Rucksack Cellars

What do you do when you become the new owner and winemaker of the winery you have been working at for the last number of years?

Obviously you open for the new season as soon as you can because you miss all of your customers, club members and friends and you want to have the opportunity to celebrate with all of them.

We are hoping that 2026 will be a year of growth, education (for me at least) and a whole lot of celebration with our entire Rucksack community. So let’s get the party started!!! This weekend, January 24 and 25, we will be open as a “preview” opening. The official season opening will be next week on January 30 and toward the end of February/beginning of March, we are planning a “Grand” opening party.  Plus…we hope that you can join us on February 11th at 5pm for our first event of 2026…our “Rucksack Date Night” with flowers, appetizers and wine!  Tickets for this event can be purchased by clicking right here.  https://rucksackcellars.orderport.net/wines/events-and-merchandise

So I look forward to seeing you all very soon and answering all your questions about what is coming up for Rucksack Cellars. Hopefully I will see some of you as early as this Saturday and Sunday.

Cheers! to 2026.

As Maggie and I sit at Rucksack and watch the sun set over the vineyards, we’re proud of what we’ve built, both in the tasting experience and the Rucksack community. We took an idea, planted the vineyards, constructed the winery and started a novelle concept (for the time) of outdoor tasting. The idea of Rucksack Cellars…Embracing the Sierra Foothills!

As Maggie and I now hand off the baton to Mary and Douglas Giorgis, the new owners of Rucksack Cellars, we owe all of you, the Rucksack Family, a huge ‘Thank You’ for all the glasses of wine, conversations and frankly, your support since the beginning. It would not have been possible without you.

Cheers to you, and here’s to Rucksack’s next grand adventure with Mary and Douglas!

Paul & Maggie Bush

Well…The Cat is Out of the Bag!

I have been teasing a big announcement for a while now and this past Monday, the ownership of Rucksack Cellars officially transferred from Paul and Maggie Bush over to the Giorgis Family. This is news to some of you, but to many of you, it is the final step in a process that you have been tracking the progress of for some time. We are incredibly grateful to Paul and Maggie for their trust, mentorship and friendship throughout this journey!

This adventure is the achievement of a family goal for Mary, our children, Flynn and Luca, and me. It is the opportunity to become more deeply involved in our community, the local agriculture, and it is our hope to grow the incredible Rucksack brand that was created by Paul and Maggie. We are blessed by the opportunity to thrive here in the Sierra Foothills.

Now what does this mean going forward and for you as customers and club members?

Honestly, I hope not much changes…at least in the near term. So, rest assured, we will continue to provide the same varieties you have come to know and love, with Paul and myself continuing to work together in the cellar and our general philosophies about winemaking being aligned, the style and quality of the wines will continue. If you are a club member, thank you! And you can expect your club member benefits to continue at both Rucksack and Madroña for all of 2026.

Is there anything new? Absolutely! First off, Rucksack will be a lot more available to you. Where traditionally we opened for the season between March and May, we will now be opening for the 2026 season Friday, January 30 with a “soft” opening the week prior. Keep an eye on this newsletter and our Facebook/Instagram posts for the exact times. I have also introduced our “Olio Nuovo” olive oil available at the winery while supplies last. And as far as the wines go, we will be introducing two new varieties later in the year…but ssshhh this is the surprise I’m most excited about. They will be released as small-batch, introductory vintages that will forever be known as our first vintage as the owners…someday bottles of these varieties could be worth millions!

We are thrilled to officially share this news and can’t wait to continue to serve you all!

Douglas, Mary, Flynn and Luca Giorgis

Grab your favorite person (or come solo!) and join us for a fun, feel-good evening of flowers, wine, and delicious bites. This class is all about sipping, creating, laughing, and making something beautiful together.

Appetizers by the amazing Lauren @LittleCravings_55

 Wine provided by rucksackcellars

 When: Wednesday, February 11th at 5:00 PM

 Where: RucksackCellars

Tickets: $95 per person

Includes one glass of wine, one flower arrangement, and appetizers.

 To reserve your spot:

Stay on this website, click on the “STORE” tab across the banner, followed by the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab.

Bring your date, bring your bestie, or bring yourself—we can’t wait to host you! 

Rucksack On Break But Back Soon

First off, I would like to say thank you! What an incredible final weekend at Rucksack where so many took advantage of the 30% off mix and match case sale. This final weekend capped off a wonderful 2025 and I am so grateful for all your continued support of Rucksack Cellars.

Rucksack is currently closed for the season, as we traditionally do at the beginning of each year. A few years ago we moved our opening date from May up to March, and this year we are hoping to have our shortest hiatus yet…we are looking to open for 2026, toward the end of January. After some general housekeeping, inventory and new year organization, we will be back serving you our estate, local, family made and run wines.

Keep in mind, we are in the Sierra Foothills and weather during the winter months can be unpredictable. Safety for our customers and all those working at Rucksack is of paramount importance, so even though we plan to be open in January, we will keep you all updated through this website, our newsletter or our Instagram and Facebook pages, letting you know if weather and road conditions prevent us from opening for the sake of safety.

We are so excited to see you all again soon and make Rucksack Cellars wines even more accessible. Cheers and Happy New Year once again!

