Ruston Family Vineyards is a vineyard and winemaking company situated in the Napa Valley. The family has been cultivating the west St. Helena hillside since 1941. Originally an old prune orchard, the land now supports grapevines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The vineyard produces artisanal wines from both their own grapes and purchased fruit, designed to be enjoyed with food, family, and friends.

The story of Ruston Family Vineyards begins with Fred Carpenter, who moved to California from North Dakota around 1907 with his family. They settled in the San Joaquin Valley. At the age of 17, Fred relocated to Oakland, where he studied engineering through a correspondence course. He later became one of the inventors of the jet pump, with his company based in Berkeley, CA. In 1941, seeking to escape the summer fog of the Bay Area, Fred and his wife Lana purchased a 40-acre orchard in St. Helena, which was the maximum distance they could travel on a weekly gasoline ration. They built a house and spent weekends and summers there until the 1970s, after which they lived there permanently until the early 1980s. A photograph of Fred and Lana working in the orchard appears on the back label of their wines.

While the prune business eventually paid off the property loan, it eventually declined. In 1975, the more level eastern section of the orchard was sold. In the mid-1980s, Fred and Lana’s daughter, Lorraine Ruston, moved to the ranch and planted Merlot vines on the remaining western slopes. Lorraine managed the vineyard herself, selling the grapes to local wineries.

In the mid-1990s, Lorraine’s son, John Ruston, and his wife, Janet Sapadin, were residing in New York City and working in the environmental field. Janet, a New York native from Washington Heights, Manhattan, and John shared a mutual interest in wine and cooking, which led them to recognize the winemaking potential of the vineyard. In 1996, John, Lorraine, and Janet decided to expand the vineyard and enter the wine business. The 1997 Merlot was the first wine produced under the Ruston Family Vineyards label. John and Janet left New York in 1999 to live in the old farmhouse. Their two daughters, born in New York and raised in Napa Valley, pursued higher education at UCLA and UC Riverside before branching out, leaving behind cuvées named in their honor.

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Lovely patio. Terrific events. They have a fantastic patio for sipping wines and catching up with family or friends. It's a very nice photo op, and their two cutie dogs wander around looking for new friends.

Since 1927, when John Pedroncelli, Sr. purchased vineyard and a small winery in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, two elements remain unchanged: the exceptional place the Pedroncelli family farms vineyards, and the family's dedication to making fine wines.

Founded in 1994, La Sirena is Heidi Barrett's own winery. With over 30 years of winemaking experience, Heidi specializes in beautifully balanced, silky, elegant wines that are purely delicious. La Sirena has Cabernet Sauvignon (similar style and blend she used to make for Screaming Eagle), Barrett Syrah, Pirate TreasuRed (red blend of 7 varieties), Art Bus (proprietary blend) , and a dry Muscat Canelli called Moscato Azul. La Sirena means the mermaid in Italian and Spanish combining Heidi's love of the ocean with the magic of winemaking. Heidi also makes wine for eight other wineries in Napa Valley and is co-winemaker with husband Bo on their new joint venture, Barrett & Barrett.