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The Smith-Madrone 2002 Chardonnay is a delight to
drink with loads of flavor, complexity and with a
very long, smooth finish. Our 2002 Chardonnay completely
fulfills the first obligation of wine: to give pleasure
and be unique. So many Chardonnays today are, lets
face it, boring. Too many of today’s Chardonnays
are made to be constant with the last vintage. Here
at Smith-Madrone we strive to bring out the vintage
characteristics that Mother Nature imprints on those
grape berries – whatever that may be. As winemakers
it is our job to extract that uniqueness from those
berries and transform it into wine that reflects
the characteristics of the vintage. There is no doubt
that you will enjoy the 2002 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay
as well as we do. A true hedonist’s delight!
Smith-Madrone’s Chardonnay is grown at the
top of Spring Mountain (1,800-foot elevation), 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, forcing the vines
to send their 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.
At Smith-Madrone our goal is to make artisanal wines
which are distinctive and are an expression of both
the vintage and us, as vintners, but above all else,
are wines which bring pleasure to the senses.
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AGE OF VINES:
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31 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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16 months |
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ALCOHOL:
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13.8% |
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PRODUCTION:
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45 barrels |
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CASES:
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997 |
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WINEMAKERS & WINEGROWERS:
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CHARLES SMITH & STUART SMITH |
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