Rudd Estate Leslie's Blend Red Wine Mt. Veeder 2017

The late Leslie Rudd, a native of Kansas, grew up in the wine business and eventually took over his father’s distribution company. While there, he learned all about the world’s great wine estates and fine dining restaurants and naturally became interested in food as well. He acquired the iconic New York luxury delicatessen Dean & Deluca, renovated the Oakville Grocery (the oldest continuously operated in California), and opened the mythic PRESS restaurant here in Saint Helena (which boasts one of the most comprehensive lists of Napa wines anywhere). But the icing on the cake was the estate to which he gave his name when he purchased it in 1996.

As you drive up or down the Silverado Trail, you know you’ve reached the storied heart of Oakville when you see the signature yellow stone walls that encircle the unmatched terroir of Rudd’s fifty-five organically-farmed estate vineyards. Boasting such incredible next-door neighbors as Screaming Eagle, Bond’s St. Eden, and Dalla Valle’s Maya vineyards, this is prime Oakville. Leslie’s widow, Susan, is responsible for the lush, eye-popping gardens surrounding the winery, and her daughter Samantha is diligently running the estate nowadays. The family also farms a tiny, coveted, exceptional seven-acre vineyard on Mt. Veeder, visible from the estate. Uber-talented winemaker Natalie Bath rounds out the women-led team at Rudd and is an alumna of Étude, Littorai, and Château Pétrus. She meticulously crafts each cuvée using only estate fruit. 

Grown on a steep hillside above the fog line on Rudd’s Mt. Veeder estate, Leslie’s Blend is a powerful, Bordeaux-style blend. It is an exceptional example of the magical combination of meticulous farming, a unique mountainside site, and principled winemaking. So it’s only fitting that Rudd has dedicated this exquisite, bold wine to Leslie and his vision. This elegant wine is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 6 % Malbec aged for two years in a judicious 27% new French oak. Aromas of dried cranberries, black currants, and herbes de Provence give way to a palate brimming with fresh cassis and black cherry. Sweet cocoa and baking spices bring completeness to the final lingering taste. This wine can be enjoyed for years to come and will continue to age gracefully over the next 10-15 years.