Reviewing the New Smith-Madrone 2018 Riesling

February 24, 2023 by evebushman

Before tasting the latest Riesling from Smith-Madrone I was reminded of a time years ago when I attended a Riesling class and food pairing. The wines were from one winery in the Mosel region of Germany (grown on steep hillsides similar to Smith-Madrone) and I remember that only the last couple of wines we sampled could be described as sweet. It was eye-opening for me at the time as I had assumed all Rieslings to be sweet, prior to taking my first wine certification classes, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was wrong.

I was equally – and very pleasantly – surprised when I had my first Riesling wine from Smith-Madrone. The 2017 Smith-Madrone Riesling review of mine is here and here is the fact sheet for the 2018 that I’m tasting with you today. Below are my tasting notes and below that is information from the winery.

2018 Smith–Madrone Riesling Tasting Notes

13.3% alcohol, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley

The wine is the color of pale gold, and sparkly, making it very appealing. On the nose, which I detected from about three inches away, I was reminded of sweet Meyer lemons, ripe grapefruit, wet pebbles in a stream, a touch of pineapple, talcum powder and Golden Delicious apples. I was anxious to taste the wine and immediately noted its rich mouth-coating viscosity, a lot of that Golden Delicious apple I found on the nose, as well as more pineapple, less lemon, with a mild to medium acidity that held on for a nice long finish. It wasn’t bone dry or sweet; instead it had a nice sweet spot that I thought would pair well with a cheese board, pasta in a cream sauce, fried chicken or all by itself!

From The Winery

The wine is all estate Spring Mountain District fruit, 100% Riesling, grown at an elevation of 1,300-1,900 feet, with slopes angling up to 34%. The vineyard is partially dry-farmed and most of the Riesling was planted on its own rootstock…the same hands cleared, planted, tend and make the wine…for the last fifty years.

Only 1,611 cases made. SRP is $36.00.

Winemaker Charlie Smith describes the wine: The 2018 Riesling opens with abundant floral notes buttressed by underpinnings of lime, lemon and exotic oranges. This delicate, fetching aroma leads one to expect a wine on the lighter, more delicate side and, when tasted, this expectation is confirmed. On the palate the wine is stylish and elegant, demonstrating a brilliant acidity that is at once fine and lively, tasty and fun and not the least off putting. The acid feels just right; it’s very much like biting into a delicious, crunchy Riesling flavored apple. For a wine of this delicate construction, it still manages to retain a solid core of vibrant fruit. It’s svelte and elegant, it’s drinking beautifully now and shows great promise for the future.

Smith-Madrone was founded partly on the premise of making great Riesling (i.e., not to dis the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay!), given its mountain site and steep slopes. Stu Smith describes the effort to market Riesling as Sisyphean…and to that point beginning with the 1983 Riesling vintage Smith-Madrone went where no other American winery would go for the next 17 years – changing the label from Johannisberg Riesling to “just” Riesling, and essentially outlasting the BATF and prevailing with that name.

Smith-Madrone’s Riesling is one of perhaps less than ten Rieslings grown/made in the Napa Valley.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Hillick and Hobbs’ Finger Lakes Estate Set to Open, As Announced by Winemaker Paul Hobbs

June 30, 2022 by evebushman

FINGER LAKES, N.Y. (PRWEB) – After years of anticipation, renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs has announced the grand opening of his Finger Lakes estate, Hillick & Hobbs. The state-of-the-art hospitality center will showcase Hillick & Hobbs’ exceptional estate Riesling and is set to become one of the premier wine destinations in the Finger Lakes.

Situated on the southeastern banks of Seneca Lake, the new Hillick & Hobbs hospitality center will feature cypress walls, furniture crafted from materials sourced from the estate and other sustainably made furnishings. Hobbs entrusted the planning and design of the estate to international designer Tom Johnson. Based in the Finger Lakes, Johnson has worked in Japan and other areas of Asia and has designed custom residences and wineries in upstate New York.

“Tom is an extraordinarily gifted designer. His ability to blend purposeful utility, simplicity, function, and beauty is thrilling,” said Hobbs. “His sense of scale and form play well to my own sensibilities.”

Hobbs selected Trade Design Build to lead the project because of its integration of architecture and construction within a single company. The firm specializes in the construction of luxury restaurants, tasting rooms, and bars with a focus on the environment and location.

Hillick & Hobbs holds special meaning to Hobbs, who named the winery after his parents, Joan Hillick and Edward Hobbs. The winery honors Hobbs’ roots in western New York where he grew up on his family’s farm. In 2013, he revived his family’s legacy of growing grapes in New York when he acquired a 78-acre property in the Finger Lakes with the vision of producing world-class Riesling. Hillick & Hobbs will offer an estate vertical experience featuring two vintages of the Estate Vineyard Dry Riesling, which was launched with the inaugural 2019 vintage, and a curated charcuterie board. There will also be a selection of food pairings available.

