Riesling Reviews

Rich Cook, WineReviewOnline, January 28, 2026

96 points: Masterful

2021 Riesling

96 points: Take a great vintage and a wine with a long and stellar track record, put them together, and you get something exactly like this. One of a very small handful of producers that has stayed the course with dry Riesling through years of market pressures, the Smith brothers deliver the goods yet again with this wine. Mixed tart citrus fruit, wet stone minerality, and hints of fennel and green apple dance on vibrant acidity through a long finish where lime zest is currently out front. Delicious now, and will age for 20 years for starters. Masterful.


https://winereviewonline.com/wine-review/smith-madrone-spring-mountain-district-napa-valley-california-riesling-2021-40/

Jeff Kralik, TheDrunkenCyclist, January 16, 2026

Outstanding

2021 Riesling

96 points: I have been fortunate enough to review the Smith-Madrone Rieslings since at least the 2015 vintage. I did not check, but I am pretty sure I open each note with just how incredible this wine is every year; it always makes me giddy (well, if I were actually ever “giddy”), and if I could do a cartwheel, I probably would. Why? Well, it is simply the best Riesling produced in the state, Charlie and Stu Smith are truly salt-of-the-earth kind of people, and it is still one of the most affordable wines in its quality stratosphere every year. This 2021 is not different. Nearly bone-dry with aromas of bright lemon and lime, a healthy dose of petrol, and touches of honeysuckle, hyacinth, and tangerine peel. Whoa. The palate is once again its beautiful, harmonious self with a near-searing acidity that more than keeps all the fruit in check. The finish is perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this remarkable wine, as it lasts for minutes, well beyond when you are ready to take the next sip. Most wine people would agree with me: Smith-Madrone Cabernets and Chardonnays are off the charts delicious, but the Riesling always steals the show. 


https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2026/01/16/the-random-samples-1-16-2026/

Alec Termer, AmateurSommelier, January 10, 2025

A mountain-grown classic

2021 Riesling

A mountain-grown classic of passion and character. This 2021 Riesling from Smith-Madrone is a stunning example of high-altitude winemaking in the heart of the Spring Mountain District. It pours a bright, pale straw color with silvery highlights, hinting at the crispness and mineral-driven energy found inside. The aroma is immediately captivating, led by bright notes of Granny Smith apple, lime zest, and wet stone. As it opens up, the aroma evolves to reveal hints of white flowers, honey, and that signature "petrol" complexity that defines world-class Riesling. On the palate, it is bone-dry and electric. A surprisingly vibrant line of acidity carries flavors of Meyer lemon and under-ripe stone fruit, all underscored by a deep-rooted sense of flinty minerality. ​ Estate-grown, this wine is a masterclass in balance and individuality. It captures the rugged, dry-farmed spirit of Smith-Madrone’s steep slopes, offering a refreshing yet sophisticated expression that will age beautifully for years to come.


https://www.instagram.com/p/DTS9zl_FGcv/

Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, December 2025

Great balance

2021 Riesling

Vines replanted over the turn of the 21st century. Stainless steel only. RS just 0.65 g/l! Lime and steeliness. Great balance. Really refreshing and fine. Ageworthy. Drink: 2024 – 2031.


https://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/wine-discoveries-december-2025

Jeff Kralik, The Drunken Cyclist, January 2, 2026

Yowza. Outstanding. Glorious harmony....

2019 Riesling

While this wine is six years old, other than a bit of color (I would call it about halfway between straw and yellow), this wine belies its age. Fresh, fruity, and even exuberant, this Napa Riesling makes even the most casual wino wonder why there isn’t more of the variety in this country’s most renowned region. Rich, racy, and refined, this wine starts with plenty of petrol and pear on the nose along with some kiwi, lemon rid, and minerality. The palate is quite tart initially, close to bracing, but it settles down quickly and all that fruit comes to the fore. Holy cow. By the finish, the wine has come into near-perfect balance and the harmony is glorious. Yes, this is fantastic, but it also could use some time, even a lot of time. Don’t get me wrong, this is fabulous now, but a grain of restraint would pay off as soon as 3-5 years out, or as much as 20 or more. Yowza. Outstanding. 96 Points.

