Producer profile

Smith-Madrone’s Spring Mountain

Charles, Stu and Sam Smith

and two Cabernets rarely make trophy lists His brother helped him log 2,360 cubic metres SMITH-MADRONE and have never grabbed as much attention as of timber, pulling out massive roots by hand. AT A GLANCE SMITH-MADRONE they should. That’s why I headed here to taste They named the property after its Founded 1971, their history and find out what’s going on now. predominant tree, the red-trunked Madrone. At Stuart Smith The antidote to California bling, this Napa Valley pioneer is known for its well-priced and the time the valley had fewer than 30 . Location Spring Mountain heritage ‘That was the era of the Joe Heitz model of ageworthy . Elin McCoy ventures up into the Spring Mountain District AVA to taste Mountain District, From downtown St Helena, it takes 20 minutes starting a ,’ Stu explains. ‘You studied Napa Valley to navigate the 10km of steep road and and worked at everything, as opposed Annual production hairpin curves to the winery, 580m above the to making money in some other industry and 36,000 to 48,000 valley floor – and that’s if someone who knows then buying your way in.’ bottles mith-Madrone is one of Napa Valley’s In many ways, Smith-Madrone is a the way is driving. Being a mountain winery is In 1972, the Smiths planted 2ha each of 15.5ha, pioneer estates. It was founded in throwback to an era before wineries central to Smith-Madrone’s identity and the , , dry-farmed, first 1971 by Stuart Smith, known as Stu, resembled Tuscan villas, before cult Cabernets wines’ personalities. and , all on their own roots. Their first planted 1972 who is here for this tasting (before cost $500-plus a bottle, and before Ferraris Scouting a place for a vineyard, Stu first Riesling, the 1977 , put them on the world Elevation 400m to 610m the Covid-19 pandemic) and is sporting a lined the streets in St Helena far below. walked this land in 1970. ‘I believed then very map when it was named ‘Best Riesling in S Soil Volcanic-based greying beard and impressive brush moustache The Smiths are proudly old-school in their strongly, as did Virgil in 43 BC, that wine loves the World’ in 1979 at an international Aiken stony clay loam as the morning light streams into the ivy- philosophy: the ageworthy, the hills,’ he says, ready with a historical competition sponsored by Gault-Millau. Grapes planted covered barn winery high on Spring Mountain. balanced wines they make, the reasonable overview. Old redwood stakes reveal vineyards They finally abandoned Pinot Noir, grafting Cabernet Sauvignon, A long table with a white cloth, dozens of prices they charge, and the homely way they Elin McCoy is an were here in the 1880s, part of a land grant to over the vines to Chardonnay in 1986, added a , , glasses and red napkins is surrounded by welcome visitors. The winery is the tasting award-winning George Cook, but phylloxera destroyed the vines reserve Cabernet Sauvignon named Cook’s Flat Chardonnay, Riesling French barrels stacked four-high. The oldest room. The guides are the Smith brothers or journalist and author and they were abandoned. Picholine olive in 2007 and a rosé in 2018. Wines produced wine on the table, a Cabernet, was made here Stu’s son Sam, who is now assistant winemaker. who writes for trees, 120 years old, frame a valley floor view. Estate Riesling, Estate 40 years ago. What makes Smith-Madrone so compelling Bloomberg News We head out to look at the winery’s 15.5ha and philosophy Chardonnay, Estate Stu’s brother, Charles (Charlie), is opening is its authenticity in a glitzy place devoted to of vineyards, some of which have 34-degree Spring Mountain District, an AVA since 1993, Cabernet Sauvignon, bottles of Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet. image maintenance. After nearly 50 years, this slopes. The soil is Aiken stony clay loam: is an area of the Mayacamas mountain range Cook’s Flat Reserve His beard and moustache are white. The two is still a small estate winery whose reds and volcanic-based, deep rust-red and studded named for the hundreds of underground Cabernet, Rosé engage in back-and-forth banter that whites reflect the beliefs of two men who don’t with rocks. While at California’s UC Davis, Stu springs. It is the coolest and wettest of Napa’s resembles a good stage routine. It feels like a tone down their opinions, controversial or not. joined with family and friends to buy 81ha sub-regions. More than half the plantings are

Napa scene from several decades ago. Though respected, the Chardonnay, Riesling Smith Meg Denny; Matthew Photographs: that stretch from 400m to 610m in elevation. Cabernet, but I’ve never found the wines ➢

