Triple 97pts 2021 Nap Cab Sub-$60・NYT's #1 Napa Cab for '26・WE TOP 100 Rank #29・A Case Costs Less Than 1 Btl of Scarecrow. It Scored the Same 97pts.
| Artisan Wine · Smith-Madrone · Spring Mountain, Napa Valley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Smith-Madrone · Est. 1971 · Spring Mountain District · Dry-Farmed Estate
97
Points · Three Times Over
Decanter · Wine Enthusiast · Wine Review Online
A 2021 Napa Cabernet With Triple 97s
|
| Purchase Now — Before It’s Gone |
2021 Napa Cabernets Scoring 97 Points — And What They Cost
Every wine below earned 97 points from a major publication in the same legendary 2021 vintage. Only one is under $100.
| Wine | Score | Source | Price |
|
Scarecrow Cabernet
Rutherford · 2021
|
97 | Wine Advocate | $992 |
|
Opus One
Oakville · 2021
|
97 | Vinous | $460 |
|
Kenzo Estate “ai”
Napa Valley · 2021
|
97 | James Suckling | $300 |
|
Larkmead “Solari”
Napa Valley · 2021
|
97 | Jeb Dunnuck | $200 |
|
Smith-Madrone Estate
Spring Mountain · 2021 · Est. 1971
|
97 | ×3 Publications | $59.97 |
|
A full case of Smith-Madrone (12 bottles) costs less than a single bottle of Scarecrow. Same score. Same legendary vintage. Same 25-year cellar potential. |
| Purchase Now — $59.97/Bottle |
8 Reasons to Buy a Few Cases Right Now
|
01
The Score-to-Price Ratio Is Historic
Three 97-point scores under $60 in Napa Cabernet is essentially unheard of. The average 97-pt Napa Cab costs $150–$992. This is a pricing anomaly that will not repeat.
|
02
The 2021 Vintage Is Generational
James Suckling calls it an “apex vintage.” Jeb Dunnuck calls it “truly exceptional.” Critics agree: 2021 is Napa’s best vintage in at least a decade, possibly longer.
|
|
03
25-Year Cellar Window
Decanter recommends 2026–2046. Buy two cases — drink one bottle a year from the first, cellar the second. Save birth-year bottles for children’s milestones.
|
04
Vanishing Supply
Only 1,652 cases made from drought-reduced yields. Already sold out on Wine.com at $66.99. We have 48 bottles left. When gone, gone forever.
|
|
05
The New York Times Says So
Eric Asimov named this one of only three Napa Cabs in his “10 Wines to Drink in 2026.” That’s among the most influential wine endorsements in America.
|
06
Michelin Sommeliers Already Chose It
On the lists at PRESS (deepest California Cab collection in the world), La Toque, and The Little Nell. The gatekeepers of quality have spoken.
|
|
07
The Perfect Host’s Weapon
At under $60, you pour this for guests without hesitation. They taste a 97-point, NYT-endorsed wine and ask where you found it. Case buyers always have it ready.
|
08
54 Years of Unbroken Integrity
Same family. Same vines since 1971. Same dry-farmed estate. They’ve never chased trends or inflated prices. This authenticity is why the secret is finally out.
|
Dear fellow collector,
Imagine if Diamond Creek, Togni, Stony Hill, Dunn, Mayacamas, and Château Montelena all still retailed for $35 to $60 a bottle. One of their Spring Mountain neighbors still does.
Smith-Madrone’s 2021 wines just had a coronation year the industry cannot ignore. Three separate publications awarded 97 points to the Cabernet — matching scores given to Scarecrow ($992) and Opus One ($460) in the same vintage. Wine Enthusiast ranked it #29 in their Top 100 of 2025 out of 25,000 wines blind-tasted, naming it an Editor’s Choice. Eric Asimov of The New York Times selected it as one of just three Napa Cabs in his “10 Wines You Should Be Drinking in 2026.”
And it’s $59.97 a bottle. Already sold out on Wine.com at $66.99. We have just 48 bottles remaining.
“You won’t find another Napa Cabernet of this quality at this price.”
— Wine Review Online · 97 Points2021: Napa’s Greatest Vintage in a Generation
After the devastating 2020 season — when wildfires forced many producers to forgo red wine entirely — 2021 arrived as an answer to prayer. Cool nights, steady sunshine, no heat spikes, and historic drought conditions produced small, intensely concentrated berries that critics now call a once-in-a-generation event.
James Suckling calls 2021 an “apex vintage” and a “redemption year” — urging collectors to commit now because of the small quantity available. Jeb Dunnuck declared it “truly exceptional.” Vinous found the wines “aromatic, refined and wonderfully expressive.” The Napa Valley Vintners’ one-line summary: “The joy is back.”
Smith-Madrone was built for this vintage. Dry-farmed at 1,300–2,000 feet on Spring Mountain since 1971, their vines have never known irrigation. Drought isn’t a crisis for these roots — it’s what they were born for.
