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A half-century of history, a legendary Rutherford vineyard, and the handshake that started it all.
From Kansas to Rutherford
Dick Preston grew up on a farm in Kansas, where the hardships of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression drove his family to California in search of a better life. During World War II, Dick worked for McDonnell Douglas building airplanes before embarking on a 28-year career as a flight engineer flying transcontinental and international routes.
Perhaps sparked by his Kansas farming roots or his international travels abroad, particularly to France, Dick developed a passion for winegrowing. In 1969, he purchased a 30-acre walnut orchard in Rutherford, ultimately planting it to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1972.
At the time, the Napa Valley was a far cry from today’s high-end wine tourism and hospitality hub. It was a blue-collar agricultural community centered around prunes, walnuts, cattle, and bulk jug wine, supported by only 25 wineries across the entire valley. Historical records show bars and taverns outnumbered wineries two to one.
A Handshake That Started It All
In early 1976, after growing dissatisfied with the winery that purchased his inaugural 1975 crop, Dick stopped by V. Sattui and offered his fruit to Dario. Sealed with a handshake, Dario agreed to buy a single gondola, about 5 tons yielding roughly 325 cases, for $450. At the time, no one could have imagined how significant that simple transaction would become.
“Sealed with a handshake, Dario agreed to buy a single gondola…”
In 1979, the wine debuted as the Preston Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, priced at $9.75 per bottle as V. Sattui’s very first vineyard-designated wine. This landmark release was launched right alongside other legendary 1970s pioneers, such as Ridge Winery’s Eisele Vineyard Cabernet and Heitz Cellars’ Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet, standing among the very first single-vineyard designated wines in the Napa Valley.
Then the Medals Started Coming
The wine’s notoriety surged after entering the 1980 Preston Vineyard Cabernet into the Los Angeles County Fair and the San Francisco Fair. As V. Sattui’s first-ever competition entry, the team entered with modest expectations, but the accolades quickly followed: a Gold medal at the Los Angeles Fair, a top-three finish among 128 Cabernet entries at the San Francisco Fair, and recognition by the American Wine Championships in 1983 as one of the top three Cabernets in the United States.
The Terroir of Rutherford
The exceptional quality of Preston Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon stems from a unique convergence of soil, a prime microclimate, mature vine age, and meticulous farming. The vineyard’s gravel-loam profile was shaped by millennia of alluvial runoff descending from Mount St. John in the nearby Mayacamas range. This mix of gravel, weathered rock, and clay drives deep root growth, naturally concentrating flavor and structure in the fruit.
Enhanced by mid-valley afternoon sun and late-afternoon shade from Mount St. John, these alluvial soils tame the robust tannins typical of other appellations. This process yields the fine-grained, velvety, and supple texture known as “Rutherford Dust,” an expressive earthiness that serves as an unmistakable signature even in blind tastings against other Napa Valley Cabernets.
The Human Element
The human element has been just as vital to the vineyard’s legacy. For decades, the property has been meticulously farmed by Mike Nunez, a third-generation, St. Helena-born grape grower whose generational talent and work ethic bring out the best in every vintage.
50 Vintages of Legacy
While listing nearly 50 years of accolades would fill an entire newsletter, the true hallmark of Preston Cabernet extends beyond ratings. It represents the wine that established V. Sattui’s early reputation for crafting site-specific, age-worthy single-vineyard Cabernets. A chance encounter more than 50 years ago forged a lasting tradition that continues to anchor the winery’s premier reserve program today.
