Praise

AdVinetures, Chris & Alison Wallace, December 11, 2024

An elixir of Cabernet!

2018 Cook's Flat

Cook’s Flat is Smith-Madrone’s top wine and in 2018 it’s a stunner. The colour is deep red with just the slightest amount of bricking at the rim. An elixir of Cabernet! With 13% Cabernet Franc in the blend this is the style of wine that make Cabernet-lovers, Cabernet-lovers. Powerful, structured for the long haul, it is reminiscent of a classified-growth Bordeaux with its cassis flavours, cedar and earth secondary notes. This wine fill your mouth with flavour that stays there for a good minute after you swallow. The tannins have grip that creates definition without astringency. Swirling your glass brings out more complexity and lets those earthy and forest notes take turns coming to the fore. Though it can be approached now, it is on its way up and likely to be even more rewarding as the years and even decades roll by. Extraordinary.
https://advinetures.ca/smith-madrone-vineyards-rooted-in-resilience/

The Wine Advocate, Joe Czerwinski, October 17, 2024

Excellent

2018 Cook's Flat

92 points: Matured in 100% new French oak, the current release 2018 Cook's Flat Reserve is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc. There are fewer than 200 cases of this excellent wine, which combines soft oaky and mossy nuances with hints of sage and bay leaf, and it underscores those with a solid base of cassis fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, softly tannic and long on the finish.
https://www.robertparker.com/wines/cTkiN2gSBx6LBsdrk/cooks-flat-reserve-2018

Jim Gordon, JamesSuckling.com, July 2024

Inviting and polished

2019 Cook's Flat

93 Points: An inviting and polished nose with aromas of dark cherries, cocoa, plums and tobacco leaves. The palate is full-bodied with finely integrated tannins and fresh acidity complemented by complex notes of blackcurrants, cigar box, eucalyptus and dried herbs. Drink or hold.
https://www.jamessuckling.com/tasting-notes/268192/smith-madrone-cabernet-sauvignon-napa-valley-spring-mountain-district-cooks-flat-reserve-2019

Fabulous California, Alison Batz, June 5, 2024

Elegant and rare

2018 Cook's Flat

Elegant and rare, a gift of this silky, sensational limited-edition wine will surely honor a similarly elegant dad, especially as it comes tissue-wrapped with a copy of the U.S. Land Office patent signed by President Chester Arthur.
https://fabulouscalifornia.com/uncategorized/16-california-wines-for-fathers-day/

Sultan Khalid, Yahoo Finance, January 24, 2024

A splendid wine

2019 Cook's Flat

Very dark in color with a deep, dark aroma to match, this 2019 vintage is a high quality blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, aged for 18 months in 100% new French Oak barrels. This is a splendid wine, filled with riches that can only add luster to the wonderful achievements of Smith-Madrone’s Cook’s Flat Reserve line-up. Cook’s Flat Reserve represents the family-owned Napa Valley winery’s uncompromising pursuit of perfection in winemaking. Each bottle is numbered and tissue wrapped with a copy of the U.S. Land Office patent which was signed by President Chester A. Arthur, granting ownership of the land to George Cook. This name was picked in tribute to George Cook, the first owner of the property and the person who originally planted the vines there in the 1880s. This wine is a Great Value Wine for the Money.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-wines-aren-t-cheap-164202711.html?guccounter=1

Jeff Kralik, The Drunken Cyclist, January 24, 2024

Extraordinary. Whoa.

2019 Cook's Flat

This was my first time tasting the Cook’s Flat Reserve and it was certainly memorable but by the time it was in my glass, Charlie was going full-on Smith Brother and was recounting a story about making wine “back in the day” in Napa Valley. Thus, I do not have a more “professional” assessment other than: Whoa. Really fantastic. Off the charts in flavor and richness. Extraordinary. 97 Points.
https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2024/01/24/i-finally-made-it-up-to-smith-madrone/

International Wine Review, Don Winkler, November 2, 2023

Silky and pure with a gorgeous full mouth feel

2019 Cook's Flat

Dark red. Unusually elegant for a mountain Cabernet but with fine tannic grip and a deep palate that suggests a long and interesting life. If only I were a rock musician with a bank account that would allow me to purchase a case and open one bottle every 18 months! It opens with an emphatic nose of dark cassis, black pepper and minerals. Silky and pure with a gorgeous, full mouth feel, this wine isn’t shy on flavor, but it’s more about elegance than power. I would suggest aging in cellar a couple of years, but if you must drink it now, be sure to decant. Dry-farmed 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc sourced from a mountaintop parcel planted in 1972 [originally planted by George Cook in the 1880s], matured 18 months in 100% new French oak.
https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2023/11/02/smith-madrone-of-napa-valleys-spring-mountain-current-releases-autumn-2023/

Bin 412, Eric Hiltz, October 12, 2023

A crowning jewel

2019 Cook's Flat

The Cook's Flat Reserve, a crowning jewel in their portfolio, was a symphony of blackberry, plum, black currant and all the other dark fruits you can imagine. This wine epitomized their meticulous approach to blending, resulting in a wine of depth, complexity, and exceptional aging potential. The final blend consisted of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, but as mentioned earlier, that 10% overdelivers in amazing ways providing tremendous perfumed floral notes on the nose and noticeable elegance on the palate.
https://bin412.com/blog/f/a-visit-to-smith-madrone-winery

