Rutherford was originally part of that famous piece of land granted to George C. Yount known as Rancho Caymus. In 1864 Thomas Rutherford married Yount’s daughter Elizabeth and was granted 1,040 acres near the northern end of Rancho Caymus as a wedding gift. “While Yount is considered to be the first to plant wine grapes in Napa Valley, it was Thomas Rutherford who made a serious investment in grape production and winemaking. From 1850 to 1880, Rutherford established himself as a grower and producer of high-quality wines.” – rutherforddust.org. The grape of choice in Rutherford is Cabernet Sauvignon and there’s a famous saying around town. According to lengendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff, “It takes Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet”.
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Sunday event to benefit Rutherford Grange Halls - The event will feature wines from 15 Northern California wineries, food including Irish cheeses and traditional Irish music. It will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Rutherford Grange Hall, 8576 St. Helena Highway in Rutherford. Tickets are $30 at the door. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Grange. Healy said the event was conceived as a tribute to people of Irish heritage who work in the wine and food industry in California. He and event partner Becky Tyner of Small Lots Big Wines also hope the tasting will draw attention to the many links that exist between the wine industry and his native Ireland. “It’s St. Pat’s week, so it just makes sense,” Healy said. “I’ve lived here for the last 18 months and in that relatively short time I’ve noted several wineries in the Napa Valley with Irish names . . . St. Helena Star |
