Rosé Reviews
Gabe Sasso Substack, July 25, 2024
This is a happy, cheerful, and juicy Rosé that’s eminently delicious and quite easy to devour
2023 Rosé
https://gabesasso.substack.com/p/three-shades-of-rose?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2625925&post_id=146852541&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=1fsgt&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=emailThis Rosé is from my favorite Napa winery, full stop. It’s a somewhat recent addition to their portfolio. At less than 150 cases it’s a tiny portion of their overall, still pretty small production, of around 3,000 total cases of wine. It’s a even split of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Smith-Madrone Rosé stands out in the glass, as it’s darker than the average Rosé by a number of degrees. In fact, visually it brings to mind a Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo. Enticing red fruit aromas lead the charge. Strawberry and Bing cherry flavors are underscored by hints of red raspberry and a tinge of citrus. This is a happy, cheerful, and juicy Rosé that’s eminently delicious and quite easy to devour. In fact if Austin Powers were describing this wine, he’d be likely to say, “it’s juicy baby!” It’s the boldest of the trio in color and flavor and will stand up to more full bodied flavors. Pepper steak would be an inspired pairing, as would a Gyro.
Jeff Kralik, The Drunken Cyclist, May 30, 2024
Whoa
2021 Rosé
https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2024/05/30/the-eighth-annual-largest-blind-tasting-of-american-true-roses-flights-4-6/Outstanding. Holy cow. Really dark in both color and aromas, this is honestly fairly close to a red. More darker fruit here, plum, raspberry. Good fruit on the palate, even really good with some nice acidity. Whoa. Given the color, I assumed this would be heavy handed, but it really works.
Jeff Kralik, The Drunken Cyclist, June 1, 2024
Full-bodied
2023 Rosé
https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2024/06/03/the-eighth-annual-largest-blind-tasting-of-american-true-roses-flights-10-12/Excellent: Quite dark, almost a red with a really fruity nose of blackberry and even a bit of bubblegum. Really rich red fruit on the palate, full-bodied for sure. This is not your normal rosé, pass me a roasted chicken and stand back.
Jeff Kralik, The Drunken Cyclist, May 29, 2024
Outstanding
2021 Rosé
https://thedrunkencyclist.com/2024/05/30/the-eighth-annual-largest-blind-tasting-of-american-true-roses-flights-4-6/94 points: Outstanding. I have been doing this tasting for eight years now and I can safely say that there has not been a bigger difference from one year to the next than with this 2021 Smith-Madrone. This year? Holy cow. Really dark in both color and aromas, this is honestly fairly close to a red. More darker fruit here, plum, raspberry. Good fruit on the palate, even really good with some nice acidity. Whoa. Given the color, I assumed this would be heavy handed, but it really works.
BiggerThanYourHead, Fredric Koeppel, May 15, 2024
Color is riveting....energetic on the palate....
2023 Rosé
https://biggerthanyourhead.substack.com/p/smith-madrone-and-three-sticks-addThis is a blend of 50% merlot and 50% cabernet franc, made all in stainless steel. The color is a riveting, transparent cerise-hibiscus hue; aromas of rose petals, red cherries and raspberries open to hints of rhubarb and pomegranate and wisps of white pepper and orange rind; dry on the palate, energetic, crisp and savory, this rose offers loads of character and personality, with a texture that’s almost dense and a structure that digs deep for its acidity and forest-tinged red fruit flavors. Drink now through 2025 or ‘26. Production was 131 cases. Excellent.
Smith-Madrone introduced its rosé five years ago, but I didn’t try it until this 2023 vintage, so it’s new to me. Smith-Madrone’s singular focus in red wine is cabernet sauvignon and its typical Bordeaux-style blending grapes, from vines grown in steep vineyards high on the side of Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain. It’s not surprising, then, that the components of the Smith-Madrone Rosé 2023 are merlot and cabernet franc. This Rosé doesn't conform to the light-hearted, quaff-it-in-a-hurry model of so many examples of the genre, delightful though they may be. This is a thoughtful, superior wine, full-bodied and savory, complex and opening depths of character. It deserves a place on your table with your best cuisine.
.
Joe Campbell, The Wine Bulletin, October 27, 2022
Flavors of strawberry and grapefruit
2021 Rosé
https://winebulletin.net/smith-madrone-a-mountain-vintners-perspective/Glistening pink in color with flavors of strawberry and grapefruit. A composition of 33% Merlot and 67% Cabernet Franc. The aromatics and flavor profile will blossom as this wine comes up to room temperature out of the refrigerator.
Bloomberg, Elin McCoy, June 28, 2023
Serious rosé
2021 Rosé
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-28/11-best-rose-wines-summer-2023-provence-italy-napa-under-30-and-a-party-boxThis serious rosé with a vibrant dark-pink color is the third vintage of a tart blend of merlot and cabernet franc from Napa’s Spring Mountain. It shows bright, bold, cherry and spice flavors and has a surprisingly long finish.
