Luxury holidays in Rutherford

It may be tiny, but village-like Rutherford is a Cabernet powerhouse of California’s wine country, turning out first-class vintages faster than you can top up your glass. There are notes of mystery to this diminutive Napa Valley town – in the distinctive terroir of its vine-clad hills lies the ‘Rutherford dust’, an elusive, aromatic element found only in this town’s tipples. Put your palate through its paces as you taste your way around wineries, hike or bike through the rolling surroundings, then ease aching limbs with a soothing spa stop and Michelin-starred dinner, accompanied by – let’s be honest – a lot more wine.
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When to go

Go between August and October to join in with the harvest festivities, or summer for the balmiest weather. For a quieter break, opt for spring, when the hills are green and the wineries less crowded.

Getting there

  • Planes

    The nearest airport is Charles M Schulz–Sonoma County, about an hour’s drive away. Fly there from US cities including Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle. Sacramento and San Jose airports are both under two hours away by car, as is San Francisco’s international hub.

  • Automobiles

    It’s a 90-minute drive from San Francisco and around the same from Sacramento. A car will come in handy for exploring the valley’s wineries.