“The Finger Lakes is a compelling region for growing world-class Riesling. Its well-drained, slate soils trap the radiant heat, and the moderating effect of Seneca Lake creates the airflow crucial for keeping the canopies healthy,” said Hobbs. “After an exhaustive two-year search for the ideal site to grow Riesling that could rival the best of the Old World, aided by my brother David, we finally found the property just south of Hector Falls that was reminiscent of the Mosel.”

The estate vineyard is currently planted to 21-acres of high-density Riesling on steep slate soils that run with the slope, akin to Germany’s famed Mosel region. The Hillick & Hobbs estate is one of the first in the region to plant in this style with a focus on crafting site-specific estate Riesling under the supervision of winemaker Lynne Fahy and vineyard manager Samuel Pulis.

For more information about Hillick & Hobbs’ wines, history, new releases, and upcoming celebratory events, please visit http://www.hillickandhobbs.com and follow Hillick & Hobbs on Instagram @hillickandhobbs.

About Paul Hobbs Wines
Founded on Paul Hobbs’ pioneering spirit and adventurous pursuit of innovation and discovery, Paul Hobbs Wines is a highly curated selection of superior quality wines. Through sustainable farming, meticulous vineyard management, and minimally invasive winemaking techniques, each wine expresses its vineyard origins with finesse, complexity, and authenticity. The company’s portfolio spans the globe; domestic projects include Hobbs (California), Paul Hobbs Winery (California), Crossbarn (California), and Hillick & Hobbs (Finger Lakes, New York). The international ventures, imported to the U.S. by Paul Hobbs Selections, includes Viña Cobos (Argentina), Crocus (Cahors, France), Yacoubian-Hobbs (Armenia), and Alvaredos-Hobbs (Galicia, Spain). For more information, visit http://www.paulhobbswines.com and http://www.paulhobbsselections.com.

About Paul Hobbs
Highly regarded for his ability to identify exceptional vineyards across the globe and working innovatively to refine the art of winemaking, Paul Hobbs continues his unwavering pursuit to express new and historical sites by employing viticulture and winemaking practices that capture their unique origins. For over 30 years, Paul has engaged annually in two harvests spanning seven countries. Today, Hobbs is owner and vintner for wineries around the globe: Paul Hobbs (California), Crossbarn (California), Hillick & Hobbs (Finger Lakes, New York), Viña Cobos (Argentina), Crocus (Cahors, France), Yacoubian-Hobbs (Armenia), and Alvaredos-Hobbs (Galicia, Spain). To learn more, visit http://www.paulhobbs.com.

Bubbly with #ClinkDifferent

July 9, 2021 by evebushman

The latest educational wine tasting event from Clink Different “celebrated all things sparkling from Germany and Bordeaux (with) a virtual tasting of Crémant de Bordeaux and German Sekt.” We were greeted in the Zoom presentation by Cecile Ha from the Bordeaux Council. Ha shared that both Germany and Bordeaux created white, red and sparkling wines, benefitted from a young generation of both male and female winemakers, and both are also well known for healthy tourism in their respective wine regions. Ha then introduced our host for the event, New York Sommelier and Martha Stewart Living wine expert Sarah Tracey.

Tracey shared that all of the four sparkling wines we were to taste “checked off all of the boxes” in being delicious, fun and affordable. She had presented a food pairing for each sparkler which I will share in our tasting notes below. For this tasting I enlisted help from local pals and Friends Who Like Wine in The Glass founders Vashti and Stephen Roebuck.

The Bubbles

Celene NV Cuvee Amethyste

60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc. Region/AOC: Crémant de Bordeaux. SRP: $12. Importer: Fine Wine and Good Spirits.

From Tracey: Bordeaux Crémant AOC can be made with both white and red Bordeaux grapes, they spend 12 months in traditional aging methods and there are 214 growers in the appellation. This example was a Blanc de Noir, meaning a white wine from red grapes, and should be drunk within one to two years of bottling. Aromas and flavors: yellow plums, persimmon, honeysuckle. Suggested pairing: green olives, oysters, something salty/briny and creamy.

From our group: We found the choice of red Bordeaux grapes unique, but the flavor was all sparkling with no hint of red fruit: apple, French toast, sweet Meyer lemon, white peach and wet pebbles. A steal and a conversation starter for $12.

Markus Molitor NV Riesling Sekt

100% Riesling. Region/AOC: Mosel. SRP: $19. Importer: Banville Wine Merchants.

From Tracey: Sekt is the word for sparkling in German and there are different quality levels. In the 1800s German winemakers traveled to France to learn how to make sparkling wine. The Mosel region is known for Riesling, is the oldest, has very steep inclines and red volcanic slate soil. Aromas and flavors: Pear, peach, white pepper and nectarine. Suggested pairing: Prosciutto due to its fat and saltiness, working well against the acidity in the wine.

From our group: Cantaloupe melon, biscuit, cool asphalt and milk aromas, with flavors of peach, Red Delicious apple, sweet creamed corn and a nicely carbonated 7 Up. I’d totally buy this one for $19.