Mark Oldman, Instagram, January 30, 2023

Elegant and savory

2016 Cook's Flat

Wine Myth No. 354: If it's expensive and red and from Napa, it going to be a gigantic oak bomb. No no no! Just had the 2013 Smith-Madrone "Cook's Flat Reserve," which is dark and concentrated but also elegant and savory. Hints of herbs and cigar box mingle with dark berry fruit on this zesty and markedly minerally wine. This Cabernet Franc-dominated blend is anything but a big bruiser.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoDeuvmpCE8/

International Wine Review, Don Winkler, August 13, 2022

An elegant expression of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Cook's Flat

94 points: Named after George Cook, who planted this 8 acre parcel on the top of Spring Mountain in the 1880s, this is a singular, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing dark cassis and slate like minerals on the nose, it’s refined and light on its feet in the mouth, yet packed with flavor. An elegant expression of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from a mountain top parcel replanted in 1972. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2022/08/13/current-and-new-releases-of-cabernet-sauvignon-california-chile-argentina-and-elsewhere/

The Wine Advocate, May 31, 2022

Smooth and silky

2012 Cook's Flat

93 points: Give it a quick splash in a decanter prior to serving, as it comes out of the bottle with some slightly tarry, black-olive notes, but those give way to more friendly, appealing scents of cedar, cassis and tobacco with air. Like the rest of the wines from Smith-Madrone, acidity plays a prominent role, providing a spine to support aging. It's medium-bodied, smooth and silky yet still firm and crisp, with fresh, herbal overtones on the softly tannic finish.

The Wine Advocate, May 31, 2022

Concentrated, complex and savory

2013 Cook's Flat

95 points: The 2013 Cook's Flat Reserve features perfectly integrated cedar, vanilla and tobacco-tinged cigar box notes with cassis and cherry fruit. It's medium to full-bodied, supple and silky with maturity, yet it still has plenty of life ahead of it. Concentrated, complex and savory, it's a classic mountain Cabernet from a great vintage that can be consumed now and over the next 15 years or so.

Don Winkler, International Wine Review, January 20, 2022

Elegant expression of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Cook's Flat

94 points: Named after George Cook, who planted this 8 acre parcel on the top of Spring Mountain in the 1880s, this is a singular, expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. Showing dark cassis and slate like minerals on the nose, it’s refined and light on its feet in the mouth, yet packed with flavor. An elegant expression of mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from a mountain top parcel replanted in 1972. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2022/01/19/smith-madrone-wine-fire-and-economics-in-napa/

Martin Redmond, Enofylz, Instagram, September 2, 2021

Exceptional

2016 Cook's Flat

This exceptional wine pours an opaque garnet with effusive aromas of black and blue fruit, cassis, tobacco and spice. On the palate it's medium-bodied, elegant, and complex with a supple texture and well -integrated polished, sweet tannins. It shows rich black cherry, ripe black and blueberries, and spice flavors with a long, and very appealing delicious finish. A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon (46%) Cabernet Franc. This world-class wine is made in very limited quantities from the best vintages from their best estate blocks. With decanting, it's approachable now, but will handsomely reward cellaring.
When the Smith brothers bootstrapped the purchase of a 200 acre ranch on Spring Mountain, in the Napa Valley in 1971, it included a vineyard that had been planted over a century before. But the forest had reclaimed much of the land. The brothers had to call in loggers to clear patches of land that would become vineyards.
They sustainably farm 34 acres situated at elevations between 1,300 and 2,000 feet, on steep slopes which range up to 35%. Their estate vineyards are planted to primarily (in ascending order) Riesling, Chardonnay.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTVgsOXPzqB/

WineReviewOnline, Rich Cook, August 24, 2021

Don't hesitate

2016 Cook's Flat

98 points: Looking back at my review of the 2007 vintage of this wine – it’s first – I’m struck by the fact that I could say virtually the same words about this vintage. The blend is different, but the result is strikingly similar. A wine not made in every vintage, it’s only separated out from the rest of the Cabernet program when Stu and Charlie decide that it can do what it’s done here. There’s a “drink me now” aspect to this wine that’s undeniable, which of course can be dangerous to any plans to hold it long term. That said, I’d still recommend betting on this to have a reasonably long run, so if you’re the trophy hunter type who lives for the magic of a fully evolved masterpiece, don’t hesitate.
http://winereviewonline.com/wine_reviews.cfm

Austin Beeman blog, December 28, 2020

Seriously luxurious taste of Napa Valley's Mountains

2016 Cook's Flat

One of my 12 most memorable wines of 2020. A red blend patterned after Bordeaux, this is a seriously luxurious taste of Napa Valley’s Mountains with just enough structure to keep from descending into goo. Pretty great stuff.
http://www.austinbeeman.com/blog/memorable2020

WineTravelEats, Amber Burke, July 17, 2020

Long and luxurious finish

2016 Cook's Flat

The Cook’s Flat Reserve is their premium limited release Cabernet Sauvignon blend (54% Cabernet Sauvignon 46% Cabernet Franc). This is a special wine for special occasions. Smith-Madrone does not make this wine every year, instead only producing small quantities from outstanding vintage years. On the nose, you will find beautiful aromas of forest fruits, damsons, black currants, tobacco leaf, and spice. This complex and sumptuous medium-bodied wine shines brightly in the glass with its silky texture and well-integrated tannins. It has a long and luxurious finish that will make you reach for your glass to take another sip. If I were to use one word to describe this wine it would be “elegant." It is just that good. I’d love this wine with a venison stew. It would be lovely with any kind of game like elk or boar. Beef Wellington also comes to mind as a wonderful pairing option. This is a wine for sharing and making memories with those you love.
https://napafoodandvine.com/zooming-with-smith-madrone-winery-and-vineyards/

