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Smith-Madrone's 2002 Release Letter

September, 2002

Dear Friends,

Hello from high up on Spring Mountain: it's been too long. Our 2002 harvest is about to begin and this will be our 29th harvest. We're anticipating both good quality and good quantity. But then I always expect good quality, and lately we've been getting it. While we had a touch of frost this spring the weather has been very nice - not too hot and not too cool. My standard for harvest readiness is when Charley and I can sit out on the crushing pad with a glass of wine and ask one another if there isn't something else we should do before harvest: this has happened only once - 1998, El Nino. While harvest is a busy time, it's also a great time to visit the wine country - the sights and smells are just the best.

On a different note James Conaway's second book on the Napa Valley: The Far Side of Eden, will be out this fall and is a rousingly fun read. While I don't agree with Jim's assessment and over-simplification of the environmental issues facing the Napa Valley, he certainly captures the flavor and passion of those whom he chronicles in his book. For good or bad, Stu Smith is right in the middle of it all.

2002 has been good to Smith-Madrone wines. The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon won high praise with a score of 92 and an 'Editors' Choice' award from The Wine Enthusiast. Yet more satisfying was the response to our 1999 Chardonnay. As you may remember, at last year's release I talked about how we were making Chardonnay differently than in the past. Well, that 1999 Chardonnay was truly the darling of the vintage - it received the Gold Medal and Sweepstakes Award at The Monterey Wine Competition, another Gold Medal and Best of Class at The West Coast Wine Competition and Gold Medals at both Los Angeles County Fair and The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Fair. I won't bore you with the details of the three Silver and three Bronze Medals. The wine judges of this country have declared that our 1999 Chardonnay is truly a great wine. We agree and we are extremely proud.?

As artisan winemakers we work much harder at making great and interesting wine than we do at marketing. Other wineries have a reverse priority from us---which is fine. We want our wines to be distinctive, unique and flavorful - in essence, we want our wines to give pleasure. For those who didn't get any or for those who would like it again we are re-releasing this wine (the 1999 Chardonnay) with a 6 bottle limit for as long as it lasts. $28/bottle

2001 Riesling: Sometimes it gets hard to come up with new descriptions for wine and we go back to the last vintage for help. This is what The New York Times said about our 2000 Riesling when they wrote it up as their 'Wine of the Week:' "Impressive for its balance of roundness and crisp complexity. Lots of apricot and pear notes on the nose followed up by wonderful citrus flavors and a long, dry finish." Charley and I think the 2001 is just as good. Our 2001 Riesling got the only Gold Medal given in its class (this is the second year in a row) at the Los Angeles County Fair and Gold Medals at both the Orange County and the San Francisco International Wine Fair. I know you'll enjoy it as much as we do. 1,121 cases produced. $17/bottle

2000 Chardonnay: It's hard to follow the impressive accolades for the 1999. The 1999 Chardonnay was very French in style whereas our 2000 Chardonnay is very California in style. The wine has a huge aroma of Chardonnay grapes, with a truly massive mouth that floods the senses and lingers forever. It's California's sun at its best, yet we haven't forgotten that wine needs acid to taste great and age well. 925 cases produced. $25/bottle

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon: I simply love this wine. Charlie and I both think that this is the best Cabernet Sauvignon that we have produced in the last 20 years. It may not be for everyone. It has a deep, dark ruby color, with a briarry aroma and a mixture of mint and toast. The palate differs somewhat from our past vintages in that this wine has a soft, smooth and fruity middle and finishes, as it began, with deep and dark fruit which lingers for a very long while.?

Like our past vintages, the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon is unfined and unfiltered, aged 24 months in new American oak barrels and with age will throw a deposit. Yes, this means that we use the barrels for just one vintage and then we sell them to other wineries. As any good wine sales person will say - it's just fine to drink now, but will improve with age. And while that's true and I certainly have enjoyed more than my share of this 1999 Cabernet, I would suggest holding the wine for as long as your patience permits - optimally two to six years or longer. This is not what I call the new California - 60 minutes from the store to your tummy. This may well be a wine that lasts a good 15 to 20 years. 1,662 cases produced. $35/bottle

Do check us out online----www.smithmadrone.com---or in the real world the next time you're in the neighborhood.

We appreciate your interest and support and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Stuart Smith & Charles Smith