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Smith-Madrone's Chardonnay is grown at the very top of Spring Mountain (1,800 foot elevation), just west of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. The vines are planted on very steep slopes (up to 35% slope) in red volcanic soil. The vines receive only the rain that Mother Nature lets fall from the sky. From April until October the vines must send roots deep into the mountain soil in search of moisture. This centuries old method of farming wine grapes, known today as dry farming, creates a grape with intense flavor, structure, and finesse.
Harvesting of the Chardonnay started on September
11, approximately one week later than usual, with
a smaller than usual crop. The wine was fermented
in new 60 gallon French Marchive barrels, from oak
harvested from France's Never, Trancais and Allier
forests. Following fermentation in the barrel the
wine was aged "sur lie" for a total of 11 months
and was then bottled on September 26, 2001."
The wine has a lovely pale straw yellow color, with a powerful aroma of Chardonnay fruit that booms out of the glass. The California sun provides an explosion of fruit on the taste buds that confirms the aroma, and then lingers into a long, smooth finish.
At Smith-Madrone our goal is to make artisanal wines that are distinctive and different and are an expression of both the vintage and us as vintners, but above all else, are wines that bring pleasure to the senses.
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AGE OF VINES:
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29 years |
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APPELLATION:
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Napa Valley |
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SUB-APPELLATION:
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Spring Mountain District |
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FARMING:
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dry-farmed mountain vineyards |
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VARIETAL CONTENT:
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100% Chardonnay |
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FERMENTATION:
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100% barrel-fermented |
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TIME IN OAK:
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11 months |
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ALCOHOL:
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13.7% |
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PRODUCTION:
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40 barrels |
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CASES:
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900 cases |
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WINEMAKERS & WINEGROWERS:
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CHARLES SMITH & STUART SMITH |
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