Jon Priest had a lot to smile about the day Tom visited the former brandy-making facility in March. The maestro behind Etude's symphony of wines, he was watching some beautiful fruit arrive daily from the vineyards to be vinified in some new equipment only a new owner could bring.

The stainless steel fermenting tanks come courtesy of Fosters Group which bought Beringer Blass in 2001. Etude's founder Tony Soter sold the Napa Valley brand to Beringer. Although Soter still consults as winemaker for Etude, he has turned his attention to making Oregon pinot noirs under his name. Priest inherited a well-established brand, but he is focused on making even better pinot noir from grapes grown in the Carneros region.

Pinot noir can ferment very hot, very fast, says Priest, so Etude's 61 open-top fermenters designed by Soter himself were getting a workout during his visit. As we spoke, luscious pinot noir grapes were getting a gentle pump over in one corner. In another, the caps of fermenting grapes were being punched down in specially designed fermenters that can be cooled or heated.

Pinot noir is such a challenge to grow that many producers just ignore it. Thin skins are more susceptible to disease and one bad crop can lead to financial disaster. Still, its delicate flavors, rooted in Burgundy, are superb when made well.

"You have to be born a pinot noir guy" to understand the grape variety's quixotic nature, Priest says.

More than 10 clones of pinot noir are grown on Etude's estate vineyards located in the northwest part of Carneros, a region cooled by the San Pablo Bay fog that rolls like clockwork through the Petaluma Gap. These cooling breezes allow the grapes to mature slowly and Etude picks its pinot noir at night to keep their freshness.

Many of the clones came to this country via a suitcase and produce low yields of precious fruit. With capital to invest, Etude has been concentrating on growing pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon on estate vineyards. This concentration has allowed them to make vineyard-designated pinot noirs that focus on terroir. The pinot noirs we tasted from Deer Camp and Temblor vineyards showed us the grace that is characterizing these wines. They aren't cheap, but that's the unfortunate nature of making exquisite pinot noir.

Although Etude made its mark with pinot noir, its cabernet sauvignons from Oakville and Rutherford are a near-equal accomplishment. However, they aren't easy to find.

Here are some of our favorites in the Etude lineup of red and white wines:

Etude Carneros Pinot Noir 2006 ($45). Strawberry and raspberry flavors characterize this well-balanced wine with a touch of mocha and spice.

Etude Estate Deer Camp Pinot Noir 2006 ($62). We brought some of this home with us. Bigger in style, it has layers of complex fruit and fine tannins to give it good aging capability.

Etude Estate Heirloom 2006 ($95). One of Tom's all-time favorites, the quaffable Heirloom is made with several old clones whose identities aren't entirely known. Round and concentrated, it sports tea aromas, black cherry and orange zest flavors with good spice.

Etude Estate Red GBR 2007 ($63). This is an intriguing blend of malbec, syrah and merlot (71 percent). Anise aromas with plum, coffee and cedar flavors.

Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have visited vineyards all over the world and have been writing a newspaper wine column for more than 20 years.

– Relishmag.com