In 2006, Sequoia Grove reached an agreement with the Tonella family to take control of their famed vineyard on the Rutherford bench. The 48 planted acre parcel lies on Skellenger Lane, close to the Oakville line. The vineyard has a long history; it was originally part of the Mexican land grants and was owned by the diocese of San Francisco for a time. Over the next 70 years, the property was owned by the Rutherford brothers (for which Rutherford is named) followed by the Ponti family, who eventually sold it to the Tonella family in the early 1900s.
Vineyard Manager Steve Allen, in close cooperation with Michael Trujillo and Molly Hill, replanted the vineyard to select Cabernet Sauvignon clones that would reach maturity and support the Sequoia Grove wines beginning with the 2010 vintage. With its variety of soil compositions and microclimates, Tonella Vineyard produces fruit with distinctive Rutherford character and flavor profiles.