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The Smith In the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, the estate red What’s next? 1998 Brothers begin ‘The difference brothers in was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, but they Sam Smith, Stu’s son, who sports a dark beard replanting the vineyard the 1970s planted Merlot and Cabernet Franc and added and moustache, now works full-time at the on phylloxera-resistant between American these to the blend in 2000. They wish now winery, but the long-term picture is as yet rootstock they’d planted more of the latter. Until the unclear. Simply making great wine, they say, is and French is 1980s they aged the estate red in French oak, no longer enough. 2000 Estate then turned to American because it cost less. ‘So much money is coming in that it makes Cabernet includes like the difference ‘But the difference between American and me wonder how we can compete against Merlot and Cabernet French oak is like the difference between millionaires who can lose money year after year,’ Franc for the first time between Baywatch Baywatch and Sophia Lauren,’ says Charlie – says Stu. ‘We’re not sports stars or celebrities. and since the mid-2000s they’re back to We don’t do Corinthian columns.’ They worry 2007 First vintage and Sophia Lauren’ French, and have reduced the percentage of that regulations and the costs of permits will of Cook’s Flat Reserve new barrels. The result is more elegance and drive small producers out of the business. Charlie Smith brightness than ever. For sure, they’ll continue to fight for the right 2013 Sam Smith, With the 2007 vintage, they introduced a to plant on Napa’s hillsides, a controversial Stuart’s son, joins much more expensive Cabernet Reserve wine, view to local environmentalists. ‘All things winery full-time Cook’s Flat, that shows off more power and being equal, the best grapes come from the share a particular flavour profile. Instead, the intensity. ‘We kept tasting expensive Napa mountains,’ insists Stu. 2018 Winery AVA is touted for its ‘mountain men’. Fritz Cabs that were just yuck. Cook’s Flat is our The Smiths know what matters to them, and produces first rosé Maytag, owner of York Creek Vineyards, once attempt to compete with the first growths,’ the wines reflect their commitment to make told me the district’s winemakers are freer, says Stu. The 2016 is their best yet. wines they like. After all, they always have. D tougher, more independent and contrarian – all of which describe the Smith brothers. Though Riesling plantings in the valley have dwindled to one twentieth of what they were in 1979, for example, the Smiths are A taste of Smith-Madrone: McCoy’s view committed to it, and their version remains Napa’s finest, with classic varietal character. 1 Smith-Madrone, Riesling, Spring In the watermelon-hued 50/50 blend of oak used for barrel ageing. It’s very much At the heart of their philosophy – and their Mountain District, Napa Valley 2016 91 Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the Cab Franc a mountain Cabernet, with classic success – are mountain terroir and dry £37-£40 Roberson, The Wine Reserve really stands out. Aromatically, it shows off structure, cassis and graphite aromas, and farming. ‘Think of tomatoes,’ Stu says. ‘If you Smith-Madrone’s dry Riesling has long luscious floral aromas of roses, and intense, deep, savoury red-fruit flavours with hints water them every day, they have no flavour. had a dedicated following and the winery succulent red-berry fruit flavours coat your of mint. The tannins are powerful but very The same is true of grapes. Avoiding irrigation is one of the few producers of the variety tongue. This is a serious rosé that would go fine. Drink 2020-2036 Alc 14.3% makes more concentrated wines.’ Given a time, in fact, he authored a website titled SMITH-MADRONE: left in Napa. It’s Alsatian in style, and this well with food. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 14.3% California’s recurring droughts, that’s a ‘Biodynamics is a Hoax’. A TIMELINE vintage shows a super wet-rock challenge. Since 2017, the Smiths water vines minerality, succulent limey notes, juicy 3 Smith-Madrone, Cook’s Flat Reserve, if needed at the beginning of . Old style, new tweaks 1971 Stuart Smith acidity and a round texture. It’s also the Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley While they are all-in on sustainable ‘What distinguishes Spring Mountain wines is founds the winery on first vintage available in hand-waxed 2016 96 farming, don’t ask Stu about biodynamics – structure,’ says Charlie, and Smith-Madrone’s Spring Mountain magnums, which makes sense because N/A UK www.smithmadrone.com unless you want a lecture on why science is so Cabernets have it. The duo championed the wines are surprisingly long-lived. This limited-production Cabernet blend For tasting notes of 12 more important to and winemaking. For unfiltered, unfined wines long before Robert 1972 Vineyard is Drink 2020-2029 Alcohol 12.8% is a selection of the best barrels, and the Smith-Madrone wines back to Parker Jr made the idea popular. planted to Chardonnay, vintage enjoyed a near-perfect growing 1979, see Decanter.com/Premium Below: Smith-Madrone’s Spring Mountain Their firm, balanced, complex reds show off Riesling, Cabernet Smith-Madrone, Chardonnay, Spring season. The dark, intense colour promises Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 cedary, herbal aromas and spicy-savoury dark Sauvignon, Pinot Noir Mountain District, Napa Valley 2017 89 more density and concentration than the fruit flavours and age for decades. The barrel- N/A UK www.smithmadrone.com Estate Cabernet. Explosive aromas of fermented Chardonnays are the opposite of 1973 Charles Smith, This was a rollercoaster vintage in terms of violets, mint, lavender and fruit waft out of 1 2 3 the oaky, buttery style, with distinctive floral Stuart’s brother, joins temperature, with oppressive heat on the glass and reflect the high proportion aromas, succulence and racy acidity. winery full time Labor Day weekend in early September of Cabernet Franc. The layered flavours But in 1997 they began re-evaluating. (not to mention the horrific October fires, are über-intense, and the texture is Phylloxera forced them to replant on resistant 1977 First wine, a which didn’t damage Smith-Madrone). smooth and concentrated. Wow! rootstock, starting in 1998, and the Smiths Riesling, is produced According to Stu Smith, without watering Drink 2021-2040 Alc 14.3% took it as a do-over opportunity. They changed the vines might not have survived. But this row orientation from east-west to northeast- 1979 The 1977 estate Chardonnay is a nice wine in a tough Smith-Madrone, Cabernet Sauvignon, southwest so the vines got substantial morning Riesling wins ‘Best year: it’s round and rich with green hints and Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley sun, but were shaded in late afternoon. They Riesling’ at Gault- lovely acidity. Drink 2020-2025 Alc 14.2% 2016 94 also changed spacing and trellising. Millau Wine Olympics £50 (2015) Roberson The early Chardonnays had been pretty 2 Smith-Madrone, Rosé, Spring The winery’s estate Cabernet is from austere, so they embraced malolactic 1986 Brothers graft Mountain District, Napa Valley 2018 90 mostly dry-farmed vines grown at the top fermentation and new oak, and about six years Pinot Noir vines over to N/A UK www.smithmadrone.com of Spring Mountain, elevation 550m, and ago added batonnage. They seem to have hit a Chardonnay The winery experimented for several years in this vintage the sense of place shines

Photographs: Smith-Madrone; Meg Smith Meg Smith-Madrone; Photographs: lemon-scented, mineral sweet spot. before releasing this first vintage of rosé. through – especially with only 45% new

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