Rutherford

Yesrerday, we had a short trip from Oak Knoll to Oakville. Today, it's even shorter. In fact, the Ritherford American Viticultural Area (AVA) sits on the northern and northwestern borders of Oakville. Despite the close proximity, however, the short drive is beautiful Whether we're on Highway 29, Silverado Trail, or on one of the crossroads in between, we see sprawling vineyards to our left, sprawling vineyards to our right and because the roads tend to have at least a little bit of curve thanks to the Napa River, sprwaling vineyards up ahead.

Rutherford was named for a man by the name of Thomas -- Thomas Rutherford, that is -- who found himself overwhelmed by the wheat crop of the area. From the base of the Mayacamas Mountains to the SIlverado Trail, there was wheat. Mr. Rutherford chose to be the maverick and deciding that both the soil and climate were ideal, planted grapes. And, obviously, his decision was a success as Rutherford, while not demanding the prices of its neighbor to the south, became one of the most legendary wine appellations anywhere.

The weather is much like that of Oakville, but being just a bit farther from San Pablo Bay, morning and evening fog is that much less likely. So, mornings and evenings are just a bit warmer and then smaller diurnal temperature change results in wines that have very slightly less acidity. 

There are two other significant differences that change the character and flavor profile of the wines. Due to its location on the Franciscan Assemblage, a geologic formation dating back to the Jurassic Period, the soil here has much more of a dusty, sandy structure to it. That difference in soil has created the signature note of the red wines from the area known as Rutherford Dust.

Second, in the far northern part of what is now Rutherford, when our hero of the day, Thomas Rutherford, chose to look for a place to plant grapes, he found not wheat, but Eucalyptus trees. While the infusion into the soil of the eucalyptus trees predominates in that area, even more to ths south in Rutherford, you'll find wines with very gentle hints of eucalyptus.

Among all of the Napa Valley AVAs, Rutherford has perhaps as much diversity of grapes as any. While it's primarily yet another red wine haven with mostly the traditional Boardeaux grapes, the southern part of Rutherford in particular, being closer to San Pablo Bay and benefitting from the additional diurnal temperature shifts and therefore more natural acidity produces some excellent quite herbal and grassy Sauvignon Blanc. Not the citrus bombs found elsewhere, these wines tend to be more refined and remind one of drinking a summer breeze.