Curly St. James

Has anyone tasted Curly St. James? It is made by the son of one of the founders of Smith Madrone. I would love to try it, but another 3 digit wine that I have not tasted is tough.

From the website:

“Curly St. James was founded by second generation Napa Valley winemaker, Sam Smith. Each vintage is grown on the steep volcanic hillsides of the Mayacamas Mountains in Napa Valley. Fewer than 100 cases per vintage are produced.”

"Working in a family business has its own unique challenges, and Smith-Madrone is no different. Sometimes you just need a reminder not to take yourself too seriously, and at Smith-Madrone that reminder was Curly, our Springer Spaniel. He was always dependable for a laugh, and loved running through the vineyards, greeting guests and working by our side.

St. James is the patron saint of reason and patience; both qualities that are critical ingredients in making great wine. My wine is a tribute to these virtues and to those that paved the way to make my adventure possible.”

  • Sam Smith

We had this wine with our Christmas Eve dinner. A very good melange of flavors, appealing texture and a fine finish. It easily finds the sweet spot between ripe and reticent. One of those rare wines that matches the winemaker’s description. Impressive. Love the name, of course.

Re price: the triple digit price fell by 40% when I went to checkout and shipping was $1. This was several weeks ago, so I don’t know if the discounts still apply.