Winemaker Notes
Perched high on a scenic hilltop, Rutherford Hill Winery overlooks the famed Rutherford Bench, drawing from Napa Valley's finest vineyards to craft exceptional wines. Established in 1972, the winery's founders recognized the valley's unique similarity to Pomerol, pioneering Merlot as Napa's signature variety. Since acquiring the winery in 1996, the Terlato family has carried forward a legacy of vision, high quality, and excellence. Under talented new winemaking leadership, they’ve gained exciting critical acclaim for elevating the offerings by adopting cutting-edge techniques, including selecting meticulously curated parcels of fruit and employing a refined French oak barrel regimen to elevate the quality of every bottle.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.