Riesling Reviews

The Wine Knitter, November 21, 2015

A feast of lime, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus notes and a hint of spice

2013 Riesling

This pale yellow wine is vibrant with lively acidity and is quite refreshing.  Aromas of stone fruit, apples, honeysuckle and a hint of grapefruit were present.  The palate was a feast of lime, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus notes and a hint of spice.  The finish was long with a creaminess lingering on the palate.  I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this at Thanksgiving! 


http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/11/day-385.html

Napa Valley Then & Now by Kelli A. White

One of the very best to come out of Napa Valley

2013 Riesling

The 2013 Smith-Madrone Riesling is stunning, surely one of the very best to come out of Napa Valley. An extremely floral nose of soapstone, quinine, papaya, smoke and roses greets the nose. On the palate it is both concentrated and elegant, with a very high acidity, though it does gain some honeyed fruit with air. The finish is quite long and wonderfully rocky.


http://www.napavalleythenandnow.com

The Drunken Cyclist

Outstanding. 91-93 Points.

2013 Riesling

A bit of lemon, stone fruit, and some petrol on the nose, but still rather shy. On the palate rather impressive with a tart acidity and focus. While I was making my way through this wine, I could not help but think I was doing a bit of an injustice–I am fairly certain that it will continue to improve for 5, 10, even 15 years. Maybe longer. I doubt that I have not had a finer Riesling from Napa Valley.


http://thedrunkencyclist.com/2015/10/21/on-my-short-list-smith-madrone/

Rieslingontheriver

Bright and bold

2014 Riesling

In Napa, where Cabernet is king, it is the Riesling from Smith-Madrone that claims its rank amidst royalty with a bright and bold proclamation both on the nose and on the palate with wild floral, sharp citrus and fresh apple decrees.


http://www.mywinewords.com/watch/riesling-on-the-river-smith-madrone-2014-riesling

Wine & Spirits Magazine, October 2015

92 points

2014 Riesling

From Stu and Charles Smith's 42-year-old riesling vines high up Spring Mountain, this captures the sage-like scent of the hills in a refreshing and discreetly elegant white. Hints of orange blossom and lemon zest fill out the mineral-inflected acidity, then the wine juices up again in the finish, clean and refreshing. Chill it for any roast fish. 



WineChic blog by Katie Curley-Katzman, June 7, 2015

A Riesling to win over the toughest critics

2013 Riesling

A Riesling to win over the toughest critics. Apples and pear, honeysuckle and jasmine with chalky minerality and can-just-put-your-pinky-on-it white pepper, vegetal finish. Just beautiful.


https://thewinechic.wordpress.com/2015/06/07/smith-madrone-wines-of-the-gods/

Robert Neralich blog, June 1, 2015

Serious and charming

2013 Riesling

Some wines manage to be both serious and charming, and such is the case with Smith-Madrone 2013 Riesling. Its seductive aromas of peach, nectarine, apricot, lime, and grapefruit precede bright apple, mango, pineapple, and lemon flavors that are balanced by lively acidity and complicated by nuances of honeysuckle, spice, and mineral. This dry Riesling could accompany a wide variety of savory fare, but it would also be the perfect wine to sip on a summer evening when the temperature does not go down with the sun.


http://www.robertneralich.com/category/food-and-wine/

Examiner.com by Melissa Vogt, May 28, 2015

Refreshing, sophisticated

2013 Riesling

This is a beautiful expression of a dry style. With only .75% residual sugar content and 12.6% alcohol, this Riesling remains refreshing and sophisticated. The nose boasts notes of white peach, white nectarine, salted lemon, wet rocks and stony minerality. The palate jumps out of the gate with bright acidity, followed by a round, creaminess at mid-palate, then finishing with that ever-so-gentle kiss of faint sugar—balanced by a touch of salted lemon and lemon zest. Flavors of green apple, ripe pineapple, kiwi and mango abound on the palate; gentler notes of honeysuckle, sweet peaches and minerality linger beneath the surface. The fresh acidity is well balanced by a welcoming roundness of body, making for a rather enjoyable tasting experience. This wine is also an excellent candidate for cellar aging.


http://www.examiner.com/list/smith-madrone-vineyards-winery-stunning-new-releases

The Fermented Fruit blog by Ryan O'Hara, May 29, 2015

2013 Riesling

90 points: Light yellow with flecks of green. The nose reveals apples, pears and honeysuckle balanced by a lively dose of lime citrus and a whiff of petrol. In the mouth, the Smith Madrone Riesling is medium in body and begins with a round personality revealing melon and a honeyed sweetness before developing a racier side with assistance from vibrant acidity, citrus notes and spice. This has good verve and tension and is frankly hard to put down. This makes a compelling argument for more Riesling in Napa and in your wine cellar. I tasted a 2007 Smith Madrone Riesling during my visit and it was already developing very well and showing more developed secondary notes of honey and petroleum and had considerable life left. This boutique Spring Mountain winery is producing stylish wines of substance that emphasize balance and restraint over sheer power.


