Smith-Madrone Chardonnay

We both find this wine pleasing with slight differences in ratings: Wine philosophies—front of the house versus back!

The Chef says…

Pear and ripe kiwi with a hint of orange zest brought out the best aromas on a non aromatic grape than I have tasted in a long time. On the palate, the flavors continued the same fruit aromas but there was a mission a foot that the wine makers strived to achieve which was to make this wine more than a sum of its parts. A mission in my book they have achieved quite convincingly. This wine was an extreme pleasure to consume. The finish was long, plush, and very texturally pleasing. Culinary applications are very broad and if you were looking for a stand-alone sipper you would have to search very hard to find a wine that accomplishes that feat as well as this one does. ~Marc Hinton

The Sommelier says…

You can taste the vintage in this wine, meaning that the long, dry growing season produced a wine with intense flavors for this dry-farmed vineyard. Interesting and fun, this barrel fermented Chardonnay is citrusy and tropical with hints of apple and almond with a tinge of orange zest leaning towards a Burgundian style with great balance, acidity and viscosity. This wine paired great with Tuna Tartare. Marc’s crab cake recipe would pair equally well. Bon Appétit! ~Pamela Heiligenthal

Rating: Sommelier: 88 / Chef: 92 | $30 | 14.4% ABV