Etude

Etude has spent forty years on a single study: Pinot Noir. The name means study, and the Carneros location at the cool southern end of Napa is exactly the right place to conduct it, with bay fog slowing ripening and holding acidity.

Alongside the Pinot sit Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rose and sparkling. The Unplugged at Etude concert series is the thing that separates it from neighbouring wineries, turning an evening visit into something other than a tasting. Michael scores the wine an 8, the strongest of its marks. Walk-ins are accommodated alongside reservations, which adds useful flexibility. It sits on Cuttings Wharf Road and makes a good first or last stop on a southern Napa route.