Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews

JamesSuckling.com, May 15, 2014

90 points: Velvety tannins, stylish

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

90 points: Lots of subtle mint and currant character here. Full body, velvety tannins and a soft, juicy finish. A stylish, almost traditional Napa Cabernet. 

http://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-notes/smith-madrone-napa-valley-spring-mountain-district-/32091/

June 3, 2014, Eatocracy by Ray Isle

Impressive focus and structure

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

June 3, 2014, Eatocracy (CNN)

Here are some splurge-worthy suggestions from some of the world’s great wine regions. They’re a little pricey, but on the bright side, you could buy more than 5,000 bottles of any one of them for what you just paid to raise your newly minted graduate.
Charles and Stu Smith’s vineyards high up in the Spring Mountain District AVA create a polished Cabernet with impressive focus and structure. Drink it now, or keep it until child #2 graduates. Or #3. Or even #4. Seriously.

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2014/06/03/commence-drinking-better-and-pricier-wine/

Financial Times, May 9, 2014, by Jancis Robinson

A wine of intrigue

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Something game-changing happened for California wine exports a few weeks ago. A cohort of British wine buyers who had previously associated California only with cheap and not very cheerful brands and unthinkably expensive and often exaggerated Chardonnay and Cabernet was exposed to something completely different. Not that the wines on show at an all-day event celebrating “The New California,” organised by London wine merchants Roberson, were bargains. But the wines themselves presented a completely different and refreshing face of America’s wine state: bone dry with nerve, tension, intrigue, geographical awareness, no more than 13.5 per cent alcohol and, in most cases, the promise of developing into something even more interesting. The day of tasting and presentations was named after a controversial new book by Jon Bonné, the wine editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, who led the talks.

Jancis’s picks: Particularly strongly recommended: Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Napa Valley. 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/564a3458-8829-11e3-8afa-00144feab7de.html#axzz31VjKGkN3

TheDailyMeal.com, April 25, 2014 by Roger Morris

Easy tannins

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

At a time when we may be lured away for spring picnic rosés and chilled white sipping wines on the sun deck, it is also grilling time — and grilled meats with their charred fats and pink interiors love red wines.

2009 Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon: A little rustic and traditional — neither a good nor bad judgment — with a somewhat lean structure. It has red cherry flavors, decided herbal notes, some licorice, and easy tannins. Pair with grilled ribs, pork or beef.

http://www.thedailymeal.com/red-wines-grilled-meats/42514

The Wine Enthusiast, April 2014

a place in the pantheon

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

94 points, Cellar Selection: Smith-Madrone tends to fly under the radar for Napa Valley Cabernet, but discerning palates understand its place in the pantheon. Vintages aren’t always kind to this mountain fruit, but in 2009, the conditions were just right to produce a wine of immaculate structure. It has firm tannins and brisk acidity, and the flavors are classic, suggesting blackberries and cassis. As delicious as it is now, this will have no problem aging 10-15 years.

BiggerThanYourHead blog by Frederic Koeppel, March 29, 2014

Always one of Napa Valley’s best and most characterful cabernets

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark ruby color; rigorous structure with mountain roots but such a pretty surface, violets and lavender, cassis, plums and black cherries, note of licorice; stout, robust tannins and dusty oak bastions; walnut shell and underbrush; gets dustier and more austere but still scrumptious; lithic chambers of blueberries, sweet smoke, soy sauce and barbecue; iodine, iron, resonant acidity. Drink 2015 or ’16 through 2025 to ’30. Always one of Napa Valley’s best and most characterful cabernets. Excellent. About $45, representing Great Value for the Quality.

http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2014/03/29/weekend-wine-notes-six-excellent-reds/

Enofylz blog by Martin Redmond, March 26, 2014

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

91 Points: dark ruby color with promising black cherry, cassis, blackberry, cedarwood, and a hint of cacao aromas. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, and vibrant harmonious with penetrating black cherry, cassis, mixed black and blueberry flavors, and sweet, well-integrated tannins. Long finish. Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 84%, Merlot 8% & Cabernet franc 8%. 13.9% alcohol. Aged 22 months in new American white oak barrels. This is a wine that's drinking well now, but will continue to favorably evolve over the next 10-15 years.  And it's the best values you'll find in Cab at $45! 

