Blacksmith - California
Matt Smith discovered his passion for wine when he began working at Beaulieu Vineyards in 1996. His chemistry degree landed him a job in Beaulieu’s lab, where he worked side by side with winemakers, helping them analyze their award-winning Cabernet Sauvignons and other fine wines. During his two years at Beaulieu, he realized he wanted to be a winemaker. “I loved everything about it”, he says. “I had finally found a profession that blended science and chemistry with art and creativity”. Matt was so committed to becoming a winemaker that he quit his job and enrolled in the enology program at Fresno State University. After graduation matt became assistant winemaker at Dashe Cellars and the enologist at JC Cellars.
Matt launched Blacksmith Cellars in 2003 with the release of his 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is truly his creation. He did it all, from tending the grapes, hand-sorting and crushing to punching down, pressing, blending and bottling. His hard work and meticulous attention to detail paid off. “I wanted my first wine to be a top-quality, uncompromising Cabernet”, he says. “I’ve achieved that. This wine is everything I hoped it would be.”
Website: www.blacksmithcellars.com
The Wines
Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
The Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits tremendous elegance and finesse across the palate. The mid palate is broad and velvety, which transitions seamlessly into a balanced and persistent finish. The fragrant bouquet offers up lush tones of violet intermixed with lavender and blackberry, while rich flavors of olive, crème de cassis and cocoa nibs highlight the purity of this multidimensional and elegantly styled wine.
Oakville Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
We have always sought to obtain absolute perfection in our Cabernet Sauvignon and this Oakville fruit represents the best of what we ferment. The fragrant bouquet offers up voluptuous, black cherries and currents woven together with layers of rich French oak extract. The structure is massive and densely packed. The Oakville Reserve will pair with beautifully with a wide variety of rich foods and will age easily for the next 10-15 years. The concentrated, full-bodied flavors of crème de cassis, vanilla, and espresso persist through the long power packed finish.
Dry Creek Valley Merlot
The Vineyard: The varietals for Blacksmith Cellars’ Dry Creek Merlot come from a single vineyard planted on the East side of Dry Creek Valley. Rocky hillsides with thin soils contribute to small berry size and great concentration in the fruit that is farmed to about four tons per acre.
Stag’s Leap District Merlot
The Vineyard: The Stag’s Leap District of Napa Valley is one of the premier areas to grow world class Bordeaux varietals. The vineyard for this wine is in the heart of the district pushing up towards the Eastern benchlands. The vineyard is farmed to the highest standard producing about 4 tons to the acre.
C.L.R.T. Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: The Grapes for this blend are sourced from several regions in Napa Valley including Oakville, Calistoga, and the Stag’s Leap District. The Napa Valley is famed for its Bordeaux varietals and the farming of these vineyards is held to the highest standards producing less than 3 tons to the acre.