Wine Enthusiast article about the red, volcanic Oakville Dirt. <http://goo.gl/0thr8> and wanting to visit some wineries where the Trail meets the Cross, Oakville Cross, that is. Conflicted as I was, and with Sharon from Gargiulo Vineyards fresh out of the hospital from her appendix surgery, and Rudd busy with their holiday party, I decided to divide my time between:
Rustridge Ranch, B & B and Vineyards
Rustridge Ranch & Winery B&B Inn:
2910 Lower Chiles Valley Rd, St. Helena, CA, 94754
elevation 900 - 1200 ft.
570 acres in toto/ 60 acres planted to fruit,
3000 cases per year production.
Direct sales only.
Tasting fees $20 applied to cost of a bottle.
by appointment only (707) 965-9353
Rustridge Ranch has a long history of training thoroughbred horses for racing. Susan Meyer's family bought the Ranch in 1972. The family intended to open a boutique winery on-site, and began slowly planting to Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The winery itself was officially established in 1985. Five years later, Susan and her husband Jim Fresquez took over operations and have been producing high quality wines ever since. Susan, winemaker and partner, was kind enough to meet with me this morning and walk me through her ranch and a sampling of her wines.
I intended to spend an hour up at the Ranch before driving back down the mountain to my Oakville appointments. 2 1/2 hours after playing with horses, tasting wines and hearing Susan's wine-making wisdom, I had no idea where the time went.
Strolling along through the narrow pass of Chiles Valley that Susan calls home, she told me how the wind whips across the valley up here and shakes the leaves off the vines early after harvest.
One of the old hay barns is used as a winery production facility, another is now the room where we taste, a stable...well, that's still a stable!
There's an 1930's ranch house on the property that's converted to a b&b. I haven't seen such a peaceful spot in a while. Sometimes I find that a place can have such a strong affect on me that being there changes my mood, brings me outside of myself and my cares for just a while and leaves with a sense of grandeur, where I forget about time and am reminded of my tinyness in the universe. Rustridge Ranch is one of those places, so close to home and yet...where was I?
Right! So here we are in the tasting room, overlooking the pasture and hills behind.
2010 Sauv Blanc-100 cases
Neutral barrel fermentation provides for a lightly creamy mouth feel with a good Chiles Valley acidity and spiciness. Just bottled end of September.
The best I have had at the price point in a very long time. $25
2009 Racehorse white- 100 cases, 100% chard, 100% malolactic, 20% new oak. For me, wonderful pineapple fruit on the nose and yet just off dry with enough sweetness, as Susan says, to balance the alcohol (I believe it) and a long, creamy finish. $25.
2008 Rustridge Estate Chardonnay- roughly the same ageing process as the Racehorse, 1 year older and the finest fruit. This is a spicy and complex wine, as Chuck Flanders said it, a striking balance of acidity, fruit and flinty minerality. Best of Class Gold, Orange County Faire. $43
As a tour guide and amateur in the Napa Region where red wine is king, I have suffered though more token whites than I care to say, enough to have made me consider that they may not be for me. I thoroughly enjoyed all of these white wines, and am happy to say that tasting them has restored my faith in the varietals. Excuse the Red on the left of the pic. Sauv Blanc is feeling shy, hanging back.
2008 Racehorse Red. Cabernet Sauvignon / Zinfandel Blend. They first made this back in 1990 and called it Cabernet Zinfandel. This is 80% Zin & 20% Cab. In China Red and the number 8 are good luck, which explains why this wine is selling incredibly well there. I found this wine to be a lighter bodied red presenting bright cherry on the nose with good focused acidity and not too heavy a finish, an excellent pairing for lighter meats...and for me fish and vegetables.
Rustridge 2006 Zinfandel: I don't think this is available for sale anymore. They're on the 2007 now. It had a great deep violet color and refreshing pepper and clove nose. Chocolate, blackberry, mineral, for me... asphault, for the Meyers...saddle leather. Good fruit and structure, long anise finish. 20 - 25 seconds.
2004 & 2006 Cabernet vertical. both presented black fruit, vanilla and caramel, maybe due to the French & American barrel aging. Black cherry, plum, earth, cedar, roasted nuts?!?! coffee!! 04 had softened very nicely. '06 Cabernet $50.
I have had people pour and taste verticals in order from oldest first. I prefer to go the other way 'round. Susan served this way as well. I feel that it's easier to follow the life span of the wine starting younger and finishing older. If there is a right way, this must be it!
R.R. offers a pairing of organic infused chocolates to complement their wine tasting. The chocolates are available for sale in tasting room.
I scheduled an hour to spend here with Susan. 2 1/2 hours later with some laughs, a lot of wine-making wisdom and a few bottles under my arm, I kind of had to rethink my day. It's exactly this experience of timeless contentment that I hope to share with my guests. Thank you, Susan!!
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