Smith-Madrone, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley (California) Chardonnay 2016

 I’ve been raving about Smith-Madrone for some years now, and I won’t be slowing down any time soon.  I got a sneak preview of this wine last fall, and it has certainly lived up to its initial flash.  Dry farmed and barrel fermented, it’s then aged in mostly new French oak, which might lead you to expect overt wood influence.  That’s not at all the case here, with singing lemon forward fruit soloing above supportive yet nuanced oak spice and a trumpet section of acidity that gives the wine great finish push through the bold finale.  Bravo once again to the Smith clan for a command performance that’s destined to resonate for years.