Rustridge Winery is located in Chiles Valley Appellation in the Vaca Mountains above the Napa Valley. The area is rather isolated and visitors to this wine country will seldom find anything resembling a crowd. The beautiful area is scenic and quiet.
In addition to the winery, the Rustridge property houses a four-room B&B. This makes it a convenient place to spend the night if you want to spend your time in this area. The only problem with this option is where do you eat dinner? The property also has a horse ranch where thoroughbred horses are raised and trained.
Owner Susan Mayer is the winemaker and uses the help of wine consultant Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars fame to produce the wines. The Rustridge winery makes only a small amount of wine, 2000 cases per year. The vines are organically farmed and the estate varietals produced are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery also produces a blend called Race Horse Red. It is a blend of Petite Syrah (8%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), and Zinfandel. The Zinfandel and Cabs are good wines, but at $30 and over a bottle, a bit out of our price bracket. The Sauvignon Blanc is also excellent but carries a price tag that seems a little bit on the high side when you consider that there are many good Sauvignon Blancs in the Napa Valley and elsewhere for under $15.
The tasting room is exactly what you would expect to find in the back roads. It is simple and functional, and you won’t find any hats, shirts, or the like for sale here, just wine. If you are looking to get away, far away in the Napa Valley, this is the spot.
The Good: Quiet and peaceful and unusual. Very rustic and laid back. B&B on the property. Good to excellent wines.
The Bad: The Zins and Cabs are over $30. Somewhat of a drive from Silverado Trail, if you like a fancy tasting room, you won’t find it here.