An Unprecedented Year of Recognition
| The New York Times Eric Asimov | Named Smith-Madrone one of only three Napa Cabs in his “10 Wines You Should Be Drinking in 2026” — alongside Frog’s Leap and Matthiasson. January 2026 |
| Wine Enthusiast 97 Points · #29 Top 100 | Ranked #29 of 25,000 wines blind-tasted for the Enthusiast 100 of 2025. Named Editor’s Choice. Reviewer described it as a Cabernet that exemplifies how the variety became so popular — an impossible find for the price. Elaine Chukan Brown · Dec 2025 |
| Decanter 97 Points | Tannins described as soaring and built like skyscrapers yet remarkably well-integrated. True cellar-worthy gems with impeccable structure. Drink 2026–2046. Jonathan Cristaldi · Oct 2024 |
| Wine Review Online 97 Points | Classic in every sense. If you save birth-year wines to celebrate a child’s achievements twenty-plus years down the road, this is exactly what you’re looking for. Dec 2024 |
| James Suckling 94 Points | A staunch defender of the restrained, elegant style of Napa reds from the 1970s — with firm tannins, good acidity, and serious aging potential. Best from 2029. Jim Gordon · Dec 2024 |
On the Lists That Matter Most
| PRESS St. Helena, Napa Valley Michelin Starred | La Toque Napa, California Michelin Recognized | The Little Nell Aspen, Colorado Grand Award |
PRESS holds what may be the deepest California Cabernet collection of any restaurant in the world — over 1,600 Napa Cabs on their list — and they’ve featured multiple Smith-Madrone vintages. When these sommeliers choose a wine, they’re staking their reputation on it.
| Purchase Now — $59.97/Bottle |
| Flagship | NYT Pick 2026 | WE Top 100 · #29 | Triple 97 |
| 97 Decanter | 97 Wine Enthusiast | 97 Wine Review | 95 Tasting Panel | 94 Suckling | 93+ Parker | 93 Bargreen |
|
Blend: 81.9% Cab Sauv, 17.7% Cab Franc, 0.4% Petit Verdot
Aging: 18 months, 65% new French oak
Cellar: 2026 – 2046
|
Production: Only 1,652 cases made
ABV: 14.3%
Wine.com: Sold out at $66.99
|
| Elsewhere: $66.00 | $59.97 | Lowest in the U.S. |
| Estate White | 94–95 Pts |
| 95 Decanter ('19) | 94 Bargreen ('21) |
Decanter called the previous vintage “one of the finest Napa wines in existence for $45.” The 2021 is stunning — rich, viscous, with serious nerve. Drink now through 2032.
|
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Aging: 10 months, 50% new French oak
|
Production: Only 1,001 cases made
ABV: 14%
|
| Elsewhere: $46.00 | $42.97 |
| Napa’s Finest Riesling | 94 Pts |
| 94 Decanter | 94 Wine Enthusiast | 93 Bargreen | 93 Suckling |
Won “Best Riesling” internationally at the 1979 Gault-Millau competition. Decanter still calls it “Napa’s finest.” Vibrant, saline, an utter classic.
|
Varietal: 100% Riesling
ABV: 13.3%
|
Production: Only 1,067 cases made
Drink: 2024 – 2035
|
| Elsewhere: $40.00 | $34.97 |
Build Your Case
Three ways to stock your cellar — each one a case worth talking about.
|
The Purist
12 Bottles Cabernet
The triple-97 flagship. Drink 6. Cellar 6 for 2046. $719.64 12 × $59.97 |
★ Best Value ★
The Full Estate
6 Cab + 6 Chard + 6 Riesling. All three wines. Every occasion. $827.46 18 bottles · avg $45.97/btl |
The Collector
24 Bottles Cabernet
Two cases. Drink one decade. Cellar one for the next. $1,439.28 Still less than 2 bottles of Opus One |
| Purchase Now → |
The Collector’s Case for Acting Now
Here is what you’re weighing: a winery founded in 1971, still run by the same brothers who cleared the forest, planted the vines, and built the barn by hand. Fifty-four vintages. Same three wines. Same dry-farmed mountain estate. The definition of authenticity in an era of marketing.
The 2021 vintage is Napa’s greatest in a generation. Three publications awarded 97 points. The New York Times named it one of only 10 wines to drink in 2026. Wine Enthusiast ranked it #29 of 25,000. Michelin-starred sommeliers pour it. It’s sold out everywhere else.
A full case costs less than a single bottle of Scarecrow. Two cases cost less than a single Opus One.
There are 48 bottles of Cabernet, 9 of Chardonnay, and 3 of Riesling remaining. This offer ends when the last bottle ships.
| Purchase Now → |
Cheers,
— Christine Tran
artisan.wine | 2495 Old Middlefield Way | Mountain View, CA 94043 US
Leave a comment