http://thefermentedfruit.com/smith-madrone-vineyards-a-spring-mountain-must/

Terroirist.com, May 15, 2015

91 points: complex, clean, refreshing, Smith-Madrone is a master of Napa Riesling

2013 Riesling

91 points: Pale straw color. Lovely limestone, crushed shells and chalk on the nose, overtop of white peach and yellow apples. Crisp and bracing, with fine acid and a mineral-centric approach. I get the sense I’m drinking lime juice from a glass made of crushed rocks and chalk. Juicy white peach and apricot mix with sliced Granny Smith apples, a hint of honey. A complex but clean and refreshing wine. Smith-Madrone are masters of Napa Riesling.


http://www.terroirist.com/2015/05/wine-reviews-california-whites-for-summer/

Enofylz Wine Blog, Martin Redmond, April 16, 2015

Elegant with mouthwatering acidity

2013 Riesling

Very pale green color with wet stone. lime, stone fruit, quince and a hint of lychee aromas. On the palate medium-bodied, elegant, and harmonious with mouth-watering acidity and a great texture with very appealing white peach, lime, melon, a bit of lemon and apricot flavors and a complementary minerality. Lingering finish. Very Good to Outstanding; 89-91 points.



The Wine Enthusiast Magazine, May 2015, by Virginie Boone

93 points, Editor's Choice

2013 Riesling

From 41-year-old vines on just over five estate acres, this is resiny and briny on the nose. A honey-laced creaminess at the core is tensely accentuated by vibrant acidity. Balanced and elegant, with a sunny bite of ripeness, it revels in nuances of fresh and dried apricot while lighter notes of lemon, lime and grapefruit play backup. 


http://buyingguide.winemag.com/catalog/smith-madrone-2013-estate-bottled-riesling-napa-spring-mountain

Mary Ewing-Mulligan, WineReviewOnline, April 4, 2015

92 points

2013 Riesling

92 points: Maybe more than any other varietal wine, a great Riesling will vary from year to year in the hands of the same producer because the ripeness of the grapes -- dictated by the weather of each particular growing season -- determines the balance of sweetness and acid that is ideal for that year’s wine. The 2013 Smith-Madrone Riesling is in fact different from the equally good 2012 Riesling.  It’s richer in texture, and slightly sweeter (at 7.5 grams/liter, still within the dry category) to balance the wine’s acidity. The vibrant aromas and flavors express grapefruit, green apple, ripe peach and apricot: tartness and richness together. Savory mineral notes lace their way through the palate and hint that the wine will have so much more to say in the future. This is a delicious Riesling that strikes a captivating balance.  It’s great now, but experience tells me that it will age wonderfully, like so many other Smith-Madrone Rieslings.


http://winereviewonline.com/

EllenonWine blog by Ellen Landis, March 5, 2015

Sassy edgy Riesling

2013 Riesling

A bit restrained on the nose initially, minerality peeks through after aeration.   Granny Smith apples and sweet citrus fruit unfold in the mouth with lemon taffy, freshly squeezed lime and orange rind flavors playing off one another.  This is a sassy, edgy Riesling with liberal acidity from start to finish.


http://www.ellenonwine.com/836

TheArmchairSommelier, March 7, 2015

92 points, easily one of the best US Rieslings I've tasted of late

2013 Riesling

92 points: 100% Riesling.  Easily one of the best US Rieslings I’ve tasted of late.  So many American Rieslings succumb to the off-dry siren song (and end up being cloying), but not this one.  This one is gloriously dry with teeth-twinging acidity and precise balance. Pale golden hue.  Nose is chalk and minerals with a passing whiff of grapefruit.  Flavors of peach and green apple.  Acid lovers of the wine world — this one’s for you!  Retail price = $27 (and worth every penny).


https://armchairsommelier.wordpress.com/2015/03/07/snowed-in-with-smith-madrone/

Bacchus & Beery blog, Roger Beery, March 5, 2015

92 points, a beautiful dry Riesling

2013 Riesling

92 points: Think dry…Think crisp…Think refreshing… A beautiful dry Riesling from one of the few Riesling vineyards left in Napa Valley. Aromas of citrus, honeycomb, pear, honeysuckle and wet stone minerality. A soft mouth-feel with food pairing acidity accentuates flavors of pear, green apple, white peach, honeysuckle, honeycomb and creamy vanilla. Notes of honeysuckle become more apparent as the wine opens. This wine pairs with a wide variety of foods from lighter summer fare to roasted chicken.


http://wine-blog.bacchusandbeery.com/wine-blog/winereview/white-wine/smith-madrone-riesling-2013/

Fred Tasker, syndicated column, January 20, 2015

Highly recommended

2013 Riesling

Highly recommended: light and lively, very dry, with aromas and flavors of ripe peaches, green melons and minerals; many consider riesling the world’s noblest grape; Americans just don’t know much about it.


