User:Winejunkie/sandbox

Mike Smith, Winemaker. Napa Valley, California, USA
Mike Smith was born in Portland, Oregon on January 10th, 1968. He grew up in Santa Rosa, California where he credits his parents for introducing him to wine and the Napa Valley. He graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in International Business/ Economics and a passion for good wine.

While still at school he met the woman who was to steal his heart, and share his dreams, Leah. After graduation Mike ventured into the business world by starting his own legal courier service but Mike being one never to rest comfortably on laurels felt a strong pull toward to that one thing he was passionate about from his youth: fine wine. In 2000 he put an ad in the Wine Spectator online to ‘trade wine’ to which Napa wine guru Thomas Rivers Brown answered. One thing led to another and the rest is living history: For the next 3 Napa Valley vintages, Mike would become a cellar-rat; He would work the harvest, crush and just about every vineyard & winery job conceivable as a ‘rat’, all under Thomas’ tutelage, and all pro-Bono. It was the perfect opportunity to learn his future craft in the world of wine. Working side by side with Brown on projects like Schrader Cellars, Outpost, Rivers-Marie, Tamber Bey and Maybach Family, Mike had realized he found his calling. During all this time he would commute back and forth to Portland to maintain his family responsibilities.

Following that 3rd harvest Thomas offered Mike a full-time assistant winemaking position to which Mike quickly accepted and he moved his family to bucolic St. Helena, CA, where he still resides today with Leah and their two beautiful daughters. It was during this period that Mike was able to articulate his own philosophies on winemaking and cement his reputation for crafting terroir driven and pure wines which allow for the natural characteristics of each vineyard to shine. He continues to make highly regarded wines for a number of successful wineries including Carter Cellars, Myriad, Quivet Cellars, 12C, McGah Family, Becklyn, Pruett and Patine Cellars.

Mike's talents and stylistic "purist" approach to winemaking is evident in every wine he makes today. It is for these reasons Mike is regarded by many both in the Valley and out as one of the most exciting rising stars in the Napa Valley. Always striving to ensure perfection, Mike has been known to sleep among his barrels as they go through the important stage of post harvest fermentation.

Today’s stable of site-driven wines include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Pinot Noir. Mike wines can be purchased directly from the winery through highly coveted list spots. His personal wine label Myriad Cellars can be found at www.myriadcellars.com