Etude Wines — Restaurant in Napa

It is a beautiful winery in the heart of Carneros. They've got some beautiful wines. This is not a review of their wines or their beautiful winery, for which I would give 4 stars. This is mostly about my experience and misleading information that I got from a wine educator (if that's what they call them). The lady hosting the tasting for us was very nice and kind. After talking about their wines and winery I asked her a question - how much percentage of whole clusters were used? She didn't know and it's not a problem at all. My frustration and disappointment started after she asked one of her colleagues who happened to be there. He said "none to very little". He added that it's not desirable to use whole clusters and he didn't see using whole clusters much even in Burgundy. When I said I had seen PN with 40% whole clusters for example, he looked at me like a crazy person. He started explaining a general process to make wine. I didn't talk much because I didn't want to argue with him. After I came back, I did some quick research as it was very hard to believe what he had told me after sensing whole clusters in their wine, not to mention his wrong information regarding whole clusters in general. I quickly found in their own description for one of their PN saying that "Some 20 percent of the fruit was kept whole cluster during fermentation to add further complexity...". That's one of the wines included in the tasting. :-( I give one more star to appreciate at least their...

My best friend and I were lucky enough to have a tour and tasting with David N during our visit a month ago. He was so welcoming and knowledgeable! Our visit was a perfect mix of learning about the property and its history, the wines and unique location in the valley, and just enjoying the beautiful setting. David was the perfect host and balanced education with relaxation; giving us the right amount of information with space to sit and drink our wines. David made our visit truly special and it was our favorite tasting of the trip. I was so impressed, i joined the wine club before we left. Shortly after arriving home, I checked my mail to find a handwritten thank you note from David which just shows how personal and exceptional the service is here. If you like amazing wines, incredible service, and being surrounded by dozens of hummingbirds as you enjoy your tasting - Etude is the spot for you.. and...

When you first arrive at Etude Winery, you're greeted by the breathtaking beauty of the vineyard. The wines they offer are truly exceptional and are a testament to the winery's dedication to quality. However, the wine tasting experience itself leaves much to be desired. The tastings are conducted in a small barn that also doubles as their gift shop. Unfortunately, this space lacks any special decor or a view to complement the wines being tasted. It's a very simple setup that doesn't do justice to the stunning outdoor surroundings of the winery. Although the quality of the wine justifies some of the price, it's hard to ignore the disconnect between the exceptional wines and the underwhelming tasting experience. In order to truly reflect the overall experience, the pricing should be adjusted to better align with the quality of the setting...