Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Founded in 1996 by Leslie Rudd, Rudd Estate is a multigenerational winery handcrafting small production wines that reflect the ultimate expression of its world-class terroir by respecting the traditions of the past, challenging the present and imagining future possibilities. Over the course of two decades, the team at Rudd Estate has become intimately familiar with the geologic nuances that make its terroir unique: iconic red volcanic soils, the alluvial fan, and the subterranean stream beds. Vineyards located in Napa Valley’s most celebrated Oakville appellation produce red Bordeaux varietals, and vineyards located on Mt. Veeder at a 1500-foot elevation produce Rudd’s Sauvignon Blanc and Susan’s Blanc. These white wines are a unique expression of these varietals and a rarity in the Valley given hillsides are typically reserved for red varietals.
Samantha Rudd recently took the helm of Rudd Estate and has championing organic and biodynamic farming practices with the support of the winegrowing and vineyard team. Committed to creating an environment where hard work, creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship are valued, she instituted an Unlikely Collaborators Residency Program in 2016. This multi-disciplinary residential program for individuals in the arts, sciences or business who share Rudd Estate’s values and would like to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Rudd team, exploring new ideas in the idyllic setting of the Napa Valley. In today’s device-driven world, there is little opportunity for individuals with shared values but different backgrounds to connect face-to-face and learn from and be inspired by one another. The program’s goal is to help correct this and to encourage individuals with different perspectives and sets of experiences to engage one another in order to facilitate innovative ideas and creative solutions that will add value to both parties’ present and future endeavors.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.