the term “rutherford bench” is not a legal one, but colloquially refers to the west side of highway 29, where the wines, supposedly, are better. and this is quite a good wine. it's fresh and young in sweet tannins and acidity; everything's not quite integrated yet, but it's a big, rich, complexly balanced wine. should come into its own by 2008, then hold for some years.
Rutherford Bench