Owen Bargreen, October 22, 2022
Beautiful
2021 Rosé
https://owenbargreen.com/blog/2022/10/6/smith-madroneVery brightly colored, the 2021 Smith-Madrone Rose offers a soft texture with ripe raspberry and candied cherry on the palate. Citrus rind and stony accents complete this beautiful new Rose that is best served on the warmer side. Drink 2022-2026.
Peg Melnik, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, October 5, 2022
A sassy rosé with high-toned, tart fruit
2021 Rosé
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/wine-of-the-week-smith-madrone-2021-napa-valley-spring-mountain-district/Wine of the Week: A sassy rosé with high-toned, tart fruit — cherry and strawberry. Supple texture and great minerality. Balanced, with bright acidity. Finishes crisp.
Steve McIntosh, The Imbiber's Journal, August 8, 2022
A rarity among rosés
2021 Rosé
http://www.imbibersjournal.com/2022/08/2021-smith-madrone-rose-spring-mountain.htmlFrom the hard-working folks at Smith-Madrone...The deep, beguiling purple-pink color suggests an intensity and concentration that is a rarity among rosés. The intricate nose furthers that narrative with complex spices and a dizzying floral aspect. But the meat is in the palate, where this wine has more in common with a structured red than any rosé. Substantial and food-friendly, this is the whole package, and it finishes dry and clean. Very well made and unusual. A cab franc-dominated blend with merlot.
Cathy Huyghe, Forbes, August 31, 2022
A rosé that stands out...It is crisp and refreshing, but with a core of minerality.
2021 Rosé
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhuyghe/2022/08/31/ros-wine-recap-summer-2022/?sh=357eda0479d5“Hearty” is not typically a word used to describe rosé wine, but it’s the first one that came to mind for me when I saw the color of the 2021 Smith-Madrone Rosé. It’s only the third time in their long history that Smith-Madrone has released a rosé wine, and it’s made from that producer’s own Merlot and Cabernet Franc from their estate vineyards at the top of the Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. If a producer preserves the authenticity of their style and the “hearty” nature of their terroir, and that producer’s vineyards are on Napa’s Spring Mountain, then this is how their rosé wine must look. It’s described as an “extravagant, piercing color” that is such a “vibrant pink it’s practically radioactive.” I’d agree with that description except for the “pink,” which is so unlike the pale salmon pink color most often associated with rosé that it’s almost misleading. It is a rosé, but one that stands out. It is crisp and refreshing, but with a core of minerality. You do want to drink it during the summer, but you also know that it will flow right into sweater season just fine. Which means that this rosé is a perfect way to close the “recap” of rosé wine for the summer of 2022, largely because it represents an emerging variety of rosé options, including several of which will push the rosé summertime drinking season well beyond Labor Day weekend.
Terroirist.com, Isaac Baker, August 13, 2022
Awesome value
2021 Rosé
https://www.terroirist.com/wine-reviews-international-grab-bag-26/92 points: Deep watermelon color. Juicy strawberry aromas, watermelon, lemon, topped in a complex mix of roses and daisies, honeysuckle, saline and mint – smells so delightful. The palate sports juicy texture with vibrant acidity, and the balance between the depth and freshness is great. Watermelon, red apple peel and ripe pear fruit mixes with rose petals and honeysuckle. Air and warmth bring out notes of sea salt, chalk, white pepper and oregano add complexity. The nuance and balance are delightful. Cabernet Franc with 33% Merlot. Awesome value.
Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com, July 14, 2022
Beautiful
2021 Rosé
90 points: Very brightly colored, the 2021 Smith-Madrone Rose offers a soft texture with ripe raspberry and candied cherry on the palate. Citrus rind and stony accents complete this beautiful new Rose that is best served on the warmer side. Drink 2022-2026.
James Melendez, James The Wine Man, July 16, 2022
Dazzling, beautiful
2021 Rosé
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7-1WMc4TAVideo review
CMKWine, Cameron Kosson, July 19, 2022
Refreshing with heartiness
2021 Rosé
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgKDt9VLZ7E/As summer is in full swing and temperatures are hitting nearly triple digits, I opened a Smith Madrone Rosé in the front yard. Winemakers and proprietors, Stu and Charlie, don’t make this wine very often. Produced from their estate vineyard on top of Spring Mountain, the wine is made up of 33% merlot and 67% Cabernet Franc. The brightness of this wine is intriguing. The color draws you in with a look of hot embers and a translucent nature. Coming from heartier grapes, this wine maintains a freshness and liveliness with nice acidity. Flavors of tart cherries, strawberries, rhubarb, crushed stone, and notes of white roses. Refreshing with a little heartiness. Very nice balance of minerality and acidity. This rosé is just over 14% alcohol and is one of those bottles you can invest in a few. You can enjoy it this summer but will evolve over the next 3-4 years nicely.
Tasting Panel Magazine, Meridith May, July 2022
Nuanced and exciting
2021 Rosé
93 points: A blend of 33% Merlot and 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, dry-farmed on the estate mountain and cold fermented in stainless steel. Aromas of fresh cranberries grab the palate and the puckering effect is long-lived. A salty layer of peanut brittle washed with raspberry is nuanced and exciting.