Jim Van Bergen, JVB Uncorked, June 27, 2020

This wine is about a winemaker crafting top quality wine for an impassioned enjoyment

2016 Cook's Flat

Having tasted the 2009 and the 2013, the 2016 is poised to be quite popular. The 2016 blend is comprised of 54% cabernet sauvignon and 46% cabernet franc; it is aged 19 months in new French oak barrels. Featuring an expansive and glamorous nose, the palate experiences intense full fruit: red plum, blackberry, and black plum with a touch of cassis. Secondary and rich savory notes of tobacco, potting soil, aged leather, forest floor and vanilla tantalize the side and top palates, as the luxurious mouthfeel expands and bathes the tongue, offering greater enjoyment. An extended finish on this blend is more than satisfactory- I immediately began formulating food pairing and a wine dinner based around this bottle.

When I contemplate Cook’s Flat Reserve (which one does, with such a lovely glass of wine) this wine is about a winemaker crafting top quality wine for an impassioned enjoyment. What is fascinating about this wine is how delicious, enjoyable, and intense it is in its youth, for a world-class red blend that has Old World styling. For similar styles from Bordeaux, a wine would have to age considerably longer than four years to have any similar balance - but Cook’s Flat Reserve demonstrates great balance and structure along with the ability to age and still retain quality fruit, acidity and tannin. With a decade of age, that intensity evolves into refined structure with even greater complexity- so either youthful or fully aged, you maximize enjoyment with this bottle.

Should you be looking for a top-flight California red blend that speaks of the best of both the Old World and new world in great wine making, this is the bottle you will want to seek out. Like me, once you’ve had it, you’ll want to have several from each year in your cellar, to age and enjoy, while knowing you can still drink them young for an exceptional experience without having to wait 10-20 years. However, those with patience will reap the benefits.
https://jvbuncorked.com/2020/06/27/smith-madrone-blurring-the-lines-between-old-and-new-world-wines/

Rick Dean, StrongCoffeeToRedWine, July 2, 2020

A labor of love

2016 Cook's Flat

This is a special wine, a labor of love. It is created from a small group of the best barrels of the vintage. Since every vintage is different, you can expect the blend also to be different. The 2016 blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Cabernet Franc, aged 19 months in new French oak barrels. This is an expensive wine. A precious gift for the person(s) who want more than just a great glass of wine, but an immersion into the 1,800 feet elevation slopes of Cook’s Flat as well as the winemaking skill of the maker. Someone who drinks and contemplates the wine. They admire how it changes from the first glass to the last. I am not sure when the 2016 vintage will be released, but even in its youth, it is an incredible sip. I can only imagine what will transform in the years to come. Dark blue and black fruit aromas waft out of my glass. Black currant, plum, even prune intermix with earth and vanilla. The palate offered similar flavors and so much more, including a tad of dark, dark chocolate. We drank this bottle over two days. I wish I had documented the differences on day two. Shame on me. Both days were magical. This was special.

https://strongcoffeetoredwine.com/smith-madrone-vineyards-and-winery/

Nancy Brazil, PullThatCork, July 18, 2020

An elegant, complex and evolved wine that is still bright and youthful

2009 Cook's Flat

An elegant, complex and evolved wine that is still bright and youthful. Complex dark fruit and cedar aromas are followed with dark plum and red fruit flavors. Hints of cedar and pencil shavings add complexity. Tannins are silky smooth and the finish is very long. Delicious.
https://pullthatcork.com/2016/smith-madrone/

Wine Casual, Reggie Solomon, July 8, 2020

Mid-palate complexity abounds with subtlety of flavor and nuance

2016 Cook's Flat

94 points: There are red blends and then there are “red blends,” and this is the enviable latter. Deep-intensity ruby in color, this wine has an aromatic, medium-plus-intensity nose of blackberry, bramble, dried mushroom, black plum, leather, red currant, black cherry and violet blossom. On the palate the dry, full-bodied red blend has medium-plus-intensity, black-fruit flavors with a hints of leather supported by medium acidity and velvety, medium-plus tannin. Mid-palate complexity abounds with subtlety of flavor and nuance.The red blend you bring to a dinner party that will please you and the crowd.

https://winecasual.com/smith-madrone-vineyards-and-winery-cooks-flat-reserve-2016-an-enviable-complex-red-blend/

Gabe's View, Gabe Sasso, June 16, 2020

A joyous and hedonistic wine

2016 Cook's Flat

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) and Cabernet Franc (46%). Dark and spicy fruit aromas lead the charge here. Black cherry and plum flavors abound. Bits of kirsch liqueur and sweet dark chocolate drive the long and spice laden finish. This is a joyous and hedonistic wine, and like their other offerings is also well proportioned. Drinking Cook’s Flat Reserve brings to mind the term, Excess in Moderation. I’d lay it down for awhile, but it’s also hard to resist now.
http://www.gabesview.com/blogposts/2020/6/16/smith-madrone-simply-napas-best-winery

