The Madrigal Family Winery Estate
Since the late 1930's, three generations of the Madrigal family have farmed some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. The family history is a constant source of inspiration, and guides us in our wine making now. We value the long relationship we've had with the land and the people here, believing that the combined wisdom of the folks who’ve been here for generations and a deep appreciation of these vineyards can be tasted in our wine.
Today, the company is run by Chris Madrigal, the founder's grandson. Our winemaker is the acclaimed Ed Sbragia, who built his reputation over 30 years of winemaking in the Napa, Sonoma and Dry Creek Valleys. Ed’s wines have won awards for years and he’s proud of the reputation he’s earned. “I just do what I love and work with the gifts of the land,” said Ed. “All with a passion and pride passed down through generations at home.”
Chris' grandparents left Mexico in the late 1930's and arrived in the Napa Valley where they began farming apples, pears, walnuts and grapes. They were one of the first, if not the first, Mexican family in the upper valley. Chris' father, Jess, early on chose to focus on wine and started the family's vineyard management business. Today, that company manages over 800 acres.
Chris' passion for winemaking inspired him to establish Madrigal Family Winery. In 1995, Madrigal Family Winery produced its first vintage of 500 cases of Petite Sirah
As a member of the 3rd generation of the Madrigal family, Chris continues the family's commitment to excellence and its legacy of developing outstanding vineyards and award-winning wines.
Chris ultimately attributes the family’s success to a strong work ethic. He also believes that luck has its hand in the equation. “I always say sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. I like being good and a lot of the things that have happened in our life has been a result of working hard; but if there wasn’t luck involved with it or if we weren’t at the right place at the right time, our story could be drastically different. Be it luck or hard work, the Madrigal dream is alive and well!
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“1752” is the name of the Damilano Barolo Cannubi Riserva, in honor of the year in which the historic bottle was first marked “Cannubi”. It still exists today perfectly conserved by the Manzone family in Bra, close to Barolo. The bottle is clearly marked as being of “1752” vintage, indicating that Cannubi historically precedes Barolo.
About the Vineyard:
The Cannubi Cru is in found within one of the 6 core zones which comprise a UNESCO heritage site in Italy. A mixture of Tortonian and Helvetian calcareous marl gives the grapes intense aromas of cherry, plum and tobacco, rose and violet in sequence. Its low potassium and high calcium/magnesium content offer the wine a fine and polished touch. The vineyard is located at about 270 m. a.s.l. and has a south-east sun exposure. Barolo Riserva Cannubi 1752 It is a small plot of about 2 hectares of Nebbiolo vines, currently between 30 and 50 years of age.
Tasting Notes:
Garnet ruby red in color, the bouquet is intense and balanced, with notes of violet, red fruit, cherry and plum, spices, liquorice, cocoa, leather and tobacco. Dry, robust, full-bodied, very persistent, rich and velvety
Food Pairing:
This wine is excellent with typical piedmontes pasta (tajarin, ravioli); perfect with red meat, braised and roast meat, game and absolutely ideal with all types of cheeses.
Review:
Bernardins Dry Muscat Dore des Bernardins is made from 100% white Muscat petit grains.
Doré des Bernardins is a dry white wine that is only produced in years when the Muscat à petit grains crop is large enough. Grapes are picked at the same ripeness level as for the Vin Doux Naturel. In contrast to Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, the fermentation isn’t stopped, giving a fruity dry wine with intense Muscat aromas.
Dry Muscat with a fruity, nice perfume, honeysuckle and melon aromas, lively rounded mouth-feel. Elegant, fresh and medium-bodied.
Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.
Terroir
On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.
In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.
The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.
We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).
As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques. Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.
Winemaking
Our Doré des Bernardins is a dry white wine that we only produce in years when the Muscat à petits grains crop is large enough. We pick the grapes at the same ripeness level as for the Vin Doux Naturel. In contrast to Muscat de Beaumes, the fermentation isn’t stopped, giving a fruity dry wine with intense Muscat aromas.
Nicely chilled, this dry white wine is great as an aperitif or with asparagus, seafood, king prawns, fish.