Our Rating
Napa Valley
Merlot
Rutherford Hill Winery remains a consistent producer of Merlot within the Napa Valley landscape, focusing on the variety since its inception in 1972. The 2020 vintage arrived during a season marked by warm conditions, resulting in a wine with an elevated ABV of 15.1 percent. Despite the heat of the year, the wine maintains a focused profile through precise winemaking and fruit selection. It earned a 93-point score from the Cork and Journey Panel, reflecting its technical balance and varietal typicity.
Rutherford Hill Winery is situated on a hillside overlooking the Rutherford bench in Napa Valley. Founded in 1972, the estate was an early advocate for Merlot in a region where Cabernet Sauvignon often dominates the conversation. The facility is notable for its extensive cave system, which provides over 44,000 square feet of temperature-controlled storage. This environment allows for a slow, consistent aging process for their Bordeaux-style portfolios.
Stephanie Jacobs joined the winemaking team at Rutherford Hill in 2001 and was promoted to head winemaker in 2008. Her approach focuses on managing the tannins inherent to hillside fruit while maintaining the fruit-forward characteristics of the valley floor. Jacobs oversees the sourcing from various estate vineyards and long-term growers, ensuring that each lot is fermented separately to preserve site-specific traits before the final blending process occurs.
Look
The wine presents a deep garnet color in the glass, showing significant density and a narrow, slightly lighter rim.
Smell
The aromatic profile is led by concentrated black fruit, specifically black cherry and cassis. These primary scents are joined by secondary notes of cocoa powder, dried herbs, and a hint of cedar from the oak program. There is a faint graphite element that emerges as the wine breathes.
Taste
On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with a weighty, dense texture. The fruit profile leans toward ripe blackberry and black plum, supported by firm, grippy tannins that suggest room for development. The acidity is moderate, providing enough lift to balance the 15.1 percent alcohol. Flavors of baking spice and tobacco leaf appear on the mid-palate, leading into a persistent, slightly warming finish that tapers cleanly.
The 2020 Rutherford Hill Merlot is a well-executed example of a riper Napa Valley style. It delivers concentration without excess, showcasing the potential of the variety when grown on well-drained hillside sites. While the wine is approachable now with a 45 to 60 minute decant, its structural components indicate a drinking window that extends through 2030. It remains a representative bottling for those seeking a structured, serious interpretation of California Merlot.
USA
Napa Valley
Merlot
15.1
Stephanie Jacobs
45–60 minutes
Now - 2030
Rutherford Hill Winery
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