The Top Ten White Wines of 2025. This is the third in a series of articles when I look back on the year that was 2025. Once again, I tasted over 1,000 wines in the previous twelve months, which boggles my mind a bit since that averages out to about three a day. As I contemplate the state of my liver, I also like to reflect on the top wines that I was fortunate enough to taste over the course of the year. Here, I present the best white wines I tasted in 2025.


https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2026/01/02/the-top-ten-white-wines-of-2025/

JamesSuckling.com, December 9, 2025

Such a delicious interpretation of New World riesling

2021 Riesling

94 points: Preserved Sicilian lemons, sea spray, kerosene and lime blossoms. Such a delicious interpretation of New World riesling, with some time in the bottle bringing complexity and nuance. The palate is textural and rounded, cut straight through with bright acidity. Long, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.


https://www.jamessuckling.com/tasting-notes/327629/smith-madrone-riesling-napa-valley-spring-mountain-district-2021

Tasting Panel Magazine, March 2026

Distinctively complex

2021 Riesling

Publisher’s Picks, 94 points: As succulent as it is crisp, with beeswax, linen, pear tart, honeydew, and lemon verbena. Distinctively complex with a hint of flint and a finish that takes you to coconut and tangerine zest. 



WineX Magazine, December 17, 2025

This bottle is hot...quietly dangerous...

2021 Riesling

Because subtlety is overrated and restraint is optional.

Let’s get this out of the way. This bottle is hot. Not Napa “yoga-pants-at-Whole-Foods” hot. More like quietly dangerous, slow-burn, eyes-across-the-room hot. The kind of Riesling that doesn’t slide into your DMs. It waits. Patiently. Confidently. Then wrecks your expectations.

Smith-Madrone has always played the long game, and this 2021 is proof. While the rest of Napa is busy chasing bigger, louder, oakier, this wine shows up dressed like it knows something you don’t. Which it does.

On the nose, think lime zest, crushed stone, alpine air, and that clean, electric note you get right before something important happens. On the palate, it’s taut, precise, and absurdly sexy in a way that feels almost unfair. Acid sharp enough to wake you up, fruit just ripe enough to flirt, and zero interest in being sweet or apologetic.

Pop culture tie-in? This is Succession in a bottle. Old money energy. No flexing. No explanations. Just power, restraint, and impeccable timing. It’s Shiv Roy in a silk blouse, not yelling, not trying, just quietly running the room while everyone else mistakes noise for influence.

Also, Riesling from Spring Mountain remains Napa’s best-kept secret, which makes drinking this feel slightly smug. As it should. You didn’t follow a trend. You found something.

Drink this with seafood, spicy food, or honestly by itself while judging everyone else’s wine choices. Serve it cold. Not icy. This bottle deserves to stretch.

Final verdict: STILL XXX!
If Riesling had a glow-up and deleted its ex’s number, this would be it.
Buy it. Chill it. Act like you knew all


https://www.instagram.com/p/DSYsPnsEcji/

Enobytes, Pamela Heiligenthal, December 15, 2025

Distinctly Californian generosity of flavor

2021 Riesling

Napa Riesling remains a rarity, which is part of what makes this bottling so intriguing. Dry and nervy, it shows the variety’s characteristic balance of fruit and acidity; green apple, lime zest, and honeysuckle…but with a distinctly Californian generosity of flavor. There’s a subtle petrol note that develops as the wine opens, and a finish that seems to go on forever. It’s the kind of wine that makes you rethink what’s possible in regions typically devoted to other grapes. Pair it with: Thai green curry, grilled shrimp tacos with lime, pork schnitzel, or spicy Korean fried chicken. The wine’s acidity and hint of sweetness make it incredibly versatile with everything from spicy cuisine to richer pork dishes.

