"Etude was founded on the philosophy that winemaking begins in the vineyard long before the harvest and that superior grape growing diminishes the need for intervention by the winemaker, resulting in wine that is grown, not made. This remains our approach today as we continue to build the Etude legacy."
A Pioneer in Carneros
In 1982, Etude was established in the cool-climate Carneros region with the aim of producing world-class Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir is the most appropriate vehicle with which to study wine growing, precisely because of its demanding nature but also because of its delicacy and transparency. Make no mistake it is a humbling pursuit, but when it’s right, Pinot Noir is a glorious and moving thing. It is in the pursuit of that experience that we all work.
Clonal Diversity
In 2000, Grace Benoist Ranch was developed – the culmination of an eighteen year journey in finding the most suitable terroir for our Estate vineyards. On the ranch are seven Chardonnay clones, nine Heirloom Pinot Noir clones, and eight additional Pinot clones, all divided into 24 individual vineyard blocks, each with its own soil type, rootstock, grape variety and clonal type. These individual vineyard blocks average only 8 acres in size. The spacing is dense to ensure low per vine yields of fully concentrated fruit.
Expanding to other Terroirs
Pinot Noir offers intricate flavor profiles, many of which are unique to its growing region. Beyond Carneros, Etude sources fruit from the Central Coast region of California, Oregon, and even New Zealand. This diversity offers our guests the opportunity to see the world though the lens of Pinot Noir. The flavors, aromas, and textures are a direct impact of the teroirs on which the grapes are grown.
Join us in Carneros
Sip Pinot Noir from five different growing regions to learn the effects terroir has on this delicate, supple grape.