Rutherford AVA (American Viticultural Area) is a sub appellation of the Napa Valley located on the widest point of the valley floor. The vines benefit from more sun exposure during the growing season than other areas in the valley, achieving prime ripeness and full aromatic composition. Nights are significantly cooler, allowing grapes to retain natural acidity. The result are full bodied wines with great ageing potential and intense flavor profile. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are the main red varieties planted in the region, while Sauvignon Blanc leads the plantings of white grapes.
The soil in Rutherford is very complex, formed millions of years ago with a mixture of sedimentary rock, gravel, and sand. In 1938, legendary Russian winemaker André Tchelistcheff arrived at BeaulieuVineyards and quickly noted that the wines from this region expressed aromas of wet soil and pencil shavings, very different from wines of the surrounding areas of the valley. He described them with the now famous term “Rutherford Dust”.
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Author: Maytte Rivera
