Rutherford Hill – 159
Thursday, September 15th, 2005
The Napa valley is a valley which means that it is surrounded by hills, mountains, and peaks. It also means there are wineries in them thar hills and I think that despite the occasional car sickness that is experienced when traversing the dizzying roads, there is nothing I love more than going to mountain wineries. I had been looking forward to Rutherford Hill Winery because it lies on the same mountain as Auberge du Soleil. In a sense, it actually sits on top of the resort.
Rutherford Hill has many draws to to it, not the least of which is its picnic grounds. I’m a huge advocate of wineries that have picnic grounds accessible to customers and the view from this one doesn’t get much better. I’ve been up a number of times and if the weather is cool and mild enough, be prepared to see wildlife of the Disney persuasion (think Bambi and Thumper).
The building itself is stately and greets you when you come through the gates as you have just ascended the sometimes single-lane, windy road. The tasting room is broken into two areas; the Current Release Tasting or the Reserve Tasting. For $10, a tour can be arranged and are apparently quite popular as I watched a number of customers waiting for one (although it surprised me that while they were waiting, they didn’t bother to taste… perhaps afterwards).
2003 Napa Valley Chardonnay – Creamy aromas of white peach with a tease of lemon. Viscous, thick mouthfeel with tons of butter and oak on the finish. $17.50
2003 Rosé of Merlot – Fresh, young raspberry and cherry with a solid undercore of meringue. Easy tongue play showing bright carnation and jasmine underpinings. $15.00
2002 Syrah – Clove and dark plum dance in a somewhat steamy, hot playground. Tight entry blossoms a tad, but I wanted more. $28.00
2002 Napa Valley Merlot – Dense, dark brambleberry lies atop dusty twigs. Medium bodied and mostly mineral in the beginning doesn’t seem to go anywhere. $25.00
2001 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – Black plum and black currant almost overwhelms. There is some definite chocolate in the mouth but the finish is thin and harsh. $32.00
2001 Episode – A Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend at $150 a bottle, I was extremely disappointed to taste a bottle that had obviously been open for several days. Port-like mouth entry and nothing but oxidized aromas. Charging $10.00 for a 1.5 ounce toast, make sure the bottle is fresh before plunking down the moolah.
2001 Port Zin – Red floral and red fruit with twigs in this zinfandel brandy-fortified offering. Unknown price.
Rutherford Hill Winery ~ 200 Rutherford Hill Road ~ Rutherford ~ CA ~ 94573 ~ 707-963-1871