Overall, Smith-Madrone wines aren’t trying to seduce you with power or overwhelm you with oak. They’re quieter than that, more contemplative; wines that reward patience and attention. In an era when so much California wine tastes like it could come from anywhere, these taste like fog, stone and elevation. Sometimes the view from the top is worth the climb.

There’s something about wines made at altitude that seems to carry the mountain itself in the glass. At Smith-Madrone, perched at 1,800 feet on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, brothers Stu and Charlie Smith have been farming their 38-acre estate since 1971, back when most winemakers thought they were slightly crazy for choosing such rugged, inaccessible terrain. More than fifty years later, that gamble has paid off in wines that taste like they’ve been carved from the mountainside itself—lean, focused, and utterly distinct from the riper, more opulent wines that dominate the Valley floor. The Smith brothers farm without irrigation, a practice that would be nearly impossible in warmer sites but works beautifully in their cool, fog-kissed location. The vines struggle in that rocky volcanic soil, sending roots deep in search of water, and what emerges are wines with remarkable concentration and natural balance. It’s old-school Napa winemaking; minimal intervention, native yeasts, extended aging, that feels refreshingly out of step with contemporary trends.


https://www.enobytes.com/2025/12/15/winebytes-smith-madrone/

Meg Maker, Maker's Table, December 15, 2025

Silken texture, modest acidity beautifully integrated

2021 Riesling

Stuart Smith founded Smith-Madrone in 1971, planting Chardonnay, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon on the steep slopes of Spring Mountain. Earlier this fall I recommended their Cabernet, and here’s the Riesling. Vintage 2021 is the current release, suggesting the winery holds onto the wine until it has a strong sense of self. As a Riesling it feels totally correct; in my notes I wrote “smells like Riesling,” which is not a given with so many American bottlings. It has that hydrocarbon note, like new plastic but flowery, as if the plastic grew on blooming trees. The texture is silken, the modest acidity beautifully integrated, and I got suggestions of dried flowers, tart pear, green tea, maybe green olive. I loved this wine and cannot wait to try the 2022 and 2023 when the winery decides to send them out into the world.


https://www.makerstable.com/p/notable-early-december-2025?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1043461&post_id=181369014&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1fsgt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

BiggerThanYourHead, Fredric Koeppel, December 10, 2025

Exceptional...another superb Riesling from the Smiths

2021 Riesling

Wine of the Day, No. 888: Another superb riesling from the Smiths.
According to the Wine Institute, only 77 acres are planted to riesling vines in Napa Valley. Fortunately, several of those acres belong to Smith-Madrone Vineyards, high up the slopes of Spring Mountain, where the winery produced 1,258 cases of the Smith-Madrone Riesling 2021, Spring Mountain District AVA. The color is very pale straw-gold; arresting aromas of lime peel, grapefruit, apple and petrol unfurl notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, graphite and flint; this riesling offers tremendous tautness, energy, elan and dryness on the palate, propelled by bright, vivid acidity and a scintillating element of chiseled limestone minerality; for all that, though, it displays lovely peach and yellow plum flavors, accented by the slight bitterness of apple skin and grapefruit pith; it digs deeply for hints of loam, honeycomb and lemon drop qualities. 13.5% alcohol. Now through 2032 to ‘35. We had glasses of this wine one night with green curry salmon with coconut rice and another dinner of cod and chorizo stew with potatoes, tomatoes and leeks — perfect on both occasions. Exceptional. About $40.



Nittany Epicurean, Michael Chelus, December 10, 2025

Good acidity and balance

2021 Riesling

The wine showed a straw color. Apple, lemon, petrol and lime zest all arrived on the nose. Apple, lemon, petrol and dried apricot piloted the lively palate that boasted a mineral vein running through its core. The wine exhibited good acidity and balance. It was light-bodied and demonstrated good length. The wine would do well as an aperitif or paired alongside a spicy Thai green curry




https://nittanyepicurean.blogspot.com/2025/12/2021-smith-madrone-estate-riesling.html

Nancy Brazil, PullThatCork, December 9, 2025

Incredibly versatile

2021 Riesling

Pale yellow with generous aromas of petrol, barely ripe pineapple and stone fruit. Flavors follow with barely ripe pineapple and pears with underlying dusty gravel and mouthwatering acidity. The flavors are very long and dry in a light body. 

