Download as a PDF - Wine Country This Week

NAPA VALLEY | WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEK
by Charles Neave
For many people, good wine tastes even
better when paired with good food, preferably
in a comfortable and often stylish
setting. At Napa Valley’s hilltop winery,
Rutherford Hill, this philosophy is coming to
life in a new partnership with former model
and celebrity designer Monica Pedersen of
HGTV. As part of this alliance, the winery
invites you to create your very own “Entertaining
with Rutherford Hill” design.
To start with, check out Monica’s
tablescape themes to get ideas and tips, then
get creative with your own entertaining
design and add it to the mosaic to be entered
for the chance to win a makeover designed by
Pedersen.
“Rutherford Hill is known for delicious,
classic wines, our extensive caves and for
picnicking, so we partnered with one of
America’s top designers to work with us to
create four tablescapes that can be set up
either outdoors or indoors and each features a
food and wine pairing with Rutherford Hill
wines,” says Susan Holmer, Rutherford Hill
spokesperson.
“We also have created entertaining videos
featuring Monica offering tips on designing
the tablescapes, wine and food pairings, and
special recipes. Our website has four different
32
Celebrity designer Monica Pedersen of HGTV
Wine & Style at Rutherford Hill Winery
tablescapes she has designed They are, not at
all surprisingly, very appropriate to our
unique property with its view across much of
the beautiful Napa Valley. They are Americana
Picnic (we love picnics here in our rustic olive
grove!), Cozy Luncheon, Contemporary
Wine Tasting and Napa Style Feast.
“Visitors to the website are introduced to
the quintessential Napa Valley Merlot from
Rutherford Hill – the Bordeaux-style wine it is
world famous for. You can also learn about
the Rutherford Hill Chardonnay, Rosé – the
perfect picnic and summer wine – plus the
complex Cabernet Sauvignon. After exploring
Monica’s entertaining ideas consumers are
invited to enter a contest to win a home entertaining
makeover from Monica.”
Entering is simplicity itself. Go the Rutherford
Hill website (www.rutherfordhill.com),
click on the link and follow the instructions.
You can share the experience with others by
“Telling a Friend,” or look through other
photos by “Browsing the Mosaic.” Each
unique photo uploaded will award you one
entry into the contest to win a home entertaining
makeover, valued at nearly $5000 (see
www.rutherfordhill.com for complete rules).
You can also sample Rutherford Hill wines
at the four-sided wooden tasting bar at the
entrance to the caves. Considered to be one of
the most extensive cave systems in the
country, they extend a mile and are large
enough to hold over 8,000 wine-filled oak
barrels. This environment is regulated by
nature and it keeps the caves at a constant
temperature and humidity throughout the
year. This reduces evaporation from the
barrels, cuts down on excess exposure to
oxygen and allows the wine to age gracefully
and consistently. The result is elegant wines
with distinct character.
The winery is located at 200 Rutherford
Hill Road in Rutherford (right off of the
Silverado Trail) and you can visit the tasting
room every day of the week. They’re open
from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and tours (which
include a special cellar tasting) are held at
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Groups
are limited in size to maximize the experience.
For more information go to www.rutherfordhill.com
or call at (707) 963-1871.
www.WineCountryThisWeek.com