UNITED STATES
Madson
Wines
Cole Thomas founded Madson Wines in the spring of 2018, alongside Ken Swegles and Abbey Chrystal. Ken and Abbey compliment Cole’s winemaking on the viticultural side.
Cole’s love for wine originates from his love of agriculture. Prior to his career in wine, he worked as an organic vegetable farmer, as an edible landscaper, and as manager of the Demeter Seed Library (a non-profit seed saving project ). Cole found viticulture when he started working for Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. Cole moved to Victoria, Australia where he worked in vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula and crafted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Shiraz at Paringa Estate Winery. Cole returned to Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard for four years, as Assistant Winemaker, applying and gaining new perspectives of vinification and tradition. Then, in 2017, an opportunity arose to work in Central Otago, New Zealand for Prophet's Rock and Amisfield Winery. It was in New Zealand that Cole discovered many techniques for making natural wine. Cole returned to the Santa Cruz Mountains to launch Madson Wines in spring 2018. Initially, he couldn’t afford to buy fruit to make wine, so he would farm small plots not for money but for access to transforming the fruit into wine. At this time, he was still working by day for Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard. At night, he would work on advancing the Madson project.
Cole, Ken, and Abbey believe in order to make great wine, it’s absolutely essential to understand the soils that lie beneath the vines and the climate that surrounds them. There is a real focus on high quality grapes and farming the vineyards themselves in order to produce excellent wines. All of the vineyards they farm and work with are, at a minimum, farmed organically. They practice regenerative agriculture - a holistic farm system that enriches and sequesters carbon dioxide in the soil, increases biodiversity, and improves watersheds.
The wines of Madson are utterly unique – nuanced, subtle, unmistakably Alpine in character, yet influenced by the vineyards’ close proximity to the Pacific Ocean.
WINES
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Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2023
WHITE
“Lots of freshness, sea-breeze as well as honeyed notes and a touch of vanilla.”
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Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2023
RED
“There is a nice depth of savory notes, earth, and spice, balanced by pretty, brambly bright red fruit”
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Arey Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
WHITE
“A Chardonnay of notable restraint and considerable depth.”
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Massa Cabernet Sauvignon (Carmel Valley) 2023
RED
“With no new oak, this wine shows Cabernet Sauvignon in its purest form.”
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Ascona Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2024
RED
“A versatile pairing, the wine complements grilled salmon, soft cheese, risotto, and poultry.”