Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

After reading the story of this producer, I inspired to try it. Especially, at $59.99 for a quality Napa Cabernet. These two brother’s are true pioneers of the Napa Valley. They do their own thing. Don’t follow trends and are not aggressive with their bottle price, nor do they really wish to. More rare than common in today’s Napa Cabernet market. I have a lot of respect for that and Napa Pioneers.

This also drinks pretty well for a young Napa Cabernet. I was expecting bigger/bolder based on write up. Not that this won’t benefit from cellaring.

The fruits are nicely ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, cherries & blueberry hues. I was expecting more teeth. Think it is showing the finesse & balance of most 21’s I’ve had. Dark spice, grilled meats, light black pepper, barrel dust, dry tobacco, leather, savory herbaceousnes, moist clays, dry crushed rocks, cola, flower bouquet of red, blue & purple fresh flowers, rainfall acidity with a well balanced, softly structured, elegant finish that lasts just over a minute and lands crushed rocks and touch of spice.

It will be interesting to see if this shows more in 5 years.

Photos of; Smith Madrone vineyards and brothers Stuart and Charles Smith — a year ago

Vanessa

9.3

Hello, California Syrah!!

From everything we’ve read, the Alder Springs Vineyard sounds like a truly majestic place.

It’s isolated in an undeveloped part of northern Mendocino County, situated in California’s North Coast region, where the steep and rugged terrain meet sweeping views of the ocean, bordered by rivers, redwoods, and snowcapped mountains… elevation stretches up to 1,800 feet above sea level.

It’s no wonder so many acclaimed producers, like Pax Mahle, source their fruit from here, where vines are sustainably farmed and cared for by Stuart Bewley. We were fortunate to visit Pax in Sebastopol in 2022, where we picked up this 2011 Cahto Ridge Alder Springs Vineyard Syrah. We’ve been waiting patiently to taste it. And here we are.

100% Syrah. Whole cluster fermented. Aged 12 months in neutral French oak barrels.

This wine is deep ruby trending towards garnet. The aromas are concentrated with ripe boysenberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, next to violet, black peppercorn, licorice, cured meat, peat moss, smoke, clove, leather and olive notes. On the palate, it is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body, high alcohol (14.6% ABV), medium (+) fine-grained tannins, and a long, elegant finish.

It’s both elegant and wild all at the same time and we love it.

Cheers! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Stacey Ryan

9.1

Stacey had this 7 years ago

with Kim

Jean Marc Magnaudet

8.9

Dinner with Evren, Rodrigo and Stuart — 8 years ago

Wendy Sellers

9.0

Gift from Stuart and his wife — 8 years ago

Erica Lauer Vose

10

So sweet and smooth and rich — 8 years ago

with Chuck

David Dorn

9.1

Lovely wine! — a year ago

Ali Copp

9.7

R Stuart wine club
One of our favorites we've had from them!
Smooth, subtle fruit tones.
Went great with steak night and cheese night — 2 years ago

GM Haggerty

9.0

Smooth finish, very slight herbal hints, wonderful with goat cheese…. And friends….. — 2 years ago

Chance Miller

8.9

Rose of Pinot noir — 3 years ago

Ryan Wofford

8.9

Nice, crisp #oregonchard — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.6

So, so, so freaking good and at a great price point! Thank you Stuart for knocking it out of the park with this one!!
😍👏👏👏😍 — 8 years ago

with Christine

Stanislav Lobanov

8.9

16.5/20 (89/100) Вино с ароматами вишневого джема, карамели, ванили и намеком на кожу. Легкое с достаточно высокой кислотностью и гладкими танинами. Очень хорошо! #prowein2018 — 8 years ago

Jason Phillips

9.0

Good, bold pinot. Coats the palate with a velvety texture. — a year ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

A beautiful top shelf Margaret River Cabernet drinking well at 16 years of age. Deep Ruby in colour. You would never know it was that age from the colour. My 2nd last bottle. A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. Trademark herbaceous notes with mulberry and spice. 2008 was a hot and dry vintage in Margaret River. Severe winds at flowering drastically reduced the crop to the lowest yet recorded - under 1 tonne per acre. Shelley Anne named after Stuart Watson’s wife. Stuart is the chief winemaker and one of the owners. Had my last bottle on 2nd April 2026. Starting to think these top Woodlands Cabernets are better earlier in life when there are more black fruit cassis characters. Good nevertheless but certainly not improving. — 2 years ago

Chance Miller

8.9

Great day of tasting in Oregon’s Willamette Valley 😋 — 3 years ago

Mary Bailey Parker

9.9

Very smooth, full bodied! — 4 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.1

Excellent. Approachable Nebbiolo, 2013--just enough age to make it enjoyable. Getting ready for our upcoming Italy trip! Looking for recommendations. Visiting Barolo et al and Puglia this time around.

Friends: where should we go? Who should we meet? What should we drink?

@Antonio Galloni @Bill Bender @P A @Kimberly Anderson @"Odedi" @Eric Shanks @Dr. Owen Bargreen @Ralph DiBiasi @David From The 504 @James Forsyth @David L @Mike R @Shay A @Stuart Scheff @David T — 7 years ago

Patrick Matarazzo

9.0

Smooth taste. Good lingering finish. Drank 2007 vintage in 2018! — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Woodlands make one of the best Cabernet blends in Margaret River IMO and this is Stuart Watson’s best cuvée of Chardonnay. Lovely grilled cashew aromas with grapefruit. Medium weight with Citrus and some stone fruit notes. Medium + intensity. Excellent Chardonnay. Another 5 years of potential. Tasted my 2nd bottle 61 weeks later on 2nd March 2019 also at Paros. Richer with more stone fruit richer delicious favours. Excellent Chardonnay. Drinking superbly. Now 95 points. Next in a year. — 8 years ago