All the wines were simply outstanding.  Highly recommended.  And I heartily recommend a visit too.  The property is amazing (with breathtaking views on clear days), the Smiths are gracious, and knowledgeable hosts.  A good time will be had!

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

http://enofylzwineblog.com/2014/03/26/smith-madrone/

The Daily Meal, March 12, 2014, by Gabe Sasso

A wine of substance and refinement

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

The Smith-Madrone 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was made entirely from fruit sourced at the winery’s vineyard atop Spring Mountain. At the time of harvest, the vines had 37 years of age on them. In addition to cabernet sauvignon (84 percent), there is some merlot (8 percent), and cabernet franc (8 percent) blended in. Barrel aging took place over 22 months in a combination of new and once used French oak. They bottled 1,302 cases of this cabernet sauvignon and it has a suggested retail price of $45. Cassis and blackberry aromas fill the dark and somewhat brooding nose of this cabernet. The palate is loaded with deep and generous fruit flavors. Blackberry, cherry, and plum are of note. Bits of mocha and earth emerge on the substantial finish along with continued fruit. The firm and gripping tannins yield with some air, so if you’re going to drink it today I’d recommend 90 minutes or so in the decanter. One of the issues with some Napa cabernet is that they’re more like rocket fuel than wine these days. This isn’t a problem here. This is a wine of substance and refinement that you can easily pair with food or drink all by itself if you like. The Smith-Madrone cabernet is as good an example of genuine Napa cabernet as any you’ll find at irrespective of price. There’s quite a bit of great cabernet sauvignon in Napa Valley. But there isn’t one with the combination of quality and value that the Smith-Madrone cab represents year after year. At $45 it’s a steal. Most Napa cabernet at this level of quality and sophistication usually runs much closer to $100. That they have kept the price on this wine so reasonable is one of the many feathers in their cap.

http://www.thedailymeal.com/smith-madrone-vineyards-and-winery/31214

UpstateDowntownNY blog by Chris Matthews, March 10, 2014

Elegant

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

A pretty briar fruit nose, vibrant structure and a fresh berry fruit palate, finishing clean and long. Elegant. Comparatively Old World.

http://upstatedowntownny.com/2014/03/10/cali-mountain-wines/

The Wine Enthusiast, April 2014, by Steve Heimoff

94 points, Cellar Selection

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Smith-Madrone tends to fly under the radar for Napa Valley Cabernet, but discerning palates understand its place in the pantheon. Vintages aren’t always kind to this mountain fruit, but in 2009, the conditions were just right to produce a wine of immaculate structure. It has firm tannins and brisk acidity, and the flavors are classic, suggesting blackberries and cassis. As delicious as it is now, this will have no problem aging 10-15 years.

WineReviewOnline by Rich Cook, January 21, 2014

94 points: classic California character

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

94 points: You’ve got to love a Napa Valley Cabernet with this kind of quality to price ratio.  Easily better than many competitors that cost up to three times as much, this wine delivers classic California character, low alcohol and big flavor, with age-worthy structure to boot.  Brothers Charles and Stuart Smith have done it again, giving us blackberry and black currant fruit, cedar chest aroma, mellow spice and a long, well integrated finish.  No high octane cocktail wine here -- this demands a special meal.

http://www.winereviewonline.com/wine_reviews.cfm

Isaac James Baker's blog, January 2014

Equal parts guts and nuance

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 was a great year, wasn’t it? Over the course of the year I tasted a lot of amazing wines and toured many a beautiful California vineyard. As a writer for the daily wine blog Terroirist, I blind-tasted my way through a lot of samples in 2013, most of which hailed from CA. I found myself gravitating toward several producers who put out consistently awesome wines, regardless of vintage or grape variety.

Founded in 1971, Smith-Madrone’s winery is located on Spring Mountain, west of St. Helena. The operation is run by brothers Stuart Smith, managing partner and vineyard manager, and Charles Smith III, winemaker. They dry farm their estate vineyards, which line steep slopes between 1,300 and 2,000 feet in elevation. Their mountain wines are dynamic, lively and they show a refreshing sense of purity and minerality.

