Julie Ann Kodmur
Smith-Madrone Vineyards on Top of Spring Mountain, Napa Valley
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I have written about their wines often as their Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and most recently their Cabernet Sauvignon are not only in the upper tier of wines coming out of Napa but also reasonably priced as a solid value. I had contacted Stu Smith to do a quick visit not to taste the wines, but to update some photos for upcoming stories! I know passing on a tasting of great wines is not something I normally do but had my priorities. Stu still wanted to pour a glass of anything! Here are some recent stories on their wines:
Riesling
Cabernet Franc Story
Cabernet Sauvignon Story
Chardonnay Story
Left to Right: Charles, Stuart and François Photo ©Michael Kelly
The winery was founded in 1971 by Stuart Smith. Today the management of the winery/vineyards are comprised of him and his brother Charles Smith. Charles is also the winemaker along with François Bugué.
We hopped on the gator 4-wheel drive and headed out throughout the winery with Stu pointing out things of interest and asking him to stop so a picture or two could be photographed at various locations.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
When touring the vineyard, this is how close they came to losing their vineyard from the devasting Glass Fire just burning into their property. Recently Stu installed fire hydrants around both the winery and maintenance buildings. He also installed a sprinkler system on the roof of the winery. This was not a simple or inexpensive undertaking. He believes that this will help with “ember suppression” should another Glass fire with high winds occur.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Stu stopped to view how their Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were doing. These clusters when touched were as hard as marbles. In just a short time, they will progress to the next stage of their metamorphosis to get ready for the harvest.
Stay tuned for more pictures and stories that will be forthcoming.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2023 Starfield Vineyards Miner’s Inch Blend – A Surprisingly Great Find
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Starfield Vineyards sent out a bottle of their 2023 Miner’s Inch for an upcoming Zoom call with Tom and Rob Stinton, owners and winemaker for Starfield Vineyards. This was held on the winter solstice concluding the shortest sunlight day to the longest, with daylight expanding ending in the summer solstice. It was a metaphor for planning and renewal for the coming year.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I was intrigued by the 2023 Miner’s Inch (named for a local mine in the Sierra foothills from the Gold Rush days) as it was either a “hodgepodge of varieties left over or creative genius”! The wine consisted of 30% Grenache, 17% Aglianico, 14% Tempranillo, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Cinsault, 4% Roussanne all from El Dorado AVA. As I have previously expressed, I am not a big fan of “blends” yet have experienced some delish ones, this seems from reading the mix, a bit “far out”. Turns out it was wonderfully delicious.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes an iridescent red/maroon coloring that was beyond eye catching! I held a white paper towel behind it that only showed a portion of the color. Spice and floral notes on the nose combined with their Sierra Spice scents. On the palate is where this wine exploded with flavors coming primarily from Grenache, Aglianico, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah each being distinctly noted with each sip. Black and red berries, savory spices, smokiness, black pepper swirled happily in the mouth. The finish provided a bright acidity with checked tannins with a hint of a semi-sweet conclusion.
Only 208 cases produced and is sold for $38/bottle. SRP $38. They aged the wine for 18 months using 23% new French oak barrels and the balance being neutral barrels. This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines tasted for 2026 (Dec 16th, 2025, to Dec 15th, 2026). The conclusion is simply creative genius!
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
With such an all-inclusive blend, it was a bit of a shot in the dark which food to pair with the wine. Went with our chicken Pad Thai with a more spice than normal. The ingredients were fresh Udon noodles, virgin olive oil, minced garlic, cooked chicken, eggs, bean sprouts, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, peanuts and lime juice. The Pad Thai sauce included fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, siracha and creamy peanut butter!
Limes were plated to squeeze the juice over the top of the dish as well as ground peanuts and green onion slices. Accompanying the meal was a fresh garden salad. The meal was packed with a punch of flavor and warmth! The 2023 Miner’s Inch was a godsend. The wine was refreshing and quenched the palate from the heat of the meal. Every flavor in the dish found a partner in the wine blend!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics.
