Tag: Napa Valley

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Smith-Madrone Wine

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.

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Napa Valley

Perhaps you’ve read about or watched the news regarding the devastating fires in northern California over the past weeks.

So, what’s going on with wineries? Are they open, should you go, what do you need to know?

Yesterday, we toured though the areas of Napa Valley, the town of Napa, the town of St. Helena, and just north of there. We have not seen Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Glen Ellen, or other parts of the fire damaged areas.

Damage is real in the Napa area. Much of the fire damage is in the hills, on the hillsides, and above the valley floor…especially in the southern area of the Silverado Trail. Signorello Winery is completely gone and many others have damage, some extensive, all important. There is other damage to homes and areas we didn’t see.

But, Napa and St. Helena wineries and businesses are open for business. In fact, we were told they welcome visitors.

Some things we discovered:

Smoke still lingers in many areas. If you’re going to be outside for any length of time, wear a mask. But, it’s not solid smoke. You can still see the vineyards and hills. Also, if you have trouble breathing, a mask is a good idea. We didn’t have any problems breathing.

When the wind shifts, the smoke clears in one area and drifts to another area.

The hills are blackened in many areas. You can see where the fires burned the hillsides and stopped a few feet or less from a vineyard.

For the most part, the vines are not burned. There are some areas where they are singed, but not destroyed. Most of the harvesting of grapes was finished, with some crushing finished as well. We were told it’s a ‘wait and see’ about this year’s vintage.

Dozens of signs, if not more, thanking fire fighters and first responders line the streets and highways. Every business, every home, every corner has a sign. The work of the fire fighters and first responders is not taken lightly. It is all appreciated.

There are thousands of folks working to get these fires under control.

Restaurants and cafes offer free meals to fire fighters, first responders, and those who have lost their homes. In some cases, those restaurants deliver to fire camps or individuals. Everyone is pitching in.

Wineries and restaurants are open. If you plan to go, you’ll probably have your choice of appointment to taste wine and your choice of seating in most restaurants.

We had a fantastic tasting at Stony Hill Winery north of St. Helena. Sitting outside, enjoying the view was not much different than other times we’ve been there. Off in the distance wisps of smoke could be seen, but nothing that bothered us or hindered our tasting.

Lunch at the Goose & Gander in St. Helena was terrific, if not a little quiet. They thanked us for coming in and appreciated our business.

Tasting wine at The Terraces, along the Silverado Trail, we saw smoke in the distance. Business must go on. These people are all working hard to reestablish their livelihood.

Everyone is still vigilant. Fire is not something to ignore, even when it appears to be out. The winds can change, sparks can fly. But, Napa Valley is surviving this and wanting to get back on the road to recovery.

Bottom Line: Take a trip to Napa Valley and see for yourself.