Summer / Fall 2008

RustRidge Ranch and Winery

Off the Beaten Path Wine Country Destination

In the heart of the world famous Napa Valley is RustRidge Ranch and Winery. This 442 acre ranch with guesthouse, vineyards and a winery, is a breath of fresh air rising high above the congested and commercial valley below. RustRidge Ranch is part of the Rancho Catacula Mexican Land Grant that Col. Joseph B. Chiles obtained in 1842. It is located in the picturesque Chiles Valley on the eastern edge of Napa Valley, an area that has retained the character of the Napa Valley from the rancho days. In tribute to its history, the ranch has an outdoor museum of farm antiques and Native American implements.

Susan Meyer and Jim Fresquez took over the ranch in 1990 to keep it from being sold by Susan's family. Susan was practicing law in San Francisco and Jim was a racehorse trainer, when they met in 1989. With the help of friends and neighbors they learned how to run the ranch, grow the grapes and make wine. In 1997, distinguished wine maker, Kent Rosenblum became their consultant and the wines improved dramatically.

The wines reflect the terroir. They are fruit driven, have a good balance of acidity and age gracefully. Most of the grapes come from vines that are thirty years old. Chiles Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) that is characterized by warm days and cool nights. RustRidge grows and produces four varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Guests staying at the late 1930 Ranch Style Guesthouse will experience the authentic wine country lifestyle in which the estate wines come from the vines growing on the property and where the proprietors, Susan and Jim, are hands-on vintners who work in the vineyard during the course of the year from pruning in the winter to harvesting in the fall, and in the winery from crushing and pressing to cellar operations and bottling to marketing and selling the wine.

The ranch practices organic farming in the vineyard and throughout the property. Behind the guest house there is an extensive vegetable and fruit garden in which produce is picked daily for the country breakfasts served at the guesthouse and for wine and food pairings.

The guesthouse and its guest rooms reflect the character of the ranch and of the surrounding natural environment and pays homage to its history. The house is filled with antiques and horseracing memorabilia. There are large windows in every room and great views in every direction. The bedrooms are comfortable and simple. The views from the rooms vary from ancient oak trees to vineyards to hillsides, there is no sign of other human inhabitants and the only sounds that can be heard are from the eighty species of birds nesting here; the wild animals that live in the forest and the thoroughbred horses, dogs and cats which all share this peaceful retreat.

Jim and Susan's other passion is horse racing. At RustRidge, they breed, raise and train and ultimately race their thoroughbred horses. The horses that are not currently racing are grazing in the pastures and hills that surround the vineyards. In tribute to the racehorses, RustRidge Winery produces two additional wines, Racehorse Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel and Racehorse White, a lighter style Chardonnay.

Guests and visitors of RustRidge will feel at home in its natural, quiet and simple environment where they can slow down and appreciate the serenity RustRidge offers.

Rustridge Ranch & Winery is only a 15 minute drive from the center of the Napa Valley with its famous wineries, restaurants and boutiques, so guests can experience the best of both worlds.

RustRidge Ranch & Winery is located at 2910 Lower Chiles ValleyRoad in St. Helena, CA. Please call 707.965.9353, 800.788.0263 or visit www.rustridge.com for more information. Email may be directed to rustridge@rustridge.com and directions may be obtained at: http://rustridge.com/directions.html.