The Winery
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The winery was founded in 2012 by Tom and Rob Sinton with plantings of 31 acres on the hillsides east of Placerville, California in El Dorado County. They are located at 2759 Jacquier Road.
Map courtesy of https://uscountymaps.com/el-dorado-county-map-california/
The names of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of the region from the Gold Rush with wine names as Miner’s Inch and Rising Hope. These two are for a nearby mine.
The winery produces 17 varieties of wines comprising of mostly Rhone varieties (66%) and Italian (30%) and a few Spanish varieties. The vineyards have been farmed using sustainable and fish-friendly farming since their inception.
The winery name, Starfield, refers to “Star Fields”, sites where in their words “fruit develops the optimal balance of aroma, flavor and texture”. They also consider what they refer to as Sierra Spice, the aroma and taste characteristics that come from the western facing forests surrounding the vineyards. The local trees are Ponderosa Pines, Cedars and Douglas Firs and their oils provide earthy and woodsy forest aromatics from their oils.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2021 Smith-Madrone Vineyards Riesling – Perfection of a Varietal
Photo from Wikipedia & Lamborghini
This picture of a Lamborghini Revuelto may seem a bit off to start a wine story, yet the quality, elegance, craftmanship and rarity of this car is tantamount to the 2021 Smith-Madrone Riesling. And as a bonus the wine cost $40/bottle as opposed to a starting cost of $612,858!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A quick background on Riesling shows it is the 20th most grown variety and in “terms of importance for quality wines, it is usually included in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc planted worldwide” per Wikipedia. Riesling is adaptable to grow in both warm and cool climates with the flavors varying per temperature respectively of citrus and peach notes for warm, apple and tree fruit for cooler temperature regions.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
In the California Dept of Food & Agriculture Grape Crush white wine harvest in 2024 was 1,401,048 tons. The top four wines by tonnage were Chardonnay, French Colombard, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc representing 80% of the harvest tonnage. Riesling did not show up as a separate category in 2024! Why? Perhaps it is the “bum rap” that Riesling wines are “sweet”? This is the furthest from the truth with Smith-Madrone with residual sugar coming in at .021%.
The 2021 Riesling is extremely aromatic with floral notes and green apple on the nose. The aromatics were so intense they hit the olfactory senses after the cork was popped, and I was carrying the bottle to the table! A deeper golden yellow color than previous vintages with medium viscosity. On the palate, hints of lemon zest, mixed with stone fruits (white peach and apricots) tame the secondary flavors of lime citrus. A modicum of beeswax making it extremely mouth filling can be found. On the finish, the minerality comes through strong and pure from either the volcanic soil, or sandstone, limestone or the general rocky soil found on the property. The minerality and acidity is counterbalanced with the delicious fruit bounty. Coming in at 13.2% alcohol, Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced 1,258 cases. The current release is their 2021 and listed on their website for $40/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This vintage will make my annual Best Wines Tasted during the calendar year. This list is reserved for approximately 2-3% of the roughly 1800 wines tasted annually. It should be noted that Smith-Madrone Riesling has made this list for the last five years with various vintages!
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
Duck, Pork, Bacon, Chicken, Shrimp, and Crab are suggested foods for Riesling. Previously the 2019 vintage of Riesling was paired with one of my favorite dishes, chicken Pad Thai. This evening the dish was lemon garlic and shrimp pasta. It was prepared with fettuccine pasta and jumbo shrimp. Ingredients included olive oil, unsalted butter, minced garlic, Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, baby spinach, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and lemon juice. The meal was accompanied by a fresh Cesar salad.
Rather than add typical red chili flakes, substituted Flatiron Pepper Company Calabrian Chile Pepper.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Calabrian chile peppers are from Calabria, Italy and are vibrant and spicy. Known for being moderately spicy and yet bright and with a fruit undertone. Calabrian chiles are often preserved in oil which tends to mellow out their heat a bit, adding a noted “kick” without overwhelming the dish. This was the first time using this sample packet with seafood and now I am convinced of the value of these flavorful chile flakes. These Chile flakes come from New Mexico and are spelled with an “e”!
