United States · California

Rudd

Rudd Estate is a small Oakville estate founded by Leslie Rudd in 1996, farming approximately 55 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay on benchland soils in one of Napa's most prized sub-appellations. The flagship Estate Red — a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend — accounts for 107 of 154 auction lots averaging $143 per bottle with the 2002 vintage the most traded. Crossroads Cabernet Sauvignon averages $141 across 27 lots with the 2001 vintage most represented. Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay from Sonoma's Russian River Valley averages $147 across 10 lots, the estate's most valuable wine by bottle average. Auction prices reach $1,342, with an overall average of $143. Robert Parker awarded the Estate Red 90–97 points in top vintages, and the estate's Oakville location — neighboring such luminaries as Screaming Eagle and Harlan — lends it prestige in the collector hierarchy. Leslie Rudd died in 2018, and management of the estate has continued under family ownership. With total production estimated at 2,000–3,000 cases and significant mailing list demand, secondary market supply remains limited. The estate's consistent positioning around $140–$150 average at auction reflects a reliable premium-tier Napa producer.