"It all begins with Chateau Souverain. Winemaker Lee Stewart founded the winery on Howell Mountain in 1944, then sold it to the Pillsbury Company in 1970. Two years later, Pillsbury expanded Chateau Souverain, establishing Souverain of Rutherford. By 1976, the poppin' fresh dough folks wanted out of the wine business, so they sold Souverain of Rutherford to Bill and Lila Jaeger as part of an investment group."
"They renamed it Rutherford Hill. The new owners saw a bright future for Bordeaux-style reds in Napa Valley, so they chose Merlot as the winery's focus. Rutherford Hill was among the first wineries in the region to bottle a varietally labeled Merlot, starting with the 1976 vintage, which positioned the winery for success during the variety's heyday in the 1980s."
Rutherford Hill traces its origins to Chateau Souverain, founded by winemaker Lee Stewart on Howell Mountain in 1944 and sold to the Pillsbury Company in 1970. Pillsbury expanded operations and established Souverain of Rutherford before selling the property in 1976 to Bill and Lila Jaeger and an investment group, which renamed it Rutherford Hill. The new owners prioritized Bordeaux-style reds and focused on Merlot, producing a varietally labeled Merlot beginning with the 1976 vintage. The winery later underwent an outdoor makeover and now offers multilevel terraces and floating tasting decks that provide expansive views of Napa Valley.
Read at www.pressdemocrat.com
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