Riesling, especially a dry one, is excellent with light and just slightly spicy pasta. The wine with its acidity and fruit, both complement and counterbalance the natural sweetness of the shrimp and cut through the butter and garlic. The acidity in the Riesling brightens the meal and refreshes the palate. The fruit notes (lemon, lime, stone fruits) enhance the flavors of the shrimp. The fruits also provided a refreshing and noted contrast with the red pepper flakes.
This was an excellent food and wine pairing this evening!
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Smith-Madrone Vineyards are 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.
On the left Stuart and Charles on the right Photo ©Michael Kelly
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 6,000 cases a year. They produce Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc).
Sláinte,
Michael
2021 Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc – An Immediate Winner!
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
At the 6th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition, Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery entered their first ever Cabernet Franc. It was placed in the $71-$85 category for California Cabernet Franc wines. Two different sets of judges rated their wine. From the disciplined Professional Judges they received a Gold Medal. From the People’s Judges they received both a Gold Medal and Best of Category for their price range. An excellent result from their first release of Cabernet Franc!
Stuart on the left and Charlie on the right Photo ©Michael Kelly
I had the privilege of meeting with Stu and Charlie Smith in August of 2024. An encounter which is paramount in my wine experiences. For the full story on the meeting and topics discussed you can read more at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2024/08/14/smith-madrone-vineyards-paradise-found/ . It was at this meeting that I mentioned the upcoming 6th Annual International Cabernet Franc Competition and they were very interested in entering their first vintage.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
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, 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 6,000 cases a year. They produce Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic Cooks Flat (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) and a recently released Cabernet Franc.
Their wealth of knowledge about winemaking, Napa Valley varieties, Napa Valley politics (which there are plenty), and the history of Napa Valley is astonishing. I can only compare it to me with a paint by numbers canvas talking to Michelangelo when he was painting the Sistine Chapel. While both being very knowledgeable, they were matter of fact humbly quiet and with a great sense of humor!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
A quick background on Cabernet Franc in Napa Valley. Per the USDA California Errata to the Grape Crush Report Crop Year 2024 (dated August 25, 2025), Napa Valley crushed 3,682 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon. A small pittance compared to the 78,562 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes crushed. In California as a whole Cabernet Franc represented only .003% of the grapes crushed for 2024. Whereas Cabernet Sauvignon represented 15.5%. Many do not understand the resurgence of Cabernet Franc commanding an average price of $5,206/per ton vs Cabernet Sauvignon’s average price of $2,186/per ton. Cabernet Franc, while small in comparison to tonnage crushed, its price is more than double that of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon may be King of the varieties, but maybe Cabernet Franc should be the one wearing the crown!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Franc comes from their vineyards that have been “pruned, cultivated and harvested in the same manner, creating wines of distinction and complexity” per Stuart. The wine is 89% Cabernet Franc and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon coming in at 14.7% alcohol. The wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels slumbering to perfection!
This Cabernet Franc on the eyes is dark and intriguing beckoning the imbiber to come closer and partake of a sip. On the nose, aromas of violets and pepper are dominant wafting into the senses. On the palate, medium weight and creamy (not taste), but a texturally sensation in the mouth. Black cherries are the primary and first flavor that springs forth. Secondary flavors of smooth blueberries surround the palate with joyous “chanting”. On the finish, green fruit is not noticeably (pyrazine characteristics) but silky smooth and caressing tannins catch your attention for a tasty conclusion to each sip.
Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced only 153 cases compared to their world famous dry Riesling of 1,087 cases. The current release of 2021 will not be available long and listed on their website for $85/bottle.
On my previous visit to Smith-Madrone I was able to taste it prior to being released. Now having more than a taste, this wine will now make my Annual Best Wines Tasted in the calendar year. This now gives Smith-Madrone two for 2025.
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
Chose this wine specifically to pair with a seared (1500 degrees) and BBQ’ed ribeye steak to medium rare. Accompanied by a Yukon potato and sauteed Brussel sprouts with mushrooms slices. An excellent treat with the wine and steak being paired beautifully this evening.
I can hardly wait to taste their second vintage of Cabernet Franc!
Sláinte,
Michael