RustRidge Winery and Ranch—A Winning Combination of Wine and Horses
On a wine-tasting trip in the Napa Valley, I ventured off the beaten track to RustRidge Winery, a winery, ranch and bed & breakfast. At RustRidge Winery you can enjoy award-winning wines while gazing at the vineyards and watching horses gallop past. Their love of horses has inspired their Race Horse Red and Race Horse White blends. The winery and ranch is located in the Chiles Valley on 600-acres with plenty of room to roam.
Enjoy sampling their award-winning line-up of white and red wines, most produced from their estate vineyards. They have been making wines for 20 years and have the good fortune of veteran winemaker Kent Rosenblum as their wine partner. This boutique winery isn’t what you might expect to find in Napa. The picturesque drive through the backroads of Napa, past Lake Hennessey and up windy roads leads to this rustic winery. You will most likely be greeted by one of their dogs and receive a warm welcome from Susan Meyer or Jim Fresquez, the owners.
They are equally passionate about horse racing, racing their horses at Golden Gate Fields. Not only did I have the chance to taste wines at their winery one day, but the next was track-side cheering on Topper’s Smiling to a 4th place finish. Watching the horses gear up for the race in the paddock was quite an experience, while others had to watch from behind the barriers.
After the race we retired to the Turf Club, where we enjoyed drinking Race Horse Red and Race Horse White wines, appropriately included on the menu. The Turf Club provides an excellent vantage point for viewing the races, watching simulcast races and having a delicious meal while being catered to.
Membership has its privileges and RustRidge Wine Club members enjoy a trifecta of wine shipments delivered several times each year, invitations to private events held at the winery, access to the bed & breakfast and of course, horse-back riding.
Details:
RustRidge Winery is 15 minutes off the Silverado Trail. Tasting is by appointment, so call in advance.
2910 Lower Chiles Valley Road
St. Helena, CA 94574
Phone (707) 965-9353
Curious about Golden Gate Fields Race Track? Click here to read an article about a date at the horse races and what to expect at the Golden Gate Fields track.
