Smith-Madrone 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Recommendation:
Smith-Madrone 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Tasting Notes:
Smith-Madrone's 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark red in color, with hints of mint, cedar, black cherry and blueberries from the Cabernet Franc, with just a dash of pepper mixed in. What’s great about this wine is that its wonderfully complex aroma comes through on the taste, thus making this wine truly balanced. There are moderate tannins which will allow extended aging, yet the wine is enjoyable now as well, especially with strong flavored foods or meat.

Vineyard Notes:
The steep mountain vineyards are dry-farmed: this centuries-old tradition means that there is no supplemental irrigation for the vineyard—only what nature provides as rainfall. Dry-farming allows the vines to come into balance with nature by sending their roots deep into the volcanic mountain soil, allowing the vines to mature their fruit as nature intended. Although this means a smaller yield of grapes, this insures the best quality grapes.

Technical Notes:
All Smith-Madrone wines are estate grown at the winery located at the very top of Spring Mountain in the Napa Valley. The red wines are aged 100% in new American oak barrels made from white oak from Missouri, after air drying for two years.

Appellation:	Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley
Age of Vines:	31 years
Farming:	Dry-farmed mountain vineyard
Varietal Content:	Cabernet Sauvignon 84%, Merlot 10%, Cabernet Franc 6%
Oak:	23 months in new American oak
Alcohol:	13.8%
Production:	1135 cases