Drink Window: 2024-2048
 
97 Points Decanter
From brothers Stu and Charlie Smith comes their 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain, a precise blend of 81.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.7% Cabernet Franc, and 0.4% Petit Verdot. Aged for 18 months in 65% new French oak, with only 1,652 cases produced, this wine showcases the meticulous dry farming of their 15.4-hectare vineyard at a 2000ft elevation, with vines dating back to 1971. The 2021 vintage is yet another testament to their mastery, offering a purity and elegance that define these Cabernets, with impeccable structure for long-term cellaring. In 2021, the tannins are firm, soaring, built like sky-scrapers, yet remarkably well-integrated. The nose offers a beautiful black cherry and red currant potpourri, mingling with pressed wildflowers, sage, capsicum, and tobacco leaf. Juicy plum fruit intertwines with a graphite minerality, and while there’s notable density to the fruit, a fine backbone of crunchy acidity imparts a stunning lightness and lift. Readers seeking Napa Cabernets from the 2021 vintage with serious cellaring potential should consider stocking up on Smith Madrone's offerings, as these '21s are true cellar-worthy gems.
 
97 Points Wine Enthusiast
A Cabernet that exemplifies how the variety became so popular: classic, structural, aromatic, and finessed. An impossible find for the price, enjoy now for palate cleansing structure, or continue to age for deeper pleasure. *Editors' Choice* 
 
94 Points James Suckling
A staunch defender of the restrained, elegant style of Napa reds made in the 1970s, yet with a little more body and ripeness than wines from that era. Tasty, tangy black cherries and blackberries with accents of bay leaves, black olives, cedar and star anise. Firm tannins, good acidity and the potential for aging.
 
95 Points Tasting Panel
Grapes grown on untilled soils in a steep, dry-farmed mountain vineyard create a plush blend of 81.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.7% Cab Franc with a small portion of Merlot. Aged 18 months in (65% new) French oak, it shows black-peppered dark plum, green bell pepper, sage, and mint, amounting to a spice box of flavor: Midway, blue fruit emerges with creamy vibrancy and finishes with intensity,
 
93+ Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Marked on the nose by subtle herb and floral notes, the cherry-scented 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is medium to full-bodied in the mouth, framed by firm tannins that promise a long evolution. Thankfully, the tannins are ripe and silky on the finish, where that dusty quality is joined by attractive hints of licorice. It's a classic Spring Mountain Cab, capable of 20 years of cellaring.
 
Winemaker Notes
A blend of 81.9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.7% Cabernet Franc and 0.4% Petit Verdot, this is a wine with a mountain pedigree. It opens with a luxurious blue-black/red fruit aroma which is both floral and peppery. On the palate the wine is very long, very silky and full of pleasure, with a lush mid-palate. Built for the long run, but it'd also be perfect for steak night anytime soon.