Riesling is planted on the steepest hillsides on the Spring Mountain estate with an eastern exposure.

Mmm, so sippable, fresh and bright. Over the years we have paired the Smith-Madrone Riesling with everything from pasta to Thai peanut chicken wraps; it is incredibly versatile. This year it was Dungeness crab. We kept it simple with just a dollop of mayo and diced Calabrian chili added to the crab on a bed of butter lettuce and avocado with a light drizzle of lemon and avocado oil dressing. So fresh. So bright. Just like the wine.

Smith-Madrone Riesling shares the spotlight with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and most recently, Cabernet Franc. We’ve tasted them all and a thread of elegance runs through them. The Cabernet Franc is a real charmer and the rosé, not made every vintage, is brilliant. Wines are available for purchase on the winery website, or you can plan a visit to the mountainside vineyard and winery. The Smith brothers built the winery themselves using wood and stones from the property. It’s a piece of Napa history. 


https://pullthatcork.com/2025/refresh-your-palate-with-a-glass-of-smith-madrone-riesling/

Dorothy Gaiter & John Brecher, Grape Collective, December 3, 2025

Always impressive

2021 Riesling

We understand that Riesling is a hard sell to people at all ends of the wine spectrum — “It’s too sweet!” — but there are beautiful dry Rieslings out there with a delicacy that everyone really needs to experience more often. The always impressive Smith-Madrone Riesling — its inaugural vintage was 1977 — is beautiful and quite ephemeral, with a touch of herbs and waxy carambola peel and some salinity. Dottie compared it to a sea breeze. It would be great with pork or chicken, and very romantic on its own, too.


https://www.grapecollective.com/gift-for-a-novice-a-geek-nine-wines-that-will-impress-both/

Oded Cohen, WineSipping, November 30, 2025

Elegant and nicely balanced

2021 Riesling

Pale lemon in color. Strong nose of apples, lemons, limes, minerals and light diesel notes. Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity. Dry on the palate with a touch of RS to balance it out. Showing citrus, apples, pears, light earth, light diesel, limes, light grapefruits herbs and sea salt. Tangy finish with limes and herbs. This 4 year old Riesling from Spring Mountain is starting to drink nicely now, but needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Spicy and entertaining. I’ve had a few vintages of this wine, and so far the 2018 vintage is my favorite one. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and interesting. Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food. Crisp and better when not too cold.


https://winesipping.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/smith-madrone-vineyards-spring-mountain-district-riesling-2021-napa-valley-california/

Philip Kuo, The Wine Guys, November 29, 2025

One of the finest and most consistent domestic rieslings in our opinion

2021 Riesling

Honeysuckle, lime, crushed rock, green mango, peach, petrol, and green apple. Nice weight on the palate, rich fruit with a tinge of spice before the waves of sharp acidity and a mineral driven finish. This Riesling’s beauty really shines at a warmer temperature around 60 degrees, so make sure to not chill it too far in the fridge or ice bucket. While approachable early, some decant really lets the wine expand beautifully. Always a treat, one of the finest and most consistent domestic rieslings in our opinion.



https://www.instagram.com/p/DRoKXYTDmCm/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DRoKXYTDmCm/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DRoKXYTDmCm/

Michael Kelly, CaliforniaWinesAndWineries, November 17, 2025

Like a Lamborghini Revuelto...quality, elegance, craftsmanship

2021 Riesling

This picture of a Lamborghini Revuelto may seem a bit off to start a wine story, yet the quality, elegance, craftmanship and rarity of this car is tantamount to the 2021 Smith-Madrone Riesling. And as a bonus the wine cost $40/bottle as opposed to a starting cost of $612,858!

