Oakville & Rutherford
The heart of Cabernet country: historic estates, gravelly benchland and the valley's most famous vineyards.
20 min drive / 13 miles from The Alder House
About Oakville & Rutherford
Drive north on Highway 29 and the vineyards get more serious. Oakville and Rutherford sit in the middle of the valley, where alluvial fans of gravel and loam give Cabernet its structure and what locals call Rutherford dust.
This is where many of the most collected wines in California are grown. Most estates here are appointment only, so it's the best place to use a driver and let our concierge book the day.
Don't miss
Benchland Cabernet
Taste side by side how soil changes the same grape across a single mile.
The Oakville Grocery
A historic roadside market for sandwiches and a picnic on the go.
Cave tours
Several estates offer tastings deep inside hand-dug hillside caves.
