|
The Rutherford Dust Society was founded in 1994 by growers and vintners in tribute to the legacy of our grape growing and winemaking forebears.
Since the late 19th century, the growers and vintners of Rutherford have played a significant role in the development of Napa Valley as a world-class winegrowing region.
The late, revered winemaker André Tchelistcheff said: "It takes Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet." What we now fondly refer to as "Rutherford dust" has come to reflect an enduring commitment to quality, a spirit of achievement and a deep connection to Rutherford's soil – as opposed to any sensory component in the appellation's wines.
The Society's mission is to encourage and promote the highest
quality standards in grape growing and winemaking in the
Rutherford Viticultural Area, and to help wine lovers and
the wine trade discover Rutherford's unique expression.
Please join us in enjoying the fruits of our labor and in
preserving the heritage and vineyards of Rutherford, in
the Napa Valley.
Late last year, the Rutherford Dust Society
Board of Directors voted unanimously to empower a subcommittee,
the Rutherford Dust Restoration
Team (RDRT or "our dirt"), to initiate a plan
to manage and restore the river. The sub-committee is co-chaired
by John Williams, of Frog's Leap Winery, and Davie Pina, owner Pina
Vineyard Management, LLC, also a Rutherford Dust Society
Board member.
Since its earliest days, Rutherford's growers and vintners
have been committed to quality. Today, they maintain the
spirit of Rutherford's proud history through their commitment
to build upon this standard. This attitude toward quality
is the driving force behind the vineyards and wines of this
distinguished district.
The Rutherford Viticultural Area is approximately 6 square
miles, beginning just south of Cakebread Cellars and BV
Vineyard #2 along Highway 29. It ends at Zinfandel Lane,
3.3 miles to the north, and stretches across the valley
2 miles at its widest point from Mt. St. John on the West
to the Vaca Mountain Range on the East.
Soils from three alluvial fans are primarily gravelly, sandy
and loamy. The fans are formed from shattered, well-bedded
sandstone, and their deposits are high in gravels. Deep
and well-drained, the fans have pockets that allow runoff
to easily flow to the streams and Napa River. Rutherford
soils are dominated by the Franciscan marine sedimentary
materials with some volcanic deposits (primarily Bale, Pleasanton
and Yolo loams).
One of the more unusual aspects about Rutherford is that
it has a higher radiant value than other parts of Napa Valley.
Because the area is located at Napa Valley's widest point,
it spends more time in the sun. University of California,
Davis categorizes Rutherford as a Region II, with over 3,000-degree
days during the growing season.
Warm summer days ripen Rutherford grapes, giving way to
cool evenings. An average summer day may drop 12 degrees
(F) immediately after sunset. This fluctuation allows the
fruit to ripen at a steady pace; temperatures north and
south of Rutherford can vary as much as 10 degrees. Rutherford
has an average rainfall of 26-36 inches per year. Although
typically mild, spring can bring freezing temperatures at
night during March and April.
Although bordered on the West and East by two mountain ranges,
the Rutherford Viticultural Area does not extend above 500
feet in elevation. Regardless, the elevation is quite pronounced.
Vineyards creep up the nearby hillsides from the Napa River
in the center of the appellation, which lies just 172 feet
above sea level.
Rutherford offers a multitude of microclimates and soil
types for vintners and growers. Nevertheless, wines produced
from the grapes grown here reflect a distinct Rutherford
character.
[About Us] [History] [Watershed] [Wines] [Facts] [Members] [Links] [Events] [Contact Us] [Home]
|