92 points: Dark ruby color. Aromas of plum sauce, black cherries, sweet vanilla, caramel, some nice forest floor and peppered steak. On the palate, medium acid and firm tannins. Currants and plum fruit lead the way, followed by some kicking spices, charcoal and an herbal, maybe a pickled beet note? Sweet vanilla and cedar, but not too much, and they’re matched by the fallen leaves and soil notes that come out strong on the finish. I love this tart pickle note. A unique wine with equal parts guts and nuance. Seriously impressive stuff that’s built to last. Includes 8% Merlot and 8% Cab Franc, the wine was aged 22 months in new American white oak. 

http://isaacjamesbaker.blogspot.com/2014/01/5-california-wineries-that-wowed-me-in.html?spref=tw

NowAndZin blog by Randy Fuller, January 22, 2014

An elegant presentation

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Stuart and Charles Smith - brothers who attached their shared name to that of the trees from which their estate vineyard was reclaimed - pride themselves on making wines of balance.  They are also proud to price their elegant offerings so they may appear on more dinner tables than those of just the one percent.   At $45, the Smith-Madrone Cab is not exactly a bargain wine.  It is, however, a value wine - one which could easily bring much more per bottle than it does. 

From Napa Valley's Spring Mountain District comes the 2009 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon.  84% of the grapes are mountainside-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, the other 16% equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  The wine is aged for 22 months in new American white oak barrels and is quite restrained at 13.9% abv.  Just over 1,300 cases were produced.  The vines are dry-farmed, which means the roots have to go deep for water and nutrients.  This low-vigor method produces small berries packed with flavor.  The cooler mountain climate helps keep ripeness, and therefore alcohol, in check.

The wine looks very dark and rich, but the nose shows equal parts herbs and fruit.  The blackberry and blackcurrant aromas seem carried along by eucalyptus and sage.  The palate is an elegant presentation of similar notes, with the flavor of cinnamon and tobacco riding herd of that cool-vintage fruit.

http://www.nowandzin.com/2014/01/smith-madrone-cabernet-sauvignon-2009.html

Purely Domestic Wine Report, December 30, 2013, by Doug Wilder

Sweet supple blue fruit

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Blue fruits, berry and plum with over-arching mint. The palate is firm yet full of sweet supple blue fruit and essences of mint, medium weight with graphite and forest floor in the core with bright acidity on the finish. Drink 2014 -2022.

Bacchus & Beery blog by Roger Beery, January 17, 2013

One of the best Cabs under $50

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

94 points: Blended of Cabernet Sauvignon 84%, Merlot 8% & Cabernet franc 8%, this is one of the best under $50 Napa Cabernets I’ve found. With only 13.9% alcohol, it proves that lower alcohol Cabernets can be rich and complex. From 37 year old dry-farmed vines planted at 1800 feet elevation on Spring Mountain. When first poured, this wine offers a leaner style with juicy acidity. However, after 30 minutes in the decanter or glass the full bounty of fruit and expression steps forward. Aromas of dark cherry with notes of leather and earthiness. Enough acidity to be a good food pairing Cabernet… But I preferred to enjoy it solo. Once fully open, rich flavors of dark cherry, blueberry, blackberry, black pepper spice, supple tannins and notes of toasty oak abound. Dark chocolate highlights the long finish.

http://wine-blog.bacchusandbeery.com/wine-blog/winereview/cabernet-sauvignon-wine-reviews/smith-madrone-vineyard-winery-cabernet-sauvignon-2009/

Terroirist blog, Isaac Baker, January 4, 2014

Equal parts guts and nuance

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

92 points: Dark ruby color. Aromas of plum sauce, black cherries, sweet vanilla, caramel, some nice forest floor and peppered steak. On the palate, medium acid and firm, gritty tannins. Currants and plum fruit lead the way, followed by some kicking spices, charcoal and an herbal, maybe a pickled beet note? Sweet vanilla and cedar, but not too much, and they’re matched by the fallen leaves and soil notes that come out strong on the finish. I love this tart pickle note on the finish. A unique wine with equal parts guts and nuance. Seriously impressive stuff that’s built to last. Includes 8% Merlot and 8% Cab Franc, the wine was aged 22 months in new American white oak.