Enofylz, Martin Redmond, July 7, 2020

Elegant and complex

2016 Cook's Flat

93 points: Opaque garnet with effusive aromas of black and blue fruit, cassis, tobacco and spice. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, elegant, and complex with a supple texture and well -integrated polished, sweet tannins. It shows rich black cherry, ripe black and blueberries, and spice flavors with a long, and very appealing delicious finish. A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon (46%) Cabernet Franc. The wine is made in very limited quantities from the best vintages from their best blocks. This is an exceptional wine that is approachable now, but will handsomely reward cellaring. The proprietary name “Cook’s Flat is an homage to George Cook, the first owner of the property. ‘Cook’s Flat’ was the local oldtimers’ name for the eight-acre plateau-like vineyard block which was replanted in 1972.
https://enofylzwineblog.com/2020/07/07/a-splendid-virtual-tasting-with-smith-madrones-stu-smith/

Lauren Walsh, TheSwirlingDervish, July 1, 2020

Exquisitely balanced, this wine is a hedonistic pleasure

2016 Cook's Flat

Made in preciously small quantities only in superior vintages, Cook’s Flat Reserve is modeled on the world-famous first growth wines of Bordeaux. Always a blend of the finest barrels, the 2016 brings together Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) and Cabernet Franc (46%) in a medley of ripe black fruit, tobacco, baking spices, and sun-warmed earth. Exquisitely balanced with moderate acidity and tannin, this wine is a hedonistic pleasure to drink now but would reward the patient oenophile who can put it away for a few more years. A simple meal of grilled steak and baked potatoes allowed the Cook’s Flat Reserve to shine. Only 111 cases of the 2016 were made, and each bottle is individually numbered. Available only via the winery (for now) count yourself among the lucky few if you manage to score a bottle. I’m still thinking about this wine two weeks after tasting it. Yeah, it’s that good.
https://theswirlingdervish.com/2020/07/01/the-folks-at-smith-madrone-my-kind-of-wine-people/

Grape-Experiences, Cindy Rynning, July 5, 2020

A brilliant, balanced blend

2016 Cook's Flat

A brilliant, balanced blend, this wine can be served at a star-studded dinner party or at relaxed backyard gathering with your favorite wine lovers. Stu Smith explained that they “have fun with this project. The name is an homage to George Cook, the first legal owner of the property the Smith family purchased in 1971, and indicates the 8-acre parcel (named Cook’s Flat) of the 200 acres purchased. The concept started with the 2007 vintage. We didn’t want to make big, bold California Cabernet. Instead, we wanted to make a wine to compete with First Growth Bordeaux. We only produce this wine when the vintage year is superior and each year the blend is different. The 2016 is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Cabernet Franc. We’ll release the wine when we want to….” Rich and full, I discovered intense aromas of dark and juicy plums, black cherries and hint of earth. On the creamy, textured palate, notes of blackberries, dark chocolate, currants, sweet tobacco, baking spices and slightest hint of green tea rested on a foundation of soft tannins and moderate acidity. The finish was exceptional. Stu suggested, “Cook’s Flat Reserve 2016 can age 15-20 years. It’s elegant, soft, sophisticated.” Only 130 cases of this wine were produced; my bottle was stamped 1352 of 1560.
http://www.grape-experiences.com/2020/07/convictions-beliefs-wines-smith-madrone-vineyards-winery/

Dallas Wine Chick, Melanie Ofenloch, July 5, 2020

Elegant and nuanced

2016 Cook's Flat

The Cook’s Flat Reserve represents the best barrels from the best lots and is made in certain vintages. It reflects the heritage of the first winery on the property — Cook’s Flat was the name used by locals for the vineyard planted by George Cook. This was elegant and nuanced with blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, tobacco, spice and earth. At $225, it is a special occasion wine, but worth it. In talking with Stu and tasting these wines, the word that comes to mind is authentic. As Stu put it, “Mother nature is our stamp and with her comes balance, complexity and elegance that reflects the terroir. Our goal is play in the dirt and make affordable wines that encourage discussion and make the world flow away.”
http://www.dallaswinechick.com/smith-madrone-humble-beginnings-unforgettable-wines/

1WineDude, Joe Roberts, July 1, 2020

Long, savory, supple, even sexy, there are no rough edges on this nuanced, fabulous mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc

2016 Cook's Flat

Cook’s Flat never really disappoints, and this latest release (with only just over 1,500 bottles produced) keeps right in line with tradition. Smith-Madrone’s top-of-the-line since 2007, “we set out to make the best wine that we could” and “put the cross-hairs on the First Growths [of Bordeaux],” Smith told us. This is meant to evoke a great Margaux, and it comes as damned close as any Napa Cab I’ve tried recently. Long, savory, supple, even sexy, there are no rough edges on this nuanced, fabulous mix of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Explosive despite its youth and tightness, this is the more focused, spicier, smokier, darker, and slightly deeper big brother to the Estate Cab. Nearly a week after the tasting, it was still drinking incredibly well from the bottle, suggesting an impressive aging curve ahead.
http://www.1winedude.com/wine-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-part-5-courage-of-convictions-with-smith-madrone/

Gabe's View, Gabe Sasso, June 16, 2020

A joyous and hedonistic wine

2013 Cook's Flat

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) and Cabernet Franc (45%). Dark and spicy fruit aromas lead the charge here. Black cherry and plum flavors abound. Bits of kirsch liqueur and sweet dark chocolate drive the long and spice laden finish. This is a joyous and hedonistic wine, and like their other offerings is also well proportioned. Drinking Cook’s Flat Reserve brings to mind the term, Excess in Moderation. A mere 111 cases of this wine were bottled. I’d lay it down for awhile, but it’s also hard to resist now.
http://www.gabesview.com/blogposts/2020/6/16/smith-madrone-simply-napas-best-winery

