2019 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District Napa Valley 750 ml

Smith-Madrone’s 2019 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon was estate-raised in the vintage Wine Spectator awarded 97 points and Wine Advocate called “Extraordinary.” 

This is not just a Cabernet from one of the finest producers in Napa Valley and one of the region’s best seasons ever—it’s one of the quintessential Cabernets grown on unique, sought-after Spring Mountain soil. If you already love Smith-Madrone, then you know it’s on par with mountain icons like Mt. Veeder’s Mayacamas ($150) and Howell Mountain’s Dunn ($165).

Years ago, Decanter held a retrospective tasting at Smith-Madrone, which the magazine believes “have never grabbed as much attention as they should.” In the writeup that followed, they summed up why they and California Cabernet lovers are so enamored with Smith-Madrone:

“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 streets in St. Helena far below.” We don’t mind ogling the occasional villa or Ferrari—but that second point hit the bullseye for us: This price is a legitimate throwback.

That value is why Smith-Madrone has remained a favorite of smart buyers, with most of their relatively small production of estate Cabernet Sauvignon going to local collectors and a handful of top restaurants in Napa and New York. It’s certainly easier to find a bottle today than it used to be, but founders Stu and Charlie Smith still seem more than content to hunker down on the mountaintop, as far away as possible from the critics and the flashy scene in the valley below. But the critics have found them, as have wise collectors.