Calvet 2018 Brut Rose

100% Cabernet Franc. Region/AOC: Crémant de Bordeaux. SRP: $18. Importer: Monsieur Touton.

From Tracey: 31% of Crémant de Bordeaux are Rose wines, with over 100 wine growers planting specifically for Rose Crémant. There has been a 13% increase in the past 10 years making Rose. The grapes for this wine were manually harvested and manually pressed. Aromas and flavors: Raspberry, wild strawberry and tannins. Suggested pairing: milk chocolate with 40% to 50% cacao, the tannins in both make the pairing work. Also goes well with Prosciutto.

From our group: Very pretty rose gold color with bubbles racing their way to the top of my glass. On the nose there was icy peach, cantaloupe melon, red berries and wet river rock; followed by flavors of freshly sliced peaches, more melon including Honeydew, sweet ripe pears and an interesting minerality that played on my palate for a long finish.

Raumland Cuvee Marie-Luise Brut 2013

100% Pinot Noir. Region/AOC: Rheinhessen. SRP: $46. Importer: German Wine Collection.

From Tracey: This wine is made by “The Pope of Sekt”, has a cooling influence from the climate as well as chalky soil. This was the “premium” wine in the line-up. Aromas and flavors: fresh, minerality, saltiness. Suggested pairing: Drunken Goat cheese and any other “zingy” cheeses.

From our group: Green apple, cheese toast, almond cookie, white peach, Hawaiian ginger flower, citrus oil and hints of crisp slate. This was the favorite amongst the people in the Zoom tasting.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

From Carl Kanowsky: OUR GERMAN ODYSSEY Part One

August 21, 2013 by evebushman

Imagine tasting and visiting where German wine is made. What did you conjure? Everything sweet and simple? A people cold and distant? A place beautiful in pictures but not drawing you to explore?

Well, I now know firsthand that none of those pre-conceptions jibes with reality.

My family and I recently took a whirlwind tour of Germany, going from Bonn and Cologne (what a Cathedral!) to Nuremberg and Dresden (haunting images of the Nazi past, with hope for the future) and finishing in Berlin (an international, cosmopolitan city that is still trying to define itself with Hitler on one hand contrasting with the many things Germany has to be proud of). We also made a quick stop at the Nurburgring (the home of the German Grand Prix) so Ted, our oldest, could attempt to set a track record in an Aston Martin. Close but the record still stands.

But ever since my wine awakening, I can’t visit any country without also delving into its fermentation story. And that’s what we did when we went to the wine region along the Mosel River.

Steep Mosel slopes - 07-23-2013

We tasted at three weinguts (German for wineries). Took us two days. (First piece of advice, tasting on the Mosel is serious business – treat it that way and the winemakers will respond. The tastings can easily consume three hours – plan accordingly.)

In the next three columns, you’ll read about our adventures along the Mosel, why we now respect and enjoy Riesling, and our new friends in southwestern Germany.

Likely you’ve read about how the vines along the Mosel are planted on steep slopes and are planted only on the southern exposure to capture as much sun as possible. You may even have seen pictures. But until you actually visit, you have no idea.

Frau Prum and Carl’s son, Scott

Maybe we’re too soft in California. You’d never see vines on slopes with a 30% or greater gradient. But take a look at these pictures. The Germans plant where goats fear to tread.

Our first visit was to Joh. Jos. Prum. Frau Amei Prum, wife of Manfred Prum, owner and winemaker, lead our tasting. First question, dear reader. How many high-end, expensive wineries have you visited, only to be hosted by one of the owners? If you’re like me, the answer is never.

Frau Prum explained all things German wine to us while plying us with increasing delicious examples.

I wanted to know who picked the grapes and how the hell they did it without multiple deaths and serious injuries.

Contrary to old folk tales, it’s not middle-aged German women who do the picking. Now, it’s Polish women (I forgot to ask their age). But how in the world do they get up and down those slopes without tumbling?
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They get to use the German version of an E-ticket ride. See the rail going up the slope in this picture? The pickers jump onto this sled and traverse up the hillside. Now this may take the ordeal out of getting to the top but you still wouldn’t catch me vying to help with the harvest.

The harvest starts at the bottom of the hill and the pickers work their way up. Harvest takes between four to five weeks to complete. Except, of course, for picking the grapes for Prum’s Eiswein.

In making the wine, Prum does not add any sugar or commercial yeast. So, how do you make sure that fermentation occurs when and how you want it, I asked? “We use only what yeast comes with the grapes. So what happens, happens,” she replied.

Also going against tradition in California, no oak is used – only steel. She explained that Prum has been making wine since 1911 (they just celebrated their 100^th anniversary), so I guess I won’t question success.

We learned all of this before we even began tasting. This was not only a treat for the senses but also an in-depth education on Mosel wine making. I’ll talk about the wines Frau Prum offered in my next column.