Rutherford Hill is a historic winery in Napa Valley, California, best known as a pioneer of Californian Merlot. It was founded in 1972 and is situated on a hill above the Silverado Trail, overlooking the Rutherford Bench. The founders saw similarities to the growing conditions of Pomerol and made Merlot their primary grape variety. rutherfordhill.com Since 1996, the winery has been owned by the Terlato family, who invested in the vineyards, cellar, and quality. Today, winemaker Stephanie Jacobs is at the helm of wine production. The emphasis is on expressive, balanced wines with aging potential. rutherfordhill.com The vineyards are located in various places within Napa Valley, including Rutherford and Pope Valley. Sandy soils with volcanic ash occur on the slopes of the estate; on the valley floor, the loam soils are deeper and heavier. This diversity offers different building blocks for the wines. rutherfordhill.com In the cellar, they work with carefully selected plots and French oak barrels. The vast cave cellars accommodate approximately 5,000 barrels. Sustainability is also given attention: the winery uses solar energy and displays certifications from Napa Green and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.