Etude – a Napa Valley study

Tony Soter is one of California’s (and now Oregon’s) most talented winemakers, turning the wines of Araujo, Niebaum-Coppola, Spottswoode, Viader and others into gold as a consultant, then building his own Etude brand into a benchmark for California Pinot Noir with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Soter is also a tough act to follow. Just ask Jon Priest, who has been the Etude winemaker for two years, yet still gets asked at wine events, “Where’s Tony?”

Tony is in his native Oregon, making very fine Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs for Soter Vineyards, after selling Etude to Beringer...