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Feature Article
Sequoia Grove in the heart of Napa Valley's Rutherford AVA produced high caliber Cabernets but then lost its way. Now its reputation will hopefully grow as high as the Sequoia trees it is named for.
Rutherford ~ Napa Valley (AVA)
Once a bright star,
Sequoia Grove gets its shine back.
by
Alan Goldfarb
May 3, 2007
As with many Napa Valley wineries that started up during the first California wine boom in the 1970s and early ‘80s, Sequoia Grove was a star – for about a minute. Since that time, they’ve either been forgotten or forsaken. At its zenith -- in the mid-‘80s to early ‘90s -- founder Jim Allen was turning out Cabernet Sauvignon that had caught a glimmer of attention.
Allen is gone now, retired and hopefully writing the books to which he had aspired. The winery, on the main artery to the Napa Valley, Highway 29, in the prestigious Rutherford district, is now fully in the hands of 45-year-old Michael Trujillo.
The winemaker and now president, Trujillo says Allen named him winemaker only during the latter’s waning days, even though Trujillo had worked at his side practically since the beginning. Trujillo now answers to the Kopf family of New York and Connecticut, who also own part of Domaine Carneros, the St. Francis Winery (Sonoma County), and Louis Jadot in Burgundy. The Kopfs also control the marketing firm Kobrand, which had worked with Allen for many years. At times, that relationship could be contentious.
Now, however, according to Mike Trujillo, the future looks rosy. He insists that Sequoia Grove will once again “get this winery rockin’.” With a huge infusion of money from the Kopfs since 2002, which marked the phasing out of the Jim Allen era, Trujillo seems genuinely optimistic that the winery will now blossom fully and take advantage of its own 22 acres of Rutherford vineyard, as well as source fruit from some of the best that the region has to offer.
On a recent crisp day in early spring, Trujillo, whose parents were visiting the winery, along with his young daughter, spoke to APPELLATION AMERICA about his plans for resurrecting Sequoia Grove.
Allen is gone now, retired and hopefully writing the books to which he had aspired. The winery, on the main artery to the Napa Valley, Highway 29, in the prestigious Rutherford district, is now fully in the hands of 45-year-old Michael Trujillo.
The winemaker and now president, Trujillo says Allen named him winemaker only during the latter’s waning days, even though Trujillo had worked at his side practically since the beginning. Trujillo now answers to the Kopf family of New York and Connecticut, who also own part of Domaine Carneros, the St. Francis Winery (Sonoma County), and Louis Jadot in Burgundy. The Kopfs also control the marketing firm Kobrand, which had worked with Allen for many years. At times, that relationship could be contentious.
Now, however, according to Mike Trujillo, the future looks rosy. He insists that Sequoia Grove will once again “get this winery rockin’.” With a huge infusion of money from the Kopfs since 2002, which marked the phasing out of the Jim Allen era, Trujillo seems genuinely optimistic that the winery will now blossom fully and take advantage of its own 22 acres of Rutherford vineyard, as well as source fruit from some of the best that the region has to offer.
On a recent crisp day in early spring, Trujillo, whose parents were visiting the winery, along with his young daughter, spoke to APPELLATION AMERICA about his plans for resurrecting Sequoia Grove.
ALAN GOLDFARB (AG): I spoke with Jim Allen a couple of years ago as he was transitioning out of the company. What were the circumstances under which you stayed?
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