his classic book Paradise Lost, I can surely suggest that the vineyards of Smith-Madrone is where Paradise are found! Rather than Adam and Eve, it is about two brothers Charlie and Stuart Smith. You could not find two more intriguing, knowledgeable, humorous and imaginative persons working side by side since the early 1970’s! Last week I had the honor to sit with both of them for many hours discussing a wide range of topics about Smith-Madrone Vineyards, wine making, vineyard management, soil conditions, the historical Napa Valley policies, social movements regarding the wine industry and so much more. Personally I soaked in so much information I only wrote two brief notes while interviewing and talking with them! For me it was like a roller coaster ride that would never end with twists, turns, gasps, etc. The only thing that was missing were the screams, but they would have been drowned out by our laughter and at times intense conversation.
The Winery
Smith-Madrone Vineyards is located on 160 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 and the associate winemaker is François Bugué. Truly a family affair! All the wines are estate and dry-farmed on top of the Mountain. Currently their production is approximately 3,000 to 4,000 cases a year. They are producing Estate Chardonnay, Estate Riesling, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Estate Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc), as well as an Estate Rosé in some years.
Photo from vineyards looking east with Napa Valley below and Howell Mtn across the valley. Photo ©Michael Kelly
Stuart has his own proprietary trellis system being 4 cross bars for canopy management. The first bar at the fruit is twelve inches wide, the next going up is eighteen inches, the next being twenty-four inches and the top cross section being thirty-six inches.
Stu has experimented with as many as seven different vineyard spacing’s ranging from 12 feet between rows and 6 feet between vines and 8-feet between rows with 5-feet between vines. Their most common spacing is 10-feet between rows with 5-feet between vines. The type and quality of soil determines the vineyard spacing. The fruiting wire is 38-40 inches above the ground. If the vines are cordon trained then there is a single wire to support the cordons. If the vines are to be cane pruned than the first cross arm supports the fruiting wire which in turn supports the canes. There are then three additional cross arms each 12 inches higher than the previous one. So there is a 12 inch X-arm for the canes, the 12 inches higher is an 18” X-arm, then a 24 inch X-arm and finally a 36 inch X-arm.
It provides flexibility to shade those grapes getting more sun and allows more sun for those needing it. While difficult to see the cross sections, you can see a uniformity in the development of these Cabernet Sauvignon clusters in the picture below.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wines – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Had a chance to taste a variety of their wine starting with a 2003 Riesling that was golden in color with an appropriate amount of sweetness being bottled up for 21 years!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Next up was a 2010 Riesling. A tad lighter and with many of the same qualities of their 2019. See a previous written story on their 2019 Riesling at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/03/24/2019-smith-madrone-riesling-a-classic-riesling/
Photo ©Michael Kelly
We moved on to their red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and their premier Cooks Flat, a Bordeaux inspired blend. I had not previously tasted their red wines and this was a delightful experience. These were not “cookie cutter” varietals, each possessed a distinct earthiness and roughness, yet was smooth as a royal red carpet for the palate. Each came with their own structure and layers and finished with meaty tannins that begged another sip.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Besides the wines already mentioned they produce a 2019 Chardonnay, 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2023 Rosé made with a 50/50 blend of Merlot & Cabernet Franc.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
This is where I normally talk about a food and wine pairing meal. That is yet to come and will be with their 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon soon!
Sláinte,
Michael
August 14, 2024 at 7:02 pm
These guys are great!!Dave