Wine Sediments

The Rutherford Dust Society embodies a true devotion not only to cabernet sauvignon, but to the earth that creates it. The Society is an organization founded in the Napa Valley’s town of Rutherford to pay “tribute to the legacy of our grape growing and winemaking forebears.” The cutesy name is based on a quote from winemaker Andr Tchelistcheff, who said: “It takes Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet.”

The Rutherford Dust Society places special importance on the role of Cabernet Sauvignon in the town’s history: “While several other varietalssuch as Sauvignon Blancgrow well here, Cabernet Sauvignon performs best in the vineyards of Rutherford.” The society also credits Rutherford dust with creating five wines included on Wine Spectator’s “fantasy list of all-star Cabernets,” written by James Laube and published February 29, 2000:

Inglenook 1941. Score: 100.
John Daniel’s perfection embodied in a wine. This great Napa Valley estate helped set the high standards for Cabernet, and time and again this immense wine has shown a magnificent ability to preserve its rich flavors for decades.

Beaulieu Vineyard 1958. Score: 96.
Compelling evidence of Andre Tchelistcheff’s mastery of winemaking. Tremendous concentration and finesse that seems timeless.

Caymus Special Selection 1985. Score: 99.
Captured a broad range of enormously complex flavors in a tremendous year. Showed the vineyard’s signature style as well as its consistency.

If you would like to learn more about the wineries that benefit from the renowned Rutherford dust, check out the interactive map provided by the Society.

[Photo from Wine and Spirits Magazine]