Sommelier supreme: Jason Smith

Nestled among the sun-drenched vineyards of Napa Valley, famed for its natural beauty, fertile soils and ideal wine-growing conditions, is Schrader Cellars, one of the world’s finest producers of cabernet sauvignons.

Since its foundation in 1998, Schrader Cellars has achieved a total of 40 100-point scores from the likes of The Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling – more than any other winery in the history of American cabernet sauvignon production.

For Master Sommelier Jason Smith, joining Schrader Cellars was not just a dream job but the culmination of a lifetime of passion.

While originally training to become a chef, Smith discovered his affinity for wine, which after years of training culminated with him passing the rigorous Master Sommelier examination in 2005, becoming one of only 172 to hold this title in North America.

After two decades of experience serving the luxury hospitality industry and winning an array of industry awards – including Wine Director of the Year in 2016 with Wine Enthusiast Magazine – Smith feels honored to promote and share for one of the world’s greatest wine brands.

"I’ve been with Schrader Cellars for three years now and it’s really inspiring working with great people who are the best at what they do," Smith says.

"It’s amazing how often people come up to me and say that Schrader Cellars is the best wine they’ve ever had, which on a personal note is very rewarding."

Bottling art

When it comes to explaining what makes Schrader Cellars such a consistently successful producer, Smith attributes it to the grapes themselves.

"We start with the very best raw materials, sourcing from the very best vineyards," he says. "You can’t improve poor-quality grapes and make them into great wine. You need to start with the highest-quality fruit possible and then not mess it up when it comes into the cellar."

In charge of this process is Thomas Brown, one of the most sensational talents in winemaking today. He oversees all aspects of Schrader Cellar’s vineyard management and winemaking practices.

"Thomas likes to press the grapes when there’s still a little bit of sugar left and then have the fermentation process finish in-barrel. That helps to get the really wonderful velvety texture that Schrader is known for," Smith explains.

"He also likes things to be a little bit hotter and faster during the fermentation process. This preserves the fruit quality in the wine, so when you put your nose in the glass, you get that opulent fruity aroma. He does an amazing job of preserving a brightness in the wine that’s refreshing, delicious and balanced.

"Our biggest achievement so far was when we were awarded the number one wine by Wine Spectator for our Double Diamond wine from Oakville 2019 vintage. When I got the news, I felt so many different emotions. You put so much time and effort into these wines so it’s amazing to receive these kinds of accolades."

In pursuit of greatness

As with all wine, each harvest yields distinct characteristics, which makes the consistent excellence of Schrader Cellars all the more impressive.

"A legacy isn’t something made in a single vintage, it’s made over the long-term," Smith says. "This means it’s really important you don’t do something that’s going to ruin your legacy."

This has led to several difficult decisions over the years. "In 2020 we produced wine that didn’t reach the quality level we felt deserved the Schrader Cellars wine label, so we didn’t release anything, which is a testament to our focus on quality," he says.

"However, the following year, our winemakers were giddy with excitement. The fruit was incredibly high-quality, very dark, almost inky, and the taste was outstanding."

Yet challenges remain as climate change has led to several hot growing seasons, reducing the amount of wine Schrader Cellars can produce.

"We only want to release the very top wines, so we have to be very selective. When I tasted our 2021 harvest, I felt the wine was a little light and not as high-quality, so Thomas did a lot of blending trials and we came out with some really fantastic wines," Smith says.

"We bottled those several months ago and when I tasted them, I was unbelievably impressed with the quality."

Looking ahead, Schrader Cellars remains committed to producing only the highest-quality wines, and Smith is excited to release several new wines this year. Thanks to ideal weather conditions at the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, 2024 is set to be a classic California vintage.

"I used to work with a famous chef who often said, ‘You’ll never achieve perfection, but if you try to get as close as possible, you’ll reach a level of excellence that is seldom to be matched.’ That’s what we’re trying to do with Schrader Cellars."