Decanter Magazine, Elin McCoy, February 2020

Tantalising aromas

2013 Cook's Flat

94 points: Only 194 cases of this Cabernet Franc-dominant blend were made. Black cherries, tobacco and herbs dominate the tantalising aromas, which spill out of the glass. Generous and open, it’s not as floral or dense as the 2016 and shows a kind of savoury, briary style. Unlike the Estate Cabernet, it’s aged in 100% new French oak.Drinking Window 2019 - 2038.
https://smithmadrone.com/news/download-decanter2020.html

Advinetures, Allison & Chris Wallace, May 22, 2019

Ripe and polished

2013 Cook's Flat

"Cook’s Flat” is what the locals used to call the 8 acre plot planted in 1972 and used to grow the grapes for this red blend. This vintage the cuvée was 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, with roughly equal parts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Many Napa proprietary blends or luxury cuvées are distinguished by their power. The Smiths, always marching to the beat of their own drum, have focused on elegance in this wine. More toward the black fruit end of the spectrum than their regular Cabernet, this wine showed great intensity without any heaviness. The tannins are medium+, but they are ripe and polished. A rich mouthfeel makes it a pleasure to drink now but Stu assured us this has a long future in the cellar. With such precise balance, we have no reason to doubt him.

https://advinetures.ca/blog/authentic-wines-personalities-smith-madrone/

TalkAVino, Anatoly Levine, December 31, 2019

Phenomenal

2013 Cook's Flat

This might be how you spell “phenomenal”. This wine was a pure pleasure. Pure, hedonistic, unadulterated pleasure. This is the wine at the level of magic – you take a sip, you whisper “wow”, you quietly reflect on what is happening, immersing into the moment. Then you take another sip and repeat. Yes, magic.

https://talk-a-vino.com/2019/12/31/top-wines-of-2019/

Forbes, Michelle Williams, February 5, 2019

Words lack in describing this beautiful wine

2012 Cook's Flat

Seductive—dark fruit, highly herbaceous, baking spice, graphite, dark chocolate, and cedar; tension between power and restraint, balanced and layered with beautiful structure; words lack in describing this beautiful wine. Limited production, purchase direct from winery.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellewilliams/2019/02/05/valentines-day-gift-guide-the-10-best-napa-valley-cabernet-sauvignons-for-lovers/#491035a86485

Fred Swan, August 11, 2018

Layered and profound

2012 Cook's Flat

This special, single-vineyard wine is a current release, having been given extra aging in both barrel and bottle. It’s a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 17% Merlot from vines planted in 1972 in a historic, eight-acre plot. Only 112 cases were made.

The Smith-Madrone Cook’s Flat Reserve is layered and profound with classic Bordeaux-blend hallmarks. The expressive nose offers black currant, iron, graphite, dried bay leaf, mint and aged wood. The palate is medium-plus in body building to full with air. A plethora of plush, fine-grained tannins provide structure and carry flavors though the very extended finish.

While the nose is predominantly savory, the palate is fruit-driven with rich black currant wrapped in dark chocolate and accented by cedar. With air, the palate becomes increasingly savory, emphasizing mineral and bay leaf characters. The wine’s ready to drink now, but will age and gain further complexity at least another 20 years.

GoodVitis, Aaron Menenberg, December 15, 2017

95 points: velvety lushness and more

2012 Cook's Flat

...Here are my twelve most memorable wines from the past twelve months.

#2: 2012 Smith-Madrone Cook’s Flat Reserve. Stu Smith and his family are some of my favorite people in the wine industry, and among the most generous I’ve met. He’s also one of the best winemakers in a state known for attracting many of the best winemakers in the world. Cooks’ Flat is his reserve wine, which he makes during good vintages. It retails for $225. Given the region, that’s a steal for a wine of this quality and, in one of many manifestations, evidence of his generosity. I’m not a lover of most California wine, and I don’t get the California Cult Cab thing with its focus on fruit and tannin. Stu could care less whether his wines were considered “cult,” but it certainly tops the list of cabernets from the Sunshine State that I’ve had. The fact that any California cab made my most memorable wine list is personally surprising, but that it landed at #2? It’s just that good.

Tasting note: December 7, 2017 – This seems to me to be what Napa cab should be all about. It hits the palate with a velvety lushness, and is followed by waves of red, blue and black fruit that polish a core of dark minerals and Earth that broadens the mid palate and adds depth to the wine. The acid is towards the higher end of the Napa range, adding juiciness to the fruit and levity to the body. Unlike many California cabs, the tannins are well-kept and aren’t allowed to dry the palate and prematurely kill the finish. This is elegant and refined wine. Given the price of reserve wines from Napa, the Cook’s Flat is a downright steel. 95 points.

https://goodvitis.com/2017s-most-memorable-wines/

The Somm Journal, Fred Swan, December 2016-January 2017

Stellar

2009 Cook's Flat

Stellar, loaded with ripe, juicy black currant and cherry, plus cocoa and dark mineral. It's nearly full-bodied with fine, chalky tannins.
http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/759645-dec-2016-jan-2017/26

Fred Swan, FredSwanwine.com, November 23, 2016

A true pioneer of Spring Mountain District wines and is still going strong

2009 Cook's Flat

A powerhouse of black currant and chocolate which drinks very well now but will age for 15+ years.
http://www.fredswan.wine/2016/11/23/spring-mountain-wines-you-need-to-try/