http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/wine/article7613906.html

Michelle Williams, Rockin Red blog, January 19, 2015

Lingering finish and full mouth-feel

2013 Riesling

This wine poured a soft golden yellow in the glass and opened with beautiful aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruit, crisp minerality and a touch of fresh cut grass. On the palate this beautifully balanced dry Riesling delivered round flavors of apricot, peach, Asian pear, Korean melon, with a touch of honey, all layered on top of a firm minerality foundation. It was crisp, smooth and just the right amount of dryness to make my mouth water upon swallowing. It had a lingering finish and full mouth-feel. I am a HUGE Riesling lover and this was a good Riesling! I recommend this wine!


http://rockinredblog.com/2015/01/19/taking-it-easy-with-smith-madrone/

Sunset Magazine, February 2015

Bright acidity with the tiniest touch of sweetness

2013 Riesling

With Southern fried chicken, pick Riesling: Lively acidity counters the chicken’s battered richness, while aromatic fruit---even in the fairly dry Riesling here---handles the heat. 

Smith-Madrone 2013 Riesling: Bright acidity carries green apple, white peach, honeysuckle and minerals, with the tiniest touch of sweetness.



Sacramento Bee/syndicated, Fred Tasker, January 20, 2015

Highly Recommended

2013 Riesling

 Highly Recommended: light and lively, very dry, with aromas and flavors of ripe peaches, green melons and minerals; many consider riesling the world’s noblest grape; Americans just don’t know much about it.


http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/wine/article7613906.html

Vinography, Alder Yarrow, January 6, 2015

Continues to vie for being one of the top Rieslings made in California

2013 Riesling

Pale blonde in the glass, this wine smells of wet stones, green apple, and white flowers. In the mouth zippy flavors of green apple, lemon juice, and Asian pears have a crisp brightness to them and just the faintest hint of yeasty sweetness. Continues to vie for being one of the top Rieslings made in California. 


http://www.vinography.com/archives/2015/01/vinography_unboxed_week_of_jan_1.html

Chris Kassel, Intox Report, January 2, 2014

An advanced course in Rheingau-styled Rieslings

2013 Riesling

A commendable representation of Riesling in California, albeit with restrained aromatics. There’s a touch of sulfur in the foreground, but it quickly dissipates into light aromas of peach syrup and almond. In the mouth, these sappy stone fruit flavors flesh out and become an expansive fruit bowl of sweet melon, apricot with clear mineral tones and juicy grapefruit in the end.  Acidity is fresh and correctly balanced, and the wine offers an advanced course in Rheingau-styled Rieslings in a climate where only impassioned winemakers succeed with the varietal…..Try the following as an introduction to the nuances of vintage and the alpine amplitude of Smith-Madrone’s wines.  They are wines that define the region, from a winery that is not only on top of Spring Mountain, but also, on top of their game.


http://intoxreport.com/2015/01/02/droning-on-about-smith-madrone/

Rich Cook at WineReviewOnline, December 23, 2014

92 points

2013 Riesling

Once again, a reason to give thanks for a decision made years ago by the Smith brothers to keep their Riesling vineyard when everyone else was grafting over to Chardonnay.  White flowers, stony minerality, nectarine, mixed citrus and a hint of tart apple are all here, presented in a crisp, dry style with crystalline acidity that will cut through food and set you up for the next bite, or the next sip, in whichever order you choose.  Top that off with a potential to improve with age for the next twenty years, and you've got a winner.  More California wines like this, please!


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

St. Helena Star, Catherine Bugue, December 31, 2014

Best Riesling In The Napa Valley; St. Helena Star's Wine of the Week

2013 Riesling

This is the best riesling in Napa Valley. It has been 12 years since I first stepped onto the Smith-Madrone property high up on Spring Mountain and tasted this wine for the first time; I’ve hardly missed a vintage since. It’s the kind of wine you create an evening around: invite friends over, pour this crisp riesling with pot-sticker appetizers or a dinner of Asian-style chicken (light soy sauce, ginger, honey and garlic sauce) or pork tenderloin stuffed with apples and dried apricots. If you want a simple fruity white, look elsewhere. This riesling is exotic with guava fruit and groves of different citrus flavors from a festive, zingy lime to lemon and grapefruit, along with melon and honeysuckle.


http://napavalleyregister.com/star/business/smith-madrone-riesling-spring-mountain-district-napa-valley/article_30628ecd-2353-5f2b-a4ed-881e2eade946.html

Roger Morris, TheDailyMeal.com, May 9, 2014

Truly a food wine 

2012 Riesling

My Pick of the Litter. I am one of the few wine reviewers who finds myself indifferent to more rieslings than I like, but this is my kind of riesling. It is truly a food wine with excellent fruit, citrus, and citrus peel flavors combined with lots of mineral tastes and a somewhat tangy finish.


http://www.thedailymeal.com/9-spring-whites-new-world/5914
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