Rutherford Hill Chardonnay, Napa Valley

Description

Rutherford Hill Chardonnay is made from fruit sourced from the Napa Valley. The grapes grown in the cooler climate of southern Napa that create a wine with striking balance and structure.

Rutherford Hill Winery was founded in Rutherford, Napa in 1972, where the original owners believed that the climate and soil of the valley were well suited to Merlot, similar to Pomerol. In 1996, the Terlato family purchased the Rutherford Hill winery and embraced its legendary commitment to quality over quantity. Today, 75% of production is dedicated to Merlot. Winemaker Marisa Taylor continues to craft beautiful wines and is 100% committed to sustainable winegrowing and winemaking practices. A new state-of-the art facility for the production of reserve wines ─ a “winery within a winery” ─ began taking shape in spring of 2000 and was functional in time for that year’s harvest. Costing more than $7 million, the 5,100-square foot winery addition has 24 fermentation tanks ranging from 1,500 to 6,000 gallons. It is self-contained, complete with its own press, refrigeration capabilities (tanks are jacketed for both warming and cooling glycol) and harvest crew.

Rutherford Hills have over 130 acres of vineyards across Napa Valley which reflect the region’s diversity of soils and microclimates that allow the winery to consistently show the best of the appellation for every vintage. There are vineyards in the Pope Valley, on the warmer eastern edge of the Vaca Mountains, Rutherford, the Mee Lane vineyard offers a touch of “Rutherford Dust” and the Rutherford Hill Estate Vineyard, with its rocky, hillside soils, brings intensity and structure to the varietals planted high above the valley floor. 

The grapes for the Rutherford Hill Chardonnay are carefully hand-picked into half-ton bins and whole cluster pressed to provide the highest quality wine possible, then barrel fermented. The wine then ages sur lie for 8 months in French oak barrels, 25% New Oak.