Founded in 1982 by Tony Soter, Etude Wines produces world-class Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Carneros Pinot Noir. Etude Wines is dedicated to mastering the craft of winegrowing. In classical music, an etude is a composition with a technical focus that allows the musician to practice a particular technique. Similarly, Etude wines are the product of deliberate concentration on the instructive variables of the craft.
The underlying philosophy at Etude Wines is that winemaking begins in the vineyard, months and even years before the grapes are harvested. The Etude winemaking team – Tony Soter, Jon Priest and Franci Ashton – believes that inspired grape growing diminishes the need for intervention by the winemaker, the end result being superior wines that are grown, not made. Collectively these people apply more than 50 years of experience in the quest to extract and evoke the most from the plants they tend in the places they grow, while at the same time treading lightly on the environment.
Come visit Etude’s brand new tasting room in Carneros. They offer Walk-In Tastings or Formal Sit-down Tastings with gourmet food and wine pairings. They invite all wine lovers to come experience the subtle delicate tastes food and wine make of each other.