Rutherford Hill Winery is affectionately called the “king” of Merlot but there’s a “queen” behind the scenes working with those lush, purple-black grapes. Winemaker Marisa Taylor Huffaker tips her crown to Merlot, the fruit grown in the region surrounding the winery, grapes bursting with flavor from vines nurtured by deep volcanic soil and afternoon sun that lingers on the hill. Marisa knows the varietal well. About 75% of production at Rutherford Hill is aimed at Merlot, a wine that is dense and voluptuous on the nose, and the aromas in the cellar remind Marisa of childhood dinners where Merlot sparkled in crystal glasses when family members gathered.

Marisa Taylor Huffaker grew up running through the vineyards of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Her godfather was a vineyard manager and Marisa visited often, trailing along, pruning, picking, tasting the grapes, and marveling at the process from vine to the glass. “Wine was a part of the daily table landscape at dinner,” said Marisa. “Growing up in wine country, it was the norm. It was only later when I was searching for a career that I realized how familiar and memory-invoking the aroma of a winery was to me. It was like coming home.”  

Marisa enrolled in Santa Rosa Junior College and by the age of 25 was making her own wine, using Pinot Noir from Carneros. She graduated from the University of California, Davis, first with a B.S. in Chemistry and then an M.S. in Food Science/Enology. With her two degrees, Marisa had the solid foundation needed to excel at top quality, artisan winemaking. A self-described “lab rat,” Marisa has a passion for the analytical detail needed for monitoring yeast cultures, barrels, fermentation, blending and ultimately, bottling.

After honing her skills in the lab at Piper Sonoma and J Winery, Marisa became an enologist at S. Anderson Vineyard in Yountville, where she learned to make Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and sparkling wine. Her natural curiosity led Marisa to work abroad for the harvest of 1999 at the Colognole Winery in Rufina, Italy, where she immersed herself in winemaking and learned to vinify Sangiovese. In Italy, Marisa spoke some Italian in order to share her passion for wine and learned the importance of communication from vineyard to cellar to bottle, something she stresses today at Rutherford Hill.

Although Rutherford Hill Winery is primarily a red wine house, Marisa bursts with enthusiasm when talking about Chardonnay, especially as sultry summer days approach and people fire up the grills. “Our Chardonnay is a wine to love,” she said. “It’s crisp and fruit forward with just the right amount of spice and richness from the barrel fermentation. The barrel influence supports the bright fruit of the Chardonnay.”
Another warm weather wine to love is the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, which will be available June 1st. In the past this wine was offered only at the winery, but this year a small bottling of 800 cases will be released for distribution. Marisa says the Sauvignon Blanc is “bright, crisp fruit with aromatics of lime, melon and orange blossom, the perfect accompaniment to summer.”

Marisa is one of the busiest winemakers in the Napa Valley in one of the prettiest locations. The unpretentious winery perches at the peak of Rutherford Hill Road, just off Silverado Trail, where the view from the oak-studded picnic grove extends as far as the eye can see and glorious colors in the valley are the backdrop to the wine in your glass. No wonder, then, that a few months ago the winery was selected by Bravo to host its Emmy and James Beard Award-winning Top Chef Season Six finale shows. After 12 episodes filmed in Las Vegas, the show’s exciting conclusion shifted to California wine country where the final four “chef’testants” faced off in a series of challenges that decided the next new Top Chef. Marisa had an opportunity to work with the film crew, setting up wine tasting in the mile-long wine caves and she attended the “Harvest Party Challenge.”

A new brand called Quickfire stemmed from the partnership with the No. 1 food show on cable TV and Marisa, along with Rutherford Hill Winery owner, Anthony Terlato, now crafts two elegant and balanced wines under the label. Named for the show’s exciting Quickfire Challenge, where “chef’testants” compete in fast-paced culinary trials, Quickfire Chardonnay and Quickfire Cabernet Sauvignon take on the ultimate challenge – to offer versatility that complements a wide range of food styles.

When Marisa has a few moments of down time she loves to spend time gardening or playing with her year-old son at her home in Sonoma County. She enjoys quilting and like winemaking, the meticulous detail and combination of method with art suits her personality.

Marisa Taylor Huffaker, the “queen” behind the scenes, and the wines of Rutherford Hill will fill you with joy when you visit. Located at 200 Rutherford Hill Road, tasting is available daily from 10-5. For additional information visit the web at www.rutherfordhill.com or call (707) 963-1871.