Rudd Winery

This is the other side of Napa — the quaint, quiet, reserved, and sophisticated (but not ‘stuffy’) side. Here there are not limos of bridal parties and different levels of tasting tiers based on what you want to pay. Instead it’s world class wines in a private setting along with an educational and informative tour of the grounds and a chance to sample the bounty of the Napa Valley.
Danielle was a great host and I loved every minute of my time here. The Estate Red 2010 is big and bold yet elegant wine that matches the luxurious estate it is grown on.

We stopped in there for a tasting, almost on our way out of Napa. We had intended to go to a different one down the road, but it turns out they weren’t open that early on a Sunday morning. Stop judging me, damn it.
Anyhoo, we had passed by there a second beforehand and they had balloons on their sign, so we figured that they were open, and they were!
We were seated by an exceptionally nice lady (name might have been BJ but I can’t remember clearly) who explained some of their wines to us. All good wines, pleasant company and a learning experience. We ended up with a couple bottles of delicious wine and I’m looking forward to cracking them open soon enough!

I’d visited Rudd back in 2002 and loved my experience so much that I spent the next 11 years searching far and wine for a bottle of their ever-​so-​special Cabernet (their distribution is so minimal that I never found one) and keeping a return visit high on my list.
This past weekend was that sacred return. I called weeks in advance to book my appointment and despite the $ 80/​person tasting and tour fee, I gladly obliged. Passing up one of Napa’s most boutiquey and small batch wineries wasn’t an option.
Cheryl, our host and guide, was super pleasant and educated us on all the notches on Leslie Rudd’s well-​established belt (he owns Dean & Deluca, he created Longhorn Steakhouse, owns Oakville Grocery, etc). The vineyard itself was beautiful, the caves were magnificent but the tasting fell a little short. On my previous visit, we got to enjoy the tasting in one of the caves, this time it was in a library/​study-​like room. Lovely it was, but transporting it wasn’t.
Also, the food and wine pairing was nice, but that too fell a little short of my hopes. There were 3 short pours and for the quite hefty price tag per person, I would have hoped for a little more. In fact, I definitely would have had no issue leaving with an order placed had I felt I got good value out of the experience. Cheryl was definitely the most redeeming part of our visit but sadly it wasn’t what I was looking for. If you’re after a glimpse into an exclusive, posh winery and prefer something private with just you and your +1 or posse, this might be the ticket though.

I have been collecting wines for 35 years and have over 400 bottles in my cellar ranging from Mouton to Ornellaia. I have toured Mouton, Margaux, La Tour and drank from the barriques at La Conseillante. I have never been more impressed with a wine making operation than I have with Leslie Rudd’s. I am also equally impressed with his wine. I tasted his ’07 Oakville Proprietary wine

We had a delightful tour of the beautiful grounds and cellar and found that Kendall, our guide was extremely knowledgeable. What a cellar Leslie Rudd has! We thoroughly enjoyed our tasting and while a bit pricey, we thought it was worth it. We also loved the American flag waving proudly on the grounds.

What a lovely experience.
Napa is my stomping grounds, having gone to UCD for veterinary school. I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy Rudd wines until the last 3 years, but never have I been so exceedingly impressed.
We scheduled a private tasting, Cameron being our host. His graciousness, patience, and kindness surpassed all other hosts at tastings that we had enjoyed. And the wine… the wine, if only we could have seconds.
It is really hard for me to enjoy wine at 11:00 am in the morning, but the wine at Rudd was OUTSTANDING. I come from a family where wine has been part of our daily life for the past 40+ years, and I challenge anyone to find a 2007 Cabernet rated 98+ under $ 200 (you can try Quilcelda Creek, but you have to be a member like me ;)
Treat yourself and enjoy the winery, the wine, and Cameron. One of our most memorable experiences since we started visiting Napa over 2 decades ago.
I have to say something about the price. You get what you pay for. If you want to pay $ 15 for something wet and red, stay away from Rudd. But if you want a special experience that will educate your palate and help you appreciate enology and viticulture, the price is more than reasonable given the quality of wine, the ambience, and the atmosphere.

Very disappointing. The reds exhibited some very rough tannins on finish. Having tasted the cream of the crop earlier on this purchasing and tasting tour (Heidi Barrett’s/David Abreu — Kenzo) along with premier wineries such Altamura, Terra Valentine, Revana, Behrens and Hitchcock, and Merus, the RUDD wines could not cross the finish line on the best day. The tour guide was way too busy reminding us that the Foley Family has been on a major acquistion frenzy. Foley family needs to learn a lesson and concentrate on improving the quality of RUDD and less on making the buck.

Great stop– we headed up the Silverado Trail into Oakville for a tasting at Rudd Winery & Vineyards. Rudd is a beautiful property on the corner of Oakville Crossroad and Silverado Trail near such luminaries as Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle. Food and wine entrepreneur Leslie Rudd bought the property in 1996, bringing it to prominence with the help of famous names such as former winemaker David Ramey and consulting vineyard manager David Abreu. Thanks to Jeff and Kendall for treating us to an informal overview of Rudd’s current releases.
The Wines–
–2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Mt. Veeder– 87% Sauv Blanc, 13% Semillon. Native yeasts, partial barrel fermentation. Straw and honeysuckle with citrus and tropical notes. Full but a bit soft. Nice finishing notes of stone fruit and apple — good to very good — $ 45.
–2007 Chardonnay Bacigalupi Vineyard, Russian River Valley– 50 year old vines. Native yeast, full malo, 15 months in French oak-​57% new. Rich and gold. Opens with green apple and butterscotch with additional notes of caramel, stone fruit, and light minerals. Big and full style — good to very good — $ 65.
–2006 Crossroads Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville– 76% Cab Sauv, 13% Cab Franc, 7% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot. Native yeast, 20 months in 83% new French oak. Inky and dense. Expressive black and red fruit with black tea, coffee, and herbs. Silky tannins and a long finish — excellent — $ 65.
–2006 Oakville Estate Proprietary Red, Oakville– 80% Cab Sauv, 9% Cab Franc, 8% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. Native yeast, 20 months in 100% new Fine Grained French oak. Slightly lighter appearance than the Crossroads. Black fruit, vanilla– a little closed on the nose. Opened up into spice box, cigar box, black tea, coffee, and herbal notes with underlying soft black fruit. Tannins are spicy, firm, and long — excellent to stellar — needs 5 to 10 years to reach stellar potential — $ 125.