http://www.terroirist.com/2014/01/wine-reviews-california-cabernet/

Vinography blog by Alder Yarrow, January 2014

Beautiful bright acidity

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Medium to dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of cherry, tobacco, and wet earth. In the mouth, powdery tannins wrap around wet earth, black cherry, and a nice green herbal note. Beautiful bright acidity keeps this wine lean, as does the deep wet earth minerality that underlies the whole package. 

http://www.vinography.com/archives/2014/01/vinography_unboxed_first_week.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Enofylz blog by Martin Redmond, August 26, 2013

My favorites

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

I attended the 23nd Annual Family Winemakers of California tasting, held in San Francisco August 17th and 18th (2013). If there ever was a time the vinous cliché “So many wines, so little time” is true, it’s at a huge event like this. There were 220 wineries pouring; after getting through the available Grenache relatively quickly, it was time for “Taster’s Choice” (where I basically walk around and taste whatever strikes my fancy). I tasted another 15 to 20 wines. My favorites, which I rated 90+ points, were 2009 Smith Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Smith Madrone Reserve Cabernet Cooks Flat.

http://enofylzwineblog.com/2013/08/26/best-of-ca-grenache-2013-fwc-tasting/

Snooth by Gregory dal Piaz, February 28, 2013

92 points

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Very fresh on the nose, with a little mocha cream, some smoke and fines herbs with a nice minty top note layered over decisive blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. This has really lovely bright acids in the mouth with transparent fruit that bathes the tongue with bright, tart, blackberry flavors that have just a little medicinal edge to them, adding complexity. There are nice, rich, soft tannins on the long finish which leaves a persistent echo of  black cherry fruit. This is young and tight, but wonderfully energetic in the mouth, with nary a speck of fat. Will love to watch where this one goes with age.

http://www.snooth.com/articles/the-way-of-things-at-smith-madrone/?viewall=1

Wines by Benito, blog by Benjamin Carter, December 16, 2013

Highly recommended

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

There's a long tradition of serving American wines at the Thanksgiving table, and I was particularly excited to serve the small batch bottles of a classic Napa producer. Dad slow smoked a full, grass-fed, Hereford tenderloin that was rubbed down with a spice mix and cooked to a perfect medium rare. I was excited to pour this wine with the delicate beef flavors, and it did not disappoint. Rich cassis aromas with nice elements of bell pepper and tobacco. Berries show up on the aftertaste. The wine shows medium tannins and a long, lingering finish, and should continue to improve for a few more years. Highly recommended, and make sure that you have friends and family around to enjoy it.

http://wine-by-benito.blogspot.com/2013/12/smith-madrone-wines.html

Creators.com, December 2013

Uncompromising integrity

General Cab Comment

Smith-Madrone Vineyards is owned and operated by Stuart and Charlie Smith, who founded the winery 42 years ago on Spring Mountain, overlooking the Napa Valley village of St. Helena. They make three wines: cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and riesling. The brothers have uncompromising integrity in the vineyards and the cellar, and they believe even great wine should be affordable. Hence, the Smith-Madrone wines are priced well below the market for estate-grown Napa Valley wines with so much history behind them.

http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/wine/wine-talk/fab-five-holiday-values.html

Food For The Spirit and The Soul blog by Robert Neralich

Intense...elegant...complex...accessible

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

An intense but nonetheless elegant wine with plum, dark berry, and cherry aromas that lead to beautifully orchestrated currant, blackberry, dark plum, and black cherry flavors accompanied by hints of mocha, herbs, and toasty oak. The tannins of this wine are supple, and its finish is polished and lingering. This complex but accessible Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon would be the perfect match for beefsteak or game.

http://www.robertneralich.com/2013/12/17/its-in-the-name-three-wines-from-smith-madrone/

California Grapevine, Vol. 40, January 2014

Highly recommended

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Medium ruby; attractive, spicy, dark cherry and blackberry fruit aroma with hints of green olive, tobacco leaf, and cola; medium-full to full body; rich, fleshy, blackberry fruit flavors with notes of sandalwood and vanilla; medium-full to full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Well balanced and appealing to taste now. Third place in flight of nine Cabernet Sauvignons.

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