Food & Spirits Magazine, Mark Gudgel, summer 2016

Some of the best wines I've had in recent memory

2009 Cook's Flat

Charles probably put it best: “We make this wine because it makes us really happy.” It made me really happy, too. A blend of 64% Cab Sauvignon, 22% Cab Franc, and 14% Merlot, this wine gets the best of everything during the winemaking process, and you’re sure to love it the next time you’re splurging.
http://fsmomaha.com/wp-content/uploads/FSM24_LR.pdf

NapaFoodandVine, August 16, 2016

One of those special bottles

2009 Cook's Flat

The 2009 Cooks Flat Reserve is one of those special bottles of wine you don’t drink every day. Priced at $200, per bottle this beauty is really what you would hope for in a mature Cab. Rich berries on the nose and palate, baking spices, weighty and rich in the mouth. We both loved this wine. It will continue to age beautifully for at least 10 years if not more. I would love the opportunity to taste it then. I think that this is one of my favorite quality Cabs I have experienced. It is a wine to be savored and experienced rather than simply consumed.
http://napafoodandvine.com/2016/08/16/smith-madrone-winery-and-vineyards-tasting-notes-post-100/

Susan Spinello, Live Left, July 12, 2016

Drinking fabulously right now

2010 Cook's Flat

Highly allocated 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc reserve wine that displays generous dark fruit, cassis and tobacco leaf. It has solid tannins and is exceptionally poised to lay down for another 10 plus years. But this wine is drinking fabulously right now.

There is something unique about the lay of the land and the spacing of the vines, something that is sought after, but can only be achieved by authentic farmers and longevity in the business. Smith-Madrone captures that and more, as evidenced by their superior wines and highly sought after Cook's Flat Reserve. Charlie revved up his 4 wheeler high-speed golf cart and took us around the property with Curly close behind...for a while. There is a unique 8 acre block of vines known as Cook's Flat (named after George Cook, the first owner of the property) where a small production of the best of the best mountain fruit is grown. Cook's Flat was replanted in 1972 and the result is a very special Cabernet Reserve that will only be crafted in small batches and only in the best years. Each Cook's Flat Reserve bottle is wrapped in tissue which has been printed with a copy of the U.S. Land Office Patent granted to George Cook and signed by President Chester Arthur in 1885. The original is on display at the winery.
http://www.liveleft.com/napa-and-sonoma/

Susan Spinello, LiveLeft, July 12, 2016

Pure gold

2009 Cook's Flat

Pure gold. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 14% Merlot, it sees 18 months in new French white oak, and is layer upon layer of dark fruit, black cherry, blackberry, cocoa, espresso and baking spice. It's more fruit-forward, but exceptionally integrated, and can lay down another 20 years, but I'm not going to chance it.

There is something unique about the lay of the land and the spacing of the vines, something that is sought after, but can only be achieved by authentic farmers and longevity in the business. Smith-Madrone captures that and more, as evidenced by their superior wines and highly sought after Cook's Flat Reserve. Charlie revved up his 4 wheeler high-speed golf cart and took us around the property with Curly close behind...for a while. There is a unique 8 acre block of vines known as Cook's Flat (named after George Cook, the first owner of the property) where a small production of the best of the best mountain fruit is grown. Cook's Flat was replanted in 1972 and the result is a very special Cabernet Reserve that will only be crafted in small batches and only in the best years. Each Cook's Flat Reserve bottle is wrapped in tissue which has been printed with a copy of the U.S. Land Office Patent granted to George Cook and signed by President Chester Arthur in 1885. The original is on display at the winery.

http://www.liveleft.com/napa-and-sonoma/

PullThatCork, Nancy and Peter Brazil, July 18, 2016

Elegant, complex

2009 Cook's Flat

An elegant, complex and evolved wine that is still bright and youthful. Complex dark fruit and cedar aromas are followed with dark plum and red fruit flavors. Hints of cedar and pencil shavings add complexity. Tannins are silky smooth and the finish is very long. Delicious.
http://pullthatcork.com/2016/smith-madrone/

The Daily Meal, Gabe Sasso, November 16, 2015

One of ten best Cabernets in America

2009 Cook's Flat

Quite simply one of the very best wineries in the world. Everything they do is top shelf. A few years ago they released the first vintage of this reserve wine, the first in their history. No surprise, brothers Stu and Charlie Smith hit it out of the park, but that’s what they’ve been doing for over 40 years. While it’s labeled as a proprietary blend, it’s composed of 75 percent cabernet sauvignon and the rest is cabernet franc, so legally it’s a cabernet sauvignon. Bits of toast and dark fruit dot the expressive nose. Blackberry, cherry, and more fill the palate, which shows off a bit more fruit-forward than their other red. The flavors here are layered and complex. Dark dusty cocoa, continued cherry, and a hint of espresso are all present on the finish. Cooks Flat Reserve is going to age well for at least 20 years, but if you’re impatient, pair with a standing rib roast this Christmas for a glorious experience.
http://www.thedailymeal.com/drink/10-best-cabernets-america-slideshow/slide-10

Napa Valley Then & Now by Kelli A. White

A very lovely bottle of wine

2007 Cook's Flat

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. Somewhat reticent aromas of pine, black cherry, black olive, sarsaparilla and graphite form the nose. The palate is rich and deep with great concentration and heft. A fine acidity weaves through the fruit, adding energy. A very lovely bottle of wine.
http://www.napavalleythenandnow.com/

