Another noted family-owned Napa Valley winery has sold to a corporation.
The Rudd acquisition, first reported by Wine Spectator, included the winery’s 65-acre estate located in the esteemed Oakville region, as well as Rudd’s Crossroads brand, which offers wines from the estate vineyard at a more approachable price point. St. Supéry CEO Emma Swain, who declined the Chronicle’s request for comment, told Wine Spectator that the winery had been “searching for exceptional vineyards since 2015.” A purchase price was not disclosed.
Rudd founder Leslie Rudd was a pioneering Napa Valley entrepreneur who also founded Press Restaurant. His assets were numerous: They included Vintage Wine Estates, specialty grocer Dean & DeLuca, the famous Oakville Grocery and a distillery. Rudd Estate, founded in 1996 on hallowed Napa Valley soil off the Silverado Trail, was his most prestigious asset and appeared to be his most personal endeavor.
St. Supéry, founded in 1982, is best-known as one of Napa Valley’s top Sauvignon Blanc producers; it grows close to 10% of the region’s output, according to the winery. Chanel, which also owns three wine estates in Bordeaux and another in Provence, acquired the Napa Valley winery in 2015. With Rudd, the London-based Chanel increases its Napa Valley land holdings to more 1,600 acres across four estates, 600 of which are planted to vines.
The Rudds’ departure from wine after three decades of deep involvement in the industry might seem surprising, but it wasn’t sudden. When Leslie Rudd died in 2018, his daughter, Samantha Rudd, took over Rudd and Press Restaurant then, over time, sold Oakville Grocery, the distillery and the historic Edge Hill Winery, which her father had spent more than a decade restoring. In recent years, she’s invested heavily in Press, leading its impressive transformation from a classic steakhouse into a Michelin-starred restaurant, followed by its expansion with Under-Study, a fancy cafe next door.
Rudd declined to comment on the sale but suggested her focus now is the family’s restaurants. “While we wish the Rudd Estate team well in this transition, Press Restaurant and Under-Study are independent businesses and will continue to operate as they always have,” she said in a statement. “We remain focused on delivering the experiences our guests have come to expect and we’re excited to share news soon about the growth of our hospitality group.”