"Craftsmanship Preserved by Hand" Tonella, Pride of Napa’s Boutique Wineries

Steve Tonella, CEO of S.R. Tonella Cellars, Shares His Philosophy
A Century-Old Family Legacy Rooted in Rutherford, Napa Valley
No Outside Investment, No Machinery... Uncompromising Authenticity
Survival Strategies of a Small-Scale, Direct-to-Con

"A true boutique winery is one that never compromises on anything in pursuit of the finest wine."

Steve Tonella, CEO and winemaker of S.R. Tonella Cellars, emphasized "authenticity" in a recent interview with The Asia Business Daily. He explained that only when authenticity forms the foundation and the winery pursues nothing but the highest quality without compromise, can a wine be created that truly satisfies everyone.

Steve Tonella, CEO and winemaker of S.R. Tonella Cellars, is conducting an interview with The Asia Business Daily and taking a commemorative photo.

Unwavering Commitment to Quality... Handcrafted Wines

Tonella Cellars is a winery rooted in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA. In 1906, after the San Francisco earthquake, a wave of workers arrived to help rebuild the city. Among them was Joseph Ponti, Steve’s great-granduncle, who immigrated from Italy at that time. Ponti began as an early winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard in Rutherford and contributed to establishing the winery’s international reputation. He later passed down his vineyards and winemaking techniques to his nephew, Louis Tonella-Steve’s grandfather-laying the foundation for what would become Tonella Cellars.

Tonella Cellars is also a small-scale boutique winery, producing less than 10,000 cases (120,000 bottles) annually. Rather than focusing on mass production, they emphasize quality and individuality, with the owner-winemaker often directly involved. Their cult wines highlight terroir and craftsmanship, offering consumers the "joy of discovery" through rarity and distinctiveness. Especially since the 1980s, demand for rare wines among Silicon Valley’s new wealthy has intersected with creative winemaking, solidifying the boutique winery ecosystem.

A view of the vineyard of S.R. Tonella Cellars in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA.

Steve Tonella’s uncompromising approach to wine can be summarized in two main principles. The most important is his refusal to compromise on quality. Tonella Cellars carries out all vineyard work by hand, without machines. This insistence on manual labor, rather than automation, is based on the belief that the meticulousness of every process is directly reflected in the wine.

Canopy management is a prime example. This process involves leaf removal, shoot thinning, sunlight penetration adjustment, and ensuring ventilation throughout the growing season to help grapes ripen properly. It is a highly delicate task that requires great care. As a result, Tonella Cellars produces only about 72,000 bottles of wine annually from approximately 7 hectares of land as of last year.

Tonella explained, "Manual work requires a lot of labor and cost, so there are many challenges," but added, "As an artisan winery focused on the highest quality, manual work is not a choice but a necessity." He further noted, "In a boutique winery, rather than repeating a single task, you have to handle the entire cycle of grape cultivation and winemaking, so there are many generalists who find satisfaction and value in having a comprehensive perspective on their work."

 Independent Management Without Outside Capital... The Elegance of 'Rutherford Dust'

Steve Tonella, CEO and winemaker of S.R. Tonella Cellars.

Alongside quality, Tonella also refuses to compromise when it comes to outside capital, as external investment could undermine their philosophy. He stated, "If we accept outside investment, inevitably we would have to focus on financial profit. The investor’s opinions would directly or indirectly influence wine production, making it difficult to maintain our style and quality."

This uncompromising stance toward external capital is also reflected in his career. Although he was born and raised at the winery, Tonella majored in business administration at university and worked in sales at a tech company. He said, "The wine business in Napa Valley also requires significant capital, so I pursued self-funding and diverse experiences outside of wine, working in the UK, Italy, Spain, and Japan, all while dreaming of independent wine production."

To maintain a stable cash flow without outside investment, they also handle most distribution and sales directly. Currently, 90% of Tonella Cellars’ production is sold through direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels, with only the remaining 10% distributed through restaurants, retail channels, and exports. Tonella explained, "By using the DTC method, we reduce distribution margins and offer reasonable prices to consumers, creating a win-win strategy. We also incentivize repeat customers by giving them priority purchasing rights or increasing their allocation." He added, "Rather than producing and selling as much as possible out of greed, we only supply as much as we can while maintaining the highest quality."

They are also not aggressive in marketing. He said, "While many wineries are now focusing on online marketing, we prefer to build our reputation through placements in luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, relying on word of mouth." However, he noted that in markets like Korea, where DTC is not yet familiar, a differentiated approach tailored to local characteristics is necessary. He said, "Korea is a rapidly growing market with many gourmets, so I believe our wines would be a great fit. We will open various sales channels to reach Korean consumers who appreciate the value of boutique wineries."

S.R. Tonella Cellars Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

'Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon' from S.R. Tonella Cellars is a signature product born from this uncompromising philosophy. Tonella emphasized, "This wine is made from grapes harvested from vines averaging 30 years old. We focus on quality over quantity, reducing grape yields to about half the average per-unit-area production in Napa Valley, and only use grapes that meet our own standards." He described the wine as "a full-bodied wine with subtle aromas of cassis, dried herbs, dark chocolate, and baking spices, featuring balanced acidity and rounded, delicate tannins. It is characterized by a rich and persistent flavor with a long, elegant finish."

He cited Rutherford’s terroir-especially the 'Rutherford Dust'-as the factor that makes Tonella Cellars’ wines unique. Rutherford Dust refers to the fine texture in wine reminiscent of earth or cocoa powder, with pronounced black fruit aromas such as black currant and blackberry, as well as mature notes like mushrooms and forest floor. Tonella said, "Rutherford’s large diurnal temperature swings allow grapes to ripen slowly, resulting in complex flavors. The thin soil layer, a blend of gravel, loam, and sand known as Rutherford Dust, imparts a distinctive mineral aroma to the wine, setting it apart with an elegant style even among Napa Valley wines."