In the California Dept of Food & Agriculture Grape Crush white wine harvest in 2024 was 1,401,048 tons. The top four wines by tonnage were Chardonnay, French Colombard, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc representing 80% of the harvest tonnage. Riesling did not show up as a separate category in 2024! Why? Perhaps it is the “bum rap” that Riesling wines are “sweet”? This is the furthest from the truth with Smith-Madrone with residual sugar coming in at .021%.

The 2021 Riesling is extremely aromatic with floral notes and green apple on the nose. The aromatics were so intense they hit the olfactory senses after the cork was popped, and I was carrying the bottle to the table! A deeper golden yellow color than previous vintages with medium viscosity. On the palate, hints of lemon zest, mixed with stone fruits (white peach and apricots) tame the secondary flavors of lime citrus. A modicum of beeswax making it extremely mouth filling can be found. On the finish, the minerality comes through strong and pure from either the volcanic soil, or sandstone, limestone or the general rocky soil found on the property. The minerality and acidity is counterbalanced with the delicious fruit bounty. Coming in at 13.2% alcohol, Smith-Madrone Vineyards produced 1,258 cases. The current release is their 2021 and listed on their website for $40/bottle.

This vintage will make my annual Best Wines Tasted during the calendar year. This list is reserved for approximately 2-3% of the roughly 1800 wines tasted annually. It should be noted that Smith-Madrone Riesling has made this list for the last five years with various vintages!

Duck, Pork, Bacon, Chicken, Shrimp, and Crab are suggested foods for Riesling. Previously the 2019 vintage of Riesling was paired with one of my favorite dishes, chicken Pad Thai. This evening the dish was lemon garlic and shrimp pasta. It was prepared with fettuccine pasta and jumbo shrimp. Ingredients included olive oil, unsalted butter, minced garlic, Himalayan sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, baby spinach, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and lemon juice. The meal was accompanied by a fresh Cesar salad.

Rather than add typical red chili flakes, substituted Flatiron Pepper Company Calabrian Chile Pepper. Calabrian chile peppers are from Calabria, Italy and are vibrant and spicy. Known for being moderately spicy and yet bright and with a fruit undertone. Calabrian chiles are often preserved in oil which tends to mellow out their heat a bit, adding a noted “kick” without overwhelming the dish. This was the first time using this sample packet with seafood and now I am convinced of the value of these flavorful chile flakes. These Chile flakes come from New Mexico and are spelled with an “e”! Riesling, especially a dry one, is excellent with light and just slightly spicy pasta. The wine with its acidity and fruit, both complement and counterbalance the natural sweetness of the shrimp and cut through the butter and garlic. The acidity in the Riesling brightens the meal and refreshes the palate. The fruit notes (lemon, lime, stone fruits) enhance the flavors of the shrimp. The fruits also provided a refreshing and noted contrast with the red pepper flakes. This was an excellent food and wine pairing this evening!


https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/11/18/2021-smith-madrone-vineyards-riesling-perfection-of-a-varietal/

Alder Yarrow, Vinography, November 15, 2025

The most reliable expression of this particular grape variety produced in Napa....delicious....

2021 Riesling

Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of honeysuckle, beeswax, and mandarin orange peel. In the mouth, Asian pear, mandarin zest, and pomelo pith flavors have a stony, wet chalkboard quality as excellent acidity puckers the cheeks and makes the saliva flow. Perfectly dry, with just a hint of paraffin and herbs. 

Brothers Charlie and Stu Smith have been making this bottling of Riesling for decades, and it is the most reliable expression of this particular grape variety produced in Napa. Fully dry, and brimming with citrus and asian pear flavors, it’s delicious, and ages very well.