Napa Valley Then & Now by Kelli A. White

Great

2010 Cook's Flat

75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. Though more modern than is typical for Smith-Madrone, this is a very successful wine that has preserved the signature poise and balance of the house. The nose offers rich cassis, tobacco leaf, wet slate, charcoal and a kiss of oak. Muscular and fairly broad-shouldered, with concentrated dark fruit, polished (though abundant) tannins, and a firm acidity. Great.
http://www.napavalleythenandnow.com/

Vino Con Vista blog, February 18, 2014, EveAnn Lovero

Outstanding

2007 Cook's Flat

Check out the Smith-Madrone Winery on Spring Mountain Road. Stuart and Charles Smith conduct the tours and the tastings. They have been in business for 43 years. Try the outstanding 2010 Cook's Flat Reserve from the Spring Mountain appellation where all the wines are estate grown and estate bottled.
http://vinoconvistablog.me/2014/02/18/16-spectacular-reasons-to-visit-the-napa-valley/

Sacramento Bee, March 25, 2014, Mike Dunne

Striking cherry fruit

2010 Cook's Flat

….the austere yet sunny Smith-Madrone 2010 Cook’s Flat Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon….I voted for gold for its striking cherry fruit and thread of minerality…
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/25/6266941/dunne-on-wine-judgment-in-geyserville.html

Bach to Bacchus blog, January 2013, T. J. Jones

Superb, big but balanced

2007 Cook's Flat

What I love about Smith-Madrone Winery is that they are totally genuine, the real thing, if you will. Honest, no pretensions, devoted to truth in a down to earth way that is not just admirable but inspiring. They also happen to make great wines, very unique with their own terroir, extremely well priced, etc. Their wines compare to the best in the world and the owners seem like some of the finest people in the world. I think of Smith-Madrone as a triumph of the human spirit. Meeting people like this and tasting wine like this are part of what makes life worthwhile. Inspiring is an understatement.

Smith-Madrone now has a Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. Smith-Madrone is one of the older wineries in Napa Valley, but they have never released a reserve before. Never mind that their regular releases blow away many reserves from other wineries. The Smith Brothers have integrity that is amazing. After careful investigation and years of research, they finally came up with the best block of their vineyard, combined with the ideal year and the utmost in vineyard management, harvesting and winemaking. It’s superb, big but balanced, with some very interesting Cabernet Franc adding its signature. Although it has great fruit, it is definitely terroir driven; unique, complex and interesting; it could not have been made anywhere else than on Spring Mountain at Smith-Madrone Winery. The Smith-Madrone 2007 Cook's Flat Reserve is an incredible wine!
http://bachtobacchus.blogspot.com/2013/01/smith-madrone-revisited.html

Fermentation Wine Blog, December 7, 2012, Tom Wark

The guys got it right

2007 Cook's Flat

Here’s something relatively rare in the wine business: An established Napa Valley winery that has never affixed the term “Reserve” to a wine….So, I was very curious when I heard that after 41 years of making wine up on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley Smith-Madrone has only now gotten around to releasing a wine they designate as “Reserve.” Here’s the thing about this undefined, ambiguous designation: The term “Reserve” CAN have real meaning that ought to give wine lovers pause. In my view, the guys at Smith-Madrone got it right. It strikes me that a “Reserve” wine must, above all, be made in small quantities relative to similar wines in a producer’s portfolio and must be made in small quantities because there is no other alternative. That’s clearly what’s going on at Smith-Madrone. Furthermore, what’s really compelling about the new Smith-Madrone Cook’s Flat Reserve is the promise that it will be made only when the quality warrants it. You hear this occasionally, but you rarely see it. Given the 41 years it took Smith-Madrone to put “Reserve” on a bottle, I have justified confidence that they’ll truly reserve the Reserve for vintages that warrant the designation.
http://fermentationwineblog.com/2012/12/saving-the-idea-of-reserve-at-smith-madrone-winery/

Snooth, March 7, 2013 by Gregory Dal Piaz

93 points: a pretty, powerful wine

2007 Cook's Flat

Smith-Madrone is one of my Napa Valley heroes….Their wines each represent exceptional value in an classic, age-worthy style. These are wines that every wine lover should try. They are as distinctive as Stu and Charlie, reflecting the kind of freedom of thought that heralded the golden age of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, showing us that it’s not over yet!

2007 Cook’s Flat Reserve: 93 points: Fruity and quite intense on the nose, with big black fruit that is deep and ripe topped with herb and carob aromas. This feels a bit like Bordeaux in the mouth, ripe yet perfectly clear, with great cut and layers of wild cherry, plum, and blackberry fruits. There are firm tannins, but this is so well balanced they are certainly unobtrusive. There’s a lovely lifted hint of mint on the back end that contrasts with the very fine edge of dry extract, adding richness to the vibrant finish. A pretty powerful wine that has great energy in the mouth.