Organic Olio Nuovo

For a number of years, my family and I have made olive oil from our high elevation Manzanillo and Mission variety olive trees for our families gifting and consumption. Being of Italian heritage, on my father’s side, olive oil is a staple in just about everything.

So what is this olive oil and why is it special? When olive oil is freshly pressed and unfiltered, it is called “Olio Nuovo” or “Yellow Gold.” Not only is this the most desirable oil by world class chefs for their restaurants, it is incredibly healthy as it is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants…some will even take a small “shot” of olio nuovo in the morning in place of daily vitamins. Our Olio Nuovo is 100% organic, with a smooth earthy palette and a wonderful peppery punch on the finish. It is a thicker consistency than store bought oil, which makes you savor every dip. 200ml bottles of olio nuovo, as ours are, commonly go for between $35 and $50 a bottle…as ours is a new offering and continuing the Rucksack Cellars tradition of providing incredible high quality wines for affordable prices, we are selling ours for $20 at bottle. We began selling this olive oil in the tasting room at the end of December, and so far it has been a hit!

Plus…olives come ripe and are ready to press in late November/early December, right when things are starting to really slow down in the winery, so I thought, why not take on another project just so I stay busy…yes, I am THAT crazy! When we re-open in January, come in and grab a bottle for yourself (yes…it is available to taste). This is a very small production size, so get yours while supplies last.

December 6th, from 9am Until Sold Out

Look at that incredible tree…where did you get it?

Every year, for one day only, Rucksack opens up early in the morning and stays open until we’ve sold our quota of Christmas trees.

We celebrate this occasion with hot apple cider, wine, photo opportunities on our Rucksack sleigh and maybe, if we are lucky, our Christmas Storm Trooper will make an appearance.

Come out to Rucksack on Saturday, December 6th to select that perfect Christmas tree to cut down! All trees…no matter the size or type…are all the same price ($120 w/ cc and $110 cash). No reservations necessary.

Rucksack Open This Weekend but…

Closed November 27

First off, I want to wish you all a happy, festive and delicious Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by family, friends and loved ones. After all…every holiday, but Thanksgiving in particular, is all about with whom you can share it.

Rucksack Cellars will be closed on Thursday, November 27, for Thanksgiving. However, we will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. Come on in and take care of that “Black Friday” shopping for your wine loving friends and family or escape the crowds and come in to Rucksack for a relaxing wine flight.

But before Thanksgiving arrives, don’t forget that our Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cab Franc and GSM all pair wonderfully with Turkey and Thanksgiving menus. We are OPEN all this weekend, today thru Sunday, so come up and make sure you are fully stocked for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

See you soon!

Give A Little And Get A Little Back

As we head into the holiday season and we begin to think about how we want to wrap up 2025…we often think about what we want to include on our lists, what we want to purchase for friends and family, where we can find the best deals, and, hopefully, how we can help out our neighbors in need.

Well…this year at Rucksack, we are trying to combine all those goals in one stop. Starting this weekend and going until December 9, bring in toy donations and receive a discount on your Rucksack purchases. Toys need to be new and unwrapped. We will have a specific donation bin for the toys.

Our “thank you” to you for your generosity will be as follows. For each toy that you bring in, take 5% off your Rucksack wine purchase, up to 25%. The savings at Rucksack really add up.

Come in and take care of all those gifts for your wine loving friends and family, stock up for your holiday celebrations, get a big discount and feel good about it all at the same time. Now that’s a win, win, win, win!

Come Bask In The Beauty Of Fall…

…And prepare for your Thanksgiving Holiday with a floral centerpiece design class by Mel.

Our Thanksgiving Centerpiece class will be at Rucksack Cellars on November 19, at 6pm. Your ticket includes all flowers that are needed to create your one of a kind arrangement and your first glass of Rucksack wine.

Mel has been teaching classes for the last decade and has been a professional florist for almost 20 years. She is a local flower enthusiast!

This class will be using locally grown stems. 

BYOV! Bring your own VASE! Do you have a favorite vase at home, in which you don’t quite know how to create that perfect arrangement? Bring it, receive a discount on the class, and Mel will show you how to create that perfect arrangement. If you choose to bring your own vase, Mel has provided some dimensions to help you decide what to bring…centerpiece containers should have a 4-6″ round diameter, same height. Oblong or rectangular containers can be up to 12-14″ long but only 3-4″ width, and only up to 6″ tall.

$75/person if your provide your own vase, $90/person if you would like us to provide a vase for you. You may purchase tickets by staying on this website, clicking the “STORE” tab across the banner, followed by clicking on the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab.

Catered by Little Cravings Catering – October 25, 2025

On the evening of Saturday, October 25, we are planning a multi-course dinner, paired with our Rucksack wines, catered by Little Cravings.

This is just a little tease of the full menu offering, we are toying with the thoughts of toasted nuts on each table, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Grilled Pork Loin with Spiced Apple Chutney and various cheeses among other sides and accoutrement. Is your stomach growling yet?

As this dinner will need to be capped at 25-30 people, don’t hesitate to get your tickets early so you don’t miss out. Tickets can be purchased by staying on this website, clicking on the “STORE” tab across the top banner, followed by the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab. Tickets are $60/person or $55/person for club members of both Rucksack and Madroña.

See you at Rucksack for our Harvest Dinner on October 25, 2025!