Rutherford Hill Winery

Every celebration deserves a touch of refinement, and what better way to achieve it than with a glass of wine? Rutherford Hill embraces this thought and puts its heart and soul into crafting sophisticated wines that artfully blend tradition with innovation.

Rutherford Hill is a wine estate located in the heart of Napa Valley, renowned for pioneering the development of California Merlot. The winery has a rich legacy that fosters quality and luxury, which is the foundation of the Terlato family’s commitment to winemaking.

Rutherford Hill’s parent company, Terlato Wine Group, owns more than 1,000 acres of vineyards across the globe that contribute to their 16 distinct wine labels. Each brand offers exceptional premium wines. Rutherford Hill Winery produces a stellar selection of varieties including Merlot, Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc, all hailing from their beloved AJT Vineyard, named after its patriarch, Anthony James Terlato.

What makes Rutherford Hill stand out as a winery is its massive mile-long cave system, one of the largest in the state. The caves offer ideal climatic conditions for aging the wines. The constant low humidity and cool temperatures minimize evaporation, allowing the wines to age naturally.

The winery also crafts an immersive experience for its patrons by providing them with a picturesque journey through the vineyards on the hillside, capturing the essence of its grand terroir.

“We strive to offer a comprehensive suite of excellent quality wines via technological innovation coupled with old-world winemaking knowledge. Through significant capital investment, we’re expanding and enhancing the hospitality areas where our guests visit our winery,” says William (Bill) Terlato, president and CEO of Terlato Wine Group and Terlato Wines. “Our goal is to transform the visitor tour and showcase the true quality of our wines.”

The winery offers several tour and tasting options, each delivering breathtaking views of Napa Valley. The ATV vehicle tour and lunch selection promises a fusion of scenic beauty and farm-to-table delights, perfectly paired with Rutherford Hill wines, encapsulating the marvelous grandiosity of the winery.

Rutherford Hill’s signature selection tasting offers a seasonal selection of five wines, including its famous Merlot. Visitors can opt for a Merlot tasting to witness the diversity of Napa Valley’s different climates and their impacts on certain varieties. The tasting room team ensures visitors have an educational and enjoyable experience while exploring the beauty of Napa Valley.

The winemaking of Rutherford Hill brings a fresh perspective to vinification by introducing state-of-the-art technology. Devices like optical sorters have optimized grape selection, ensuring only the finest berries contribute to the winemaking process.

“We truly embrace the admixture of old-world traditions and new-world techniques in our winemaking, leveraging them to their fullest potential to produce wines with unique personality,” says Michael Coode, winemaker and General Manager at Rutherford Hill. “Our approach combines the best methodologies to create an unparalleled winemaking experience.”

Alongside its luxury winemaking process, Rutherford Hill’s exquisite location in the heart of the world-famous Napa Valley adds to the quality of its wines. Here the vineyards receive optimal sun exposure and produce perfectly ripened grapes with soft tannins and optimal structure for crafting elegant wines.

Poised for longevity, Rutherford Hill focuses on vineyard sourcing, sustainability, and estate-grown and bottled wines to meet evolving consumer demands. The commitment to sustainability is evident in its certifications like Napa Green and California Sustainable Winery and Vineyard, reflecting its dedication to environmentally conscious practices.

The winery’s 100 percent solar-powered operations and ecological initiatives like Owl Boxes reflect its dedication to natural solutions by embracing sustainable farming and green practices.

Terlato Wine Group’s extensive sales and marketing team has established a broad distribution network that spans all 50 states in the U.S. and 29 international markets, facilitating domestic sales and exports. In addition, it has set up retail rooms at its wineries and operates a highly productive direct-to-consumer business, complemented by a dedicated website. The estate also works very closely with their distributor partners ensuring a comprehensive and diverse route to market for its products.

Rutherford Hill stands not just as a winery but as a curator of experiences, a cornerstone of tradition, and a beacon of innovation. The Terlato family’s journey, spanning four generations, has woven a narrative of dedication, reinvention, and a commitment to crafting wines that stand the test of time. Rutherford Hill invites all to raise a glass, not just to wine, but to a legacy that continues to unfold, sip by sip.