Cook's Flat Reviews

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/

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