Hawk Waka Waka Wine Reviews, June 20, 2013, Elaine Brown

offering the dignity and graceful presence deserving of "Reserve"

2007 Cook's Flat

After 41 years of winemaking, to inaugurate the anniversary of the original Cook’s purchase, and the repeal of Prohibition, the Smith brothers released their first Reserve wine on December 5, 2012. We’re drinking the first Cook’s Flat Reserve vintage, the 2007. Short of knowing it took 41 years before they launched the Cook’s Flat Reserve, the wine itself would answer the question of why make a reserve wine–offering the dignity and graceful presence genuinely deserving of the title.
http://wakawakawinereviews.com/?s=smith-madrone

Vinography, August 4, 2013, Alder Yarrow

Smooth, seamless, very well-balanced

2007 Cook's Flat

Medium to dark garnet in color, this wine smells of espresso, cherry, and dark bitter chocolate with hints of dried herbs. In the mouth very plush tannins wrap around a core of cherry cola and tobacco flavors that are juicy with excellent acidity. Smooth, seamless and very well balanced, this wine is tasty now but will be exceptional in 10 years.
http://www.vinography.com/archives/2013/08/vinography_unboxed_week_of_aug.html

David Rosengarten blog, March 5, 2013

Knocked me out with its balance and particulary its Bordeaux-ness

2007 Cook's Flat

About a week ago, I attended the annual Wine Writers' Symposium…lots of things rocked my world during this most enjoyable visit. One of the great dinner events of the Napa week was an event at Press, the upscale steakhouse…Best of all, however, was a bottle of Cab from a winery I thought I'd understood… Smith-Madrone…also on Spring Mountain. The 2007 Cook's Flat Reserve on my table—next to a sea of bottles from bigger-name wineries—knocked me out with its balance, and, particularly, its Bordeaux-ness. This 2007, for me, had the perfect reminder of Cabernet's true nature.
http://drosengarten.com/blog/napa-time/

Le Sommelier Fou by David Pelletier, blog, September 2013

Superb tears on the glass

2007 Cook's Flat

Deep garnet color, superb tears on the glass. Aromas of cracked pepper, blackberry and old wood, with a bit of currant. Good acidity, with somewhat firm tannins. Flavors of old wood, violet, blackberry, raspberry, black cherry and graphite. Long, dried raisin finale. Could lie down for one more year (or two), and be enjoyed in the following eight.
http://lesommelierfou.com/posts-in-english/2013-2/09-september/smith-madrone/

WineWiseWeb by Rich Cook, September 17, 2013

98 points

2007 Cook's Flat

Oooo... BIG score... You may have heard me wax poetic about the wines of Stuart and Charles Smith in the past — the late released Cabernet Sauvignon, the Chardonnay and the Riesling — always near the top of my list of Napa Valley producers, and always value priced for the region. Even at this price, this is a value wine, as it rings up for about one-third of the going rate for classified growth Bordeaux of comparable quality. One whiff of the first reserve wine in their 40+ year history, makes it evident why they chose this particular wine to start this new chapter. Often, the Smith-Madrone Cabernets take a while to come around, even as they are one of the latest releases in Napa. This wine is remarkably approachable after a short decant, and develops amazingly in the glass. Blackberry, currants, black cherry, dried herbs, judicious oak spice tones and perfect balance of acid and fine grained tannins are knit together in an elegant package that is sure to live a very long life. If you long for the days of extremely complex and age-worthy Napa reds, this is a wine for your trophy collection.

Upstatedowntown blog by Christopher Matthews, March 10, 2014

Layered fruit and earth should develop beautifully

2007 Cook's Flat

Bacchus amat colles— Bacchus loves the hills. This piece of wisdom comes from antiquity, when the ancient Greeks, then Romans, figured out that hillside vineyards, despite greater degrees of difficulty (challenging topography, labor intensity, erosion, etc.), often produce more compelling wines. Better sun exposures. Better drainage (both soil and air). More vine stress. Cooler nights. Lower yields. Higher quality fruit. At the March 2014 Wine Media Guild lunch, held recently at Felidia’s in Manhattan, members and guests were treated to some modern-day examples of this received wisdom, from the “mountain wineries” of Napa Valley and Sonoma County, including: Smith-Madrone (Spring Mountain). “We are trying to make the very best wine in the world” with the Cook’s Flat program, said co-owner Stu Smith (who attended and spoke at the lunch). While it’s still early days yet for the 2007 vintage, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cab Franc, the aromatic nose is full of high-tone eucalyptus and menthol, and the layered fruit and earth on the palate should develop beautifully with some cellar time. The overall key, according to Smith, is that the mountain fruit brings with it excellent acidity, without which “wines are boring and dull” and will never age well. Period. No argument here, Stu.
http://upstatedowntownny.com/2014/03/10/cali-mountain-wines/

Ellen Landis, Ellen on Wine blog

Silky texture, spirited acidity

2010 Cook's Flat

This multi-layered Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Cabernet Franc is intense right from the focused berry and cherry aromas that waft from the glass. The tight yet flavor packed palate offers up blueberry, black cherry, cassis, savory spice and hints of capsicum and a broad beam of tannins. Aged for nineteen months in 100% new French oak, the oak is ever present but sits properly in the background. The texture is silky and the spirited acidity keeps the wine in balance through the finish. This Cab, in its youth now, will continue to develop more fully with age.
http://www.ellenonwine.com/641

Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences, Vol. XVII, Issue 40, November 21, 2013

Excellent

2010 Cook's Flat

Unlike most other pricey wines, this Cabernet based blend isn’t overripe or so ostentatious that it takes its eye off the dinner table. The aroma has both red and black cherry fruit, and there is an herbal complexity that will add depth to the wine as it ages. Pricey, but excellent.

American Winery Guide, Martin Redmond, August 2014

2010 Cook's Flat

Alluring cassis, black cherry, toasted oak, and spice aromas. On the palate, it is medium-bodied, well-structured, layered and supple with promising black cherry and cassis flavors and a long finish. Excellent now, but lay it down for another 7-10 years and you'll be amply rewarded for your patience. It’s a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc. It was aged for eighteen months in 100% new French oak, and then aged three years in the bottle.
http://www.americanwineryguide.com/winery_reviews/smith-madrone-vineyards-and-winery/739/