WineSipping, Oded Cohen, July 20, 2022
Nicely balanced, crisp and refreshing
2021 Rosé
https://winesipping.wordpress.com/2022/07/20/smith-madrone-vineyards-spring-mountain-district-rose-2021-napa-valley-california/Bright neon cherry in color. On the nose light raspberries, citrus, limes, green apples, light herbs and minerals. Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity. Dry on the palate with raspberries, sour cherries, limes, green apples, red grapefruit, spices and white pepper. Medium plus on the finish with limes and light almonds. This is a unique Cabernet Franc Rosé from Napa Valley. Feels fresh with some weight on the mouthfeel. Nicely balanced, crisp and refreshing. Tangy and easy drinking. Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will pair nicely with food too. A blend of 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Merlot. A tiny production of less than 2,000 bottles.
WineReviewOnline, Rich Cook, August 2, 2022
A mind bender of a Rosé
2021 Rosé
http://winereviewonline.com/wine_reviews.cfm92 points: Here is a bouquet of roses in a glass. Stu and Charlie Smith have only made a few Rosés in the 50 plus years they’ve been making wine on Spring Mountain, and I sense they thought that they had something with a unique expression on their hands here. It smells of roses on the nose in a big way, so much so that the first taste is a bit like drinking a rose -- the flower, not Rosé. As your palate sets to the wine, you get the cherry and herb that you expect from the Cabernet Franc in the mix, and the bright acid backbone keeps the flavors pushing forward. This is a mind bender of a Rosé -- don’t let the dark color dissuade you, and don’t wait too long as it is a very small production wine. Who knows how many years it will be until they release the next one!
BiggerThanYourHead, Fredric Koeppel, August 4, 2022
A crystalline, savory and delightful rosé.
2021 Rosé
https://biggerthanyourhead.net/2022/08/rose-week-extended-nine-from-california/Vivid cherry-garnet color; strawberry and raspberry, rose petal and lilac, peach and muskmelon; these enchanting elements highlighted by notes of sour cherry, briers, crisp acidity and a thread of limestone minerality that practically glitters on your palate. A crystalline, savory and delightful rosé. Excellent.
Vinography, Alder Yarrow, August 6, 2022
Fantastic acidity
2021 Rosé
https://www.vinography.com/2022/08/vinography-unboxed-week-of-7-31-22Before we get out of rosé territory, it’s definitely worth noting the very rare pink bottling from Napa stalwart Smith-Madrone, which has only made a bottle of rosé twice before. This blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc might surprise you with its bright juicy cherry goodness. A pale ruby in color with bluish highlights, this wine smells of cherries and plum skin. In the mouth, bright cherry and sour cherry flavors have a juicy tartness and a faint tannic grip, as fantastic acidity keeps the saliva flowing through a long finish. A blend of 33% Merlot and 67% Cabernet Franc that is co-fermented in stainless steel. 14.1% alcohol. 165 cases made. This is only the third time in its history that Smith-Madrone has made a rosé.
Rick Dean, StrongCoffeeToRedWine Instagram, July 9, 2021
Amazing
2019 Rosé
https://www.instagram.com/p/CREtgJTBbmk/I learned several things upon drinking this bottle 2019 Smith-Madrone Rosé.
But first, THANKS to my friends at WineTravelEats for gifting this bottle to us. Oh. My. God. Amazing. So what did I learn… 1) Whenever the next vintage is available, I am buying at least a case. If I have to camp out at the winery entrance to get it, I will do so. 2) I will hoard every last bottle and share only with my innermost sanctum and even they will have to earn it. Two glasses for me. One for you. 3) I will start a change.org petition to encourage them to make more so it does not sell out so fast. As I need this year 'round.
50% Merlot 50% Cabernet Franc
There is a real intensity of color reading a deep (should I say dark...for a rosé - absolutely), ripe watermelon red/pink with a touch of coral. In my mind a Rosato style. We drank as a cocktail wine but this wine would be excellent with a burger or a salad or many other foods. Body is medium plus. The aromas, flavors, the slight but noticeable tannins, the mouthfeel, and the acidity are all so elegantly layered to create this incredible wine.
I do not care if you are a fan of the lightly-styled Provencal rosé, the rosé of Pinot Noir, or any other rosé you can think of. You MUST try this wine. And if you do not like it, you call me and I will buy whatever you have left. {At retail less 15%... I'm taking your leftovers after all). For those that know me, they know I bleed rosé. I think that says it all.
Decanter, Elin McCoy, February 2020
90 points... a serious rosé
2018 Rosé
https://smithmadrone.com/news/download-decanter2020.html90 points: The winery experimented for several years before releasing this first vintage of rosé. In the watermelon-hued 50/50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the Cab Franc element really stands out. Aromatically, it shows off luscious floral aromas of roses and the intense, succulent red berry fruit flavours coat your tongue. This is a serious rosé that would go well with food. Drinking Window 2019 – 2022.
Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery
P.O. Box 451/ 4022 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, CA 94574
Telephone: 707.963.2283
