Winemaking

The grapes were handpicked at night to preserve freshness and acidity. Then placed in open top fermenters for 3-5 days of cold maceration followed by fermentation. Some 20% of the fruit stayed whole-cluster during fermentation to add further complexity, buoyancy of aromatics and structure and refinement. Punch downs were performed during the early stages of fermentation with the extraction becoming gentler as the wine followed an extended maceration to enhance richness and mouthfeel. The wine was lightly pressed into small French oak barrels and rested 14 months. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

Jon Priest - Winemaker

For more than a decade Jon has fashioned Etude wines with a simple creed. Inspired winegrowing diminishes the need for a winemaker to intervene in the cellar. Whether sourcing from the estate Grace Benoist Ranch in Sonoma's Los Carneros, or vineyards like Fiddlestix and North Canyon in famed growing regions of California's Central Coast, his focus is on coaxing the very best from the vineyard. It shows in every glass of Etude.