Rutherford

Rutherford is a small, largely agricultural stretch of the valley floor and benchland between Oakville and St. Helena. There is very little town here; the appellation is defined by vineyards and by the estates that farm them.

Rutherford is a tasting destination first. Trips here are built around appointments, not around a main street.

The dusty, structured character long associated with Rutherford Cabernet is a matter of soil and sun exposure, and tasting across neighbouring estates in a single afternoon makes the differences legible.

Usually a daytime chapter within a Yountville or St. Helena stay rather than a base of its own.