Want to go wine tasting in St. Helena? Want to go somewhere with great wines and a view to match?
Look no further than Smith Madrone Winery. There are several reasons it’s a favorite of ours.
First…the wines. Since there are slopes that seemingly face every direction, this means different grapes get the exposure they need. Eastern exposure for dry Rieslings, southern and western exposure for Cabs, and cooler north-facing for their Chards.
Their wines are all made from the winery’s dry-farmed estate vineyards. For those of you into soil…these are mostly deep-red Aiken Stoney Clay. Volcanic rocks, sandstones, limestones, shale…just to name a few. This certainly helps in the tastes of these wines.
Then, there’s the views. You’re at and elevation of 1,300 to 2,000 feet on Spring Mountain so you can see a long distance in just about every direction.
When you visit, take some time to walk around the estate. See if you can find the 120 year old Picholine Olive Trees. Then, wander into the barn for some amazing wine tasting. This will be like no other wine tasting in the Valley.
The people are just as great as their wines and the views. Stuart Smith and Charles Smith III are down-to-earth guys who know their business. It doesn’t hurt that Stu was named one of the wine industry’s post inspirational people in 2018.
Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
You will understand why we love the wines, the people, and the experience.
If You Go: Smith Madrone Winery is located at 4022 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, California 94574.
Phone 707/963-2283; Fax 707/963-2291 www.smithmadrone.com, info@smithmadrone.com
They are open by appointment only at 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday. There is a tasting fee.