Episode Red Wine Napa Valley 2013

The wine is crimson in color with aromas of boysenberry, cassis and plum; highlighted by hints of vanilla and nutmeg. The tannins, while seamless, are silky with flavors of dark fruit, boysenberry and cocoa accents.\n \n Producer Information\n \n Rutherford Hill Winery is a Napa Valley producer with an estate that overlooks the prestigious Rutherford bench. Established in 1972, it was one of the first in the region to produce Merlot-dominant wines, influenced by the winemaking style of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. Today, it is still well known for its Merlot in a region best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery is located on a 4 hectare (10 acre) hillside vineyard in Rutherford. The estate's staple portfolio of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay come primarily from sustainably farmed vineyards around the Napa Valley in Rutherford, Carneros, Pope Valley, Oak Knoll and Atlas Peak. In Sonoma Valley, Syrah and Pinot Noir are sourced from the Dry Creek Valley and the Russian River Valley respectively. Rutherford Hill's top wine, the Merlot Reserve, is produced from the best Merlot across its 81ha (200 acres) in the Napa Valley. The Reserve Merlot program was created to produce powerful Merlot wines with aging potential – the estate's library of Reserve wines date back over a decade. Since 1996, Rutherford Hill Winery has been apart of the Terlato Wine Group portfolio.