With over 62 acres of planted vines in the premier Oakville and Mt. Veeder appellations, Samantha Rudd is embracing the entire Estate by reintroducing the Crossroads label to craft wines that reflect the unique geological properties and winemaking techniques available to her winegrowing team.
Grown in the heart of Oakville from 20-year-old vines, the structure and tannins of this Cabernet Sauvignon are synonymous with vineyards in Eastern Oakville. The complex fruit profiles available in the vineyard along with diverse sun exposure allows the vineyard team to pick lots to specifically to make this style of wine. A true expression of the terroir, the red fruit, dried herbs, and rosemary characteristics take the forefront, making this a beautiful wine upon release.
Grown on Mt. Veeder above the fog line, the Crossroads Sauvignon Blanc is a unique expression of the varietal. Rarely grown at this elevation, the Sauvignon Blanc has great natural acidity and fruit elements including stone fruit, white flower, and lime zest. The acidity and fruit components are complemented with depth and texture from the Semillon and Sauvignon Gris, making this wine great by itself or coupled with food.
The Mt. Veeder appellation has a depth and complexity of soil unique to the Napa Valley. This distinctive diversity of soil coupled with rugged mountain terrain and the diurnal temperature swings produce wines of character. Situated above the fog line at 1600 feet elevation, these vineyards on the Mt. Veeder Estate produce a bold red blend with plush flavors and generous aromatics, a testament to this unique mountain site.
Grown exclusively on the Rudd alluvial fan situated on the Northern most block of our Oakville Estate, the Crossroads Cabernet Franc is a unique expression of this varietal from our site. The diverse characteristics of our Cabernet Franc vineyards planted in 1998 inspired us to allow this grape to take center stage. Made only in selective vintages, the finessed dusty tannins combined with delicate green herbs, anise, red fruits, and savory elements combine harmoniously with the structural backbone of this wine.
A unique white wine varietal rarely seen in Napa Valley, this .45 acres of Ribolla Gialla grown on our Mt. Veeder Estate was originally planted as an experiment in 2010 by Leslie Rudd. A fun and playful wine with intriguing aromas is complemented by a broad fruit palate of citrus, melon, and stone fruits. An outstanding growing season for Ribolla Gialla inspired us to make a unique bottling of this wine that will only be made in years where the conditions are ideal.
Grown on the most Southern slopes of our Oakville Estate in core stone volcanic soil, this Malbec has historically been used as a blending component and has never been the headlining varietal, until now. Planted in 1999, this wine has powerful aromatics of sweet blueberries and fresh black cherries with subtle floral notes. Generous fruit on the palate can best be described as striking with the addition of herbs to round out the complexity of this wine. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon co-fermented with this wine contributes to the lively tannins and overall structure, making it delightful to enjoy when young.
We believe the most important decisions made each year start in the vineyards. With that in mind, our Oakville and Mt. Veeder Estates are farmed organically and biodynamically with the long-term outlook on sustainability and stewardship of our land.
Our wines are a true reflection of the place, people, and practices of Rudd Estate - the same attention to detail goes into each bottle of Crossroads wines.