Hewitt Vineyards is named for William A. Hewitt, who was head of Deere & John Co. from 1955 to 1982. He purchased the Rutherford vineyard that is now Hewitt Vineyards in 1962 and with the assistance of the legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff Hewitt replanted the site to Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes from the vineyards were for decades sold to other wineries. But with the 2001 Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon the estate launched its own single-vineyard wine. Today the 60-acre estate focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and is owned by Diageo, a London-based international wine and spirits conglomerate.