On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, we had the opportunity to interview Jesse Fox once again. Jesse is the winemaker for Sequoia Grove Winery. On the white side, we covered a 2024 Sauvignon Blanc and a 2023 Chardonnay. On the red side, we covered one 2021 and three 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon wines. You can learn what is new with Jesse, and what is new at Sequoia Grove, and read all about these terrific wines in this post.
Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits Jesse shared.
- We first visited with Jesse in November 2024, and you can read more about his background and the winery in that post.
- This year was his 4th harvest with Sequoia Grove
- 2025 was a very interesting vintage.
- It stayed cool, so the whites slowed down.
- The reds sped up. So, there was a bit of a harvest crunch with white and reds ready at about the same time.
- In 2025 they will have a wholesale Sauvignon Blanc.
- It will be from Napa Valley.
- It will be 100% Barrel fermented, 100% whole cluster & lots of lees.
- They bought the State Lane Vineyard in 2021 from Clos du Val.
- It is across from the Gamble Ranch.
- This area is ideal and notable for Sauvignon Blanc.
- It is on the eastern bench of Yountville.
- The 2024 SB is from a warmer vintage. Jesse used 10 to 15% new oak.
- The “Haire Vineyard” Chardonnay is old vine Wente clone and Robert Young.
- The vineyard is across from the Hudson Vineyard.
- It is unfined & unfiltered, hence hazy.
- Rutherford is a warmer AVA.
- 70% of the wines Jesse makes are from Rutherford.
- The 2022 “Rutherford Bench Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon is the first wine that Jesse made start to finish.
- 70% of the grapes are from Estate vineyards.
- They picked the grapes post the heat spike.
- They sorted out the raisins.
- Their Morisoli Vineyard grapes come from the 46-year-old Zieglar Block.
- The 2023 “Napa Wines” will have the new “green” labels.
- New wines are coming.
- There will be a 2023 vintage Chardonnay from the Hyde Vineyard.
- There will be a 2024 vintage Chardonnay from the Hudson Vineyard.
- There will be a 2023 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon from the Georges III Vineyard.
- They purchased a vineyard at the top of a vineyard on Mt. Veeder from the Hess Vineyard. Their first wine from this vineyard with be a wine from the 2023 vintage.
- Jesse says his 2025 Merlot is gorgeous.
- The idea behind the Cambium wine is to create the best reflection of the vintage. They are also looking to achieve power and elegance.
- Vineyards used in 2022 Cambium are the Healy Vineyard, the Missouri Hopper Vineyard, and the Stagecoach Vineyard.
- If you want to hear a lot more about Jesse and his journey to Sequoia Grove, check out this interview on the Inside Winemaking podcast. It originally inspired me to reach out to Jesse for our first tasting and interview.
Below is a summary of the Sequoia Grove wines that we covered with Jesse. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find the two distributed wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also purchase the other higher end wines on the Sequoia Grove website.
- Sequoia Grove 2024 Sauvignon Blanc “State Lane Estate Vineyard” $38 (KWGTP 92.5)
- Sequoia Grove 2023 Chardonnay “Haire Vineyard” (Carneros) $55 (KWGTP 93.5)
- Sequoia Grove 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Rutherford Bench Reserve” $90 (KWGTP 93)
- Sequoia Grove 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon “Morisoli Vineyard” (Rutherford) $125 (KWGTP 94.5)
- Sequoia Grove 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Tonella Vineyard” (Rutherford) $125 (KWGTP 94.5)
- Sequoia Grove 2022 “Cambium” (Napa Valley) $175 (KWGTP 96)
Widely Distributed Sequoia Grove Wines Covered Separately
- Sequoia Grove 2022 Chardonnay “Napa Valley” $40 (KWGTP 92)
- Sequoia Grove 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley” $55 (KWGTP 93.5)
You can find reviews of past and future Sequoia Grove wines that we cover on the KWG Sequoia Grove winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken