Smith Madrone Riesling 2019 750ml

Name: Smith Madrone Riesling 2019 750ml
Price: 40.99 USD
Availability: InStoreOnly

$40.99

Stuart Smith bought 200 forested acres on top of Spring Mountain in 1971, found 1880s grape stakes under the trees, and replanted where Prohibition had erased a vineyard. Smith-Madrone still dry-farms the whole estate at 1,200 to 1,900 feet, and against all Napa logic the brothers kept Riesling in the ground. The 2019 is dry, 13.3% alcohol, about 1,000 cases, all estate fruit. Racy citrus over stone and salt. One of America's great Rieslings, period.

Meyer lemon, pomelo, orange blossom, dried ginger, the slightest kiss of petrol. Racy, vibrant palate of lime pith and sea-spray salinity on a juicy acid spine. Built to age twenty years.

Thai takeout, raw oysters, schnitzel, spicy fried chicken.

The vines grow in deep-red Aiken stoney clay loam on slopes up to 35%. Charles Smith III has made the wines since 1973. Farming is dry, old-school and entirely estate.