SMITH-MADRONE

The antidote to California bling, this Napa Valley pioneer is known for its well-priced and ageworthy wines. Elin McCoy ventures up into the Spring Mountain District AVA to taste

- Elin McCoy

Smith-Madrone is one of Napa Valley’s pioneer estates. It was founded in 1971 by Stuart Smith, known as Stu, who is here for this tasting (before the Covid-19 pandemic) and is sporting a greying beard and impressive brush moustache as the morning light streams into the ivycovered barn winery high on Spring Mountain.

A long table with a white cloth, dozens of glasses and red napkins is surrounded by French barrels stacked four-high. The oldest wine on the table, a Cabernet, was made here 40 years ago.

Stu’s brother, Charles (Charlie), is opening bottles of Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet. His beard and moustache are white. The two engage in back-and-forth banter that resembles a good stage routine. It feels like a Napa scene from several decades ago.

In many ways, Smith-Madrone is a throwback to an era before wineries resembled Tuscan villas, before cult Cabernets cost $500-plus a bottle, and before Ferraris lined the streets in St Helena far below.

The Smiths are proudly old-school in their winemaking philosophy: the ageworthy, balanced wines they make, the reasonable prices they charge, and the homely way they welcome visitors. The winery is the tasting room. The guides are the Smith brothers or Stu’s son Sam, who is now assistant winemaker.

What makes Smith-Madrone so compelling is its authenticity in a glitzy place devoted to image maintenance. After nearly 50 years, this is still a small estate winery whose reds and whites reflect the beliefs of two men who don’t tone down their opinions, controversial or not. Though respected, the Chardonnay, Riesling and two Cabernets rarely make trophy lists and have never grabbed as much attention as they should. That’s why I headed here to taste their history and find out what’s going on now.

Mountain heritage