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Thank you so much for your business and support.
If you have wine to pick up, please contact Melissa McCollum at 707-978-0696 or mmccollum@madrigalfamilywinery.com
Cheers,
the Madrigal Family Winery Team
Producer Note:
Owner Chris Madrigal is a font of information on the development of Napa Valley. His grandparents arrived in 1938 and settled on Larkmead Lane. “The area was all Italian,” he said. “They were the first Mexican family.” His father, Jess Madrigal, went into vineyard management, and Chris grew up behind La Luna Market, in Saint Helena, and went to the public school there. Today, many of the valley’s residents send their kids to private schools in Napa, Santa Rosa or beyond, but that wasn’t so much the case back in the 1970s or 1980s—Madrigal went to school with kids like Tom Rinaldi (Duckhorn), Sloan Upton (Three Palms Vineyard), David Abreu and Elias Fernandez (Shafer).
Timing has been kind to Madrigal, who acquired his property in 1989. “Things changed around 1994, with the cult-wine era and the dot-com boom,” he said. “I just make the wines I like. And we’re just happy we have great support and sell 100% DTC [direct to consumer].”
Being in Calistoga, his 40 acres—33 are planted to grapevines—are at the warmer end of Napa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the highest-value grape he grows, but he’s got a passion for Spanish varieties and grows some Zinfandel and Petite Sirah as well. He sells roughly two-thirds of his crop to other wineries but keeps the rest for his boutique-sized operation. As I was nearing Cabernet Sauvignon-saturation level, at my request, Madrigal poured me some of his non-Cabernet wines, including his largest-production wine, the Petite Sirah. If you are or are going to be in the Calistoga area, a visit to the small family compound is quiet and laid-back, and the wines are relatively affordable ($40 or $60, regular or reserve, respectively).
Wine Reviews
Madrigal 2021 Zinfandel Reserve 92 points
The 2021 Zinfandel Reserve is a fun, expressive version of the variety, with bouncy mixed berries and a briary notion accented by hints of vanilla. It’s medium to full-bodied, juicy and supple, with a ripe, creamy-textured finish. Enjoy it over the next several years.
Madrigal 2021 Petite Sirah 92 points
Madrigal’s largest-production wine, at 800 cases, is the Petite Sirah. The 2021 Petite Sirah offers up peppery notions of blueberries and vanilla on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is ripe and supple, with an enticing tinge of licorice on the long, softly dusty finish. Excellent stuff, realistically priced.
Madrigal 2021 Tempranillo 91 points
Inspired by a visit to Spain, Madrigal grows and makes some Spanish varieties, including a fine 2021 Tempranillo from the estate in Calistoga. While not hugely complex, it artfully combines notes of fresh cherries and vanilla on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is silky textured, with a long, elegant finish.