In my last release letter about the Samantha’s Cabernet Sauvignon, I started to articulate what “My Rudd Estate is,” and I would like to continue to elaborate after another year of reflection. I have been hosting vertical tastings of the Samantha’s Cabernet Sauvignon with long-time customers from all over the country these last few months, and I have left each visit feeling so inspired and grateful. We truly have incredible customers — you welcome us into your homes, share our craft with your loved ones, and create lifelong connections with us at the Estate. These tastings have been an insightful way for me to collaborate and have conversations with the people who allow me to continue living my dream, and furthermore, have helped me clarify another important piece of what “My of Rudd Estate is.”  
 
“My Rudd Estate is” open and simply driven to do better. I am open to our neighbors for collaboration and competition. I am open to our customers for all their feedback. And I am open to the community that is Napa Valley. There is room to improve, both personally and as an Estate, but we have a greater obligation to our community to improve how we take care of each other and the land that surrounds us, which is why we farm organically using biodynamic practices. This is especially poignant when I think about my actions now and the legacy these actions will leave behind. Thinking about my stewardship of the Estate always leads me back to the present — the importance of the decisions I make now and the plans I put into place will add value far beyond the meticulously built stone walls surrounding our Estate. The importance of making decisions with far reaching consequences was put to the test during the 2020 vintage. 
 
It is wonderful to talk about vision and values when things are easy, but it is in hard times we must rely on them, and each other, the most. To pretend 2020 wasn’t a challenging year would be a disservice to what happened, and I’ve always found that we grow the most as people, and as businesses, when we are thrust into difficult situations. If I tried to list all the challenges, it would be impossible to do it justice in this short letter. The most important detail I can share is that the 2020 Rudd Oakville Estate Samantha’s Cabernet Sauvignon was made with trust, honesty, and precision. We challenged each other and our decisions every step of the way, and we fortuitously picked before the Glass fires ignited. After all the uncertainty we felt at the time, and the extremes we went to in order to make the best wine possible in the most challenging of vintages, I can honestly say I am so proud of this wine, probably the proudest of any Samantha’s Cabernet Sauvignon we have ever made. Every member of our team showed up with sleeves up, ready to get to work and help each other personally and professionally in ways I will never forget. I believe in the human spirit, and it is during times like the 2020 vintage that my belief is further solidified. I think of our wines as time capsules, as if a glass dome has been placed over our land and then lives on for decades all around the world, encapsulated in each bottle we make. This wine was made with an incredible amount of love and honesty, like family. 

All the best,

Samantha Rudd