Smith-Madrone Estate Riesling, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California 2021
Founded in 1971 by Stuart and Charles Smith, Smith-Madrone is a benchmark estate in the Spring Mountain District, known for dry-farmed mountain vineyards and a fiercely independent, old-school ethos. Their Riesling is a rarity in Napa—planted at elevation, made in a dry style, and celebrated for its age-worthiness and precision.
- WINEMAKER: Stuart Smith and Sam Smith
- FARMING: Dry-farmed; sustainable practices
- VARIETY: 100% Riesling
- TERROIR: Estate-grown on steep, rocky slopes at elevations between 1,300–2,000 feet in the Spring Mountain District. Volcanic-based soils with excellent drainage and exposures that promote slow, even ripening.
- VINIFICATION: Fermented in stainless steel to preserve varietal purity and aromatics.
- AGING: Aged in stainless steel.
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of white peach, lime blossom, and honeysuckle are layered with crushed stone and citrus zest. The palate is racy and dry, with vivid acidity, chalky texture, and a long, saline finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Thai curries, crab with ginger and scallions, schnitzel, herbed goat cheese.
-
SCORES:
- 94 points – Wine Enthusiast
- 93 points – James Suckling
- 93 points – Wine & Spirits
- 90 points – Wine Spectator
From our 2025 Bottle of The Month Cult Notes:
Smith-Madrone Riesling, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California 2019
Riesling: the sommelier’s favorite day-drinker. It’s the grape that makes us geek out—one sip and suddenly we’re talking about residual sugar, acid structure, and pronouncing long German words with reckless confidence. It’s also one of the most misunderstood varieties by American drinkers. Once a week, I still hear someone say, “Oh, I don’t want anything sweet.” But here’s the thing: modern Riesling, especially the dry styles from California, Germany, and Austria, is all about balance. The wines we reach for again and again—at restaurants, in our cellars—are dry, complex, and wildly food-friendly.
Though Riesling is often associated with the steep slate vineyards of the Mosel or the Rhine, its California roots run surprisingly deep. Before Prohibition, it was the most widely planted white grape in Napa Valley. Chateau Montelena’s first-ever release in 1972 was a Riesling, and that same year, a young Stuart Smith planted his now-iconic Spring Mountain vineyard, declaring Riesling one of the world’s four greatest grapes. Over 50 years later, Smith-Madrone is one of the last in Napa still taking it seriously.
Perched high above the valley, the Smith-Madrone estate is a rugged 200-acre ranch first planted over a century ago. Riesling grows on eastern-facing slopes, where morning sun and cool mountain air preserve acidity, while volcanic soils lend structure and edge.
This wine is a testament to patience and letting a wine evolve. On the nose, it's meyer lemon zest and white flowers up front. On the palate, you sink deeply into this wine, with bracing acidity and a mineral core like cold mountain spring water. A whisper of petrol, a flicker of orange peel, clover honey, saffron (classic notes of a ripe, dry Riesling with age) and an electric finish make it perfectly suited to oysters, smoked fish, fish & chips, or anything citrusy and bright.Smith-Madrone Riesling is a wine for thinkers and drinkers alike—one that honors California history while feeling utterly modern. It speaks of place, patience, and the stubborn joy of staying the course when others moved on to Chardonnay. —Kaylee Daly, DECANT Napa, June 2025
Smith-Madrone Estate Riesling, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California 2021
Founded in 1971 by Stuart and Charles Smith, Smith-Madrone is a benchmark estate in the Spring Mountain District, known for dry-farmed mountain vineyards and a fiercely independent, old-school ethos. Their Riesling is a rarity in Napa—planted at elevation, made in a dry style, and celebrated for its age-worthiness and precision.
- WINEMAKER: Stuart Smith and Sam Smith
- FARMING: Dry-farmed; sustainable practices
- VARIETY: 100% Riesling
- TERROIR: Estate-grown on steep, rocky slopes at elevations between 1,300–2,000 feet in the Spring Mountain District. Volcanic-based soils with excellent drainage and exposures that promote slow, even ripening.
- VINIFICATION: Fermented in stainless steel to preserve varietal purity and aromatics.
- AGING: Aged in stainless steel.
- TASTING NOTES: Aromas of white peach, lime blossom, and honeysuckle are layered with crushed stone and citrus zest. The palate is racy and dry, with vivid acidity, chalky texture, and a long, saline finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Thai curries, crab with ginger and scallions, schnitzel, herbed goat cheese.
-
SCORES:
- 94 points – Wine Enthusiast
- 93 points – James Suckling
- 93 points – Wine & Spirits
- 90 points – Wine Spectator
From our 2025 Bottle of The Month Cult Notes:
Smith-Madrone Riesling, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley, California 2019
Riesling: the sommelier’s favorite day-drinker. It’s the grape that makes us geek out—one sip and suddenly we’re talking about residual sugar, acid structure, and pronouncing long German words with reckless confidence. It’s also one of the most misunderstood varieties by American drinkers. Once a week, I still hear someone say, “Oh, I don’t want anything sweet.” But here’s the thing: modern Riesling, especially the dry styles from California, Germany, and Austria, is all about balance. The wines we reach for again and again—at restaurants, in our cellars—are dry, complex, and wildly food-friendly.
Though Riesling is often associated with the steep slate vineyards of the Mosel or the Rhine, its California roots run surprisingly deep. Before Prohibition, it was the most widely planted white grape in Napa Valley. Chateau Montelena’s first-ever release in 1972 was a Riesling, and that same year, a young Stuart Smith planted his now-iconic Spring Mountain vineyard, declaring Riesling one of the world’s four greatest grapes. Over 50 years later, Smith-Madrone is one of the last in Napa still taking it seriously.
Perched high above the valley, the Smith-Madrone estate is a rugged 200-acre ranch first planted over a century ago. Riesling grows on eastern-facing slopes, where morning sun and cool mountain air preserve acidity, while volcanic soils lend structure and edge.
This wine is a testament to patience and letting a wine evolve. On the nose, it's meyer lemon zest and white flowers up front. On the palate, you sink deeply into this wine, with bracing acidity and a mineral core like cold mountain spring water. A whisper of petrol, a flicker of orange peel, clover honey, saffron (classic notes of a ripe, dry Riesling with age) and an electric finish make it perfectly suited to oysters, smoked fish, fish & chips, or anything citrusy and bright.Smith-Madrone Riesling is a wine for thinkers and drinkers alike—one that honors California history while feeling utterly modern. It speaks of place, patience, and the stubborn joy of staying the course when others moved on to Chardonnay. —Kaylee Daly, DECANT Napa, June 2025