HTTPS://WWW.VINOGRAPHY.COM/2025/11/VINOGRAPHY-UNBOXED-WEEK-OF-11-9-25

James Melendez, JamesTheWineMan, November 13, 2025

One of the most exemplary Rieslings produced in California today

2021 Riesling

One of the most exemplary Rieslings produced in California today


https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7Kl-xS682Hw

Owen Bargreen, November 13, 2025

Outstanding

2021 Riesling

93 points: Sourced from the Spring Mountain District, the outstanding 2021 Smith-Madrone Riesling shows serious texture, weight and nerve from this warmer vintage. Ripe peach and kerosene flavors collide with green apples and copious minerals on the palate. This is seriously good stuff that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2033.


https://owenbargreen.com/blog/2025/11/14/smith-madrone

Catherine Fallis, Planet Grape, November 13, 2025

LIvely, zesty, tangy and sweet-tart

2021 Riesling

93 points: Lively, zesty, tangy and sweet-tart with notes of green apple candy, mango nectar, salted caramel and cream roll.


https://planetgrapewinereview.com/newworldwine_reviews/2021-smith-madrone-riesling-spring-mountain-district-napa-valley/

The Cork & More, October 2025

One of, if not the best, value wines in all of Napa....there might not be a better domestic Riesling produced

2019 Riesling

In my opinion this is one of, if not the best, value wines in all of Napa. In a region synonymous with $50+ Cabernets is this gorgeous, structured, ageworthy dry Riesling. But is it out of place? No, back in the 1960s and 70s Riesling was one of the most planted grapes in California. And for good reason. The grape has a super high natural acidity which is necessary to make balanced wines in the hot and dry climate of Napa Valley. Smith Madrone planted this Riesling in the 70s, and has continued to farm and produce the wine despite the falling popularity and reputation of Riesling amongst American consumers. There might not be a better domestic Riesling produced.

Tasting Notes: Lemon, grapefruit, petrol 🍋🍊⛽

Song Pairing: There’d Better Be a Mirrorball by Arctic Monkeys


https://www.instagram.com/p/DQP3gb-ksee/

SommJesus, Stephen McConnell, October 1, 2025

Pure distinct sharp Riesling with decades to go...the best New World version

2019 Riesling

A whiff of glorious petrol, then lychee and green apple but with strudel polishing--cinnamon and butter and nutmeg--this is no pumpkin spice conglomeration though, it is pure, distinct, sharp Riesling barely showing its age and with decades to go. This well may be the greatest white varietal, and this is arguably the best New World version.


https://www.instagram.com/p/DO99pkGkcq0/

Talk-A-Vino, Anatoli Levine, August 28, 2025

A pure delight

2019 Riesling

Light golden. Petrol mixed with honey and honeysuckle, a pure aromatherapy in the glass for a Riesling lover. Crisp, bright, honey with lemon in perfect harmony, clean and crisp finish with lots of energy.
A pure delight.

Stu Smith and his brother, Charlie, founded the winery in 1971 in the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley. When Stu was buying a property overflowing with trees, he was told that he was making the mistake of his life. But the best wines are born out of conviction - add perseverance, gumption, hard work, ingenuity, and imagination - just get all of these ingredients, and you might also be able to make some beautiful wines.

 


https://talk-a-vino.com/2025/08/28/beautiful-wines-of-smith-madrone/

Devin Parr, The Vintner Project, July 25, 2025

Dry, racy, vintage after vintage, never ceases to impress

2019 Riesling

We’re ALL in our white wine era. From crisp patio sippers to textural curveballs, here are bottles you need to try.

Mineral-Driven & Complex: These wines are quiet powerhouses — saline, stony, age-worthy, and built to beguile.

From arguably one of the finest producers of domestic Riesling comes this dry, racy selection that, vintage after vintage, never ceases to impress. Grown on high-elevation estate vineyards in Napa’s Spring Mountain District, this Riesling’s got Meyer lemon, orange blossom, and mountain minerals that all gracefully collide in a wine with serious lift and longevity.


https://vintnerproject.com/wine/white-wine-era/
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