Los Carneros · Napa Valley
Visit Etude with a Private Chauffeur
Carneros Pinot Noir and Napa Cabernet from Tony Soter's winery, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Tony Soter founded Etude in 1982, and it grew into one of the leading names in Carneros Pinot Noir. Jon Priest has been winemaker and general manager since 2005, one of only two winemakers in the winery's history.
Etude's Pinot Noir comes from its Grace Benoist Ranch in Carneros, farmed in 24 parcels, and it also makes single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Its 2021 Coombsville Cabernet was on James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of the USA in 2025.
Tastings are relaxed and seated in the Carneros tasting room, from a Terroir flight to a private Study of Pinot.
Tasting Fees
$55 for the Terroir tasting and $85 for the Cabernet Collection, each about an hour. $95 for the private Study of Pinot, 75 to 90 minutes, with a chef's pairing for $40 more.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1250 Cuttings Wharf Road, Napa (Carneros)
AVA
Los Carneros
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments recommended; walk-ins welcome.
Known For
Carneros Pinot Noir and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Founded
1982
Good to Know
Online bookings take 1 to 8 guests; larger groups use the group form. Tastings are 21 and over.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Carneros hotel such as Carneros Resort and Spa or Stanly Ranch.
10:00 · Pickup at Carneros Resort and Spa or Stanly Ranch
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Carneros Resort and Spa, with vineyard cottages in Los Carneros, is about 5 minutes from Etude, and Stanly Ranch, an Auberge resort on a working ranch at the south end of the valley, is about 6 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Etude
The Terroir tasting, about an hour ($55).
11:30 · Bouchaine Vineyards
About 8 minutes away. A family estate that calls itself the oldest continuously operating winery in Carneros, known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Garden Tasting is about 90 minutes ($45; all ages and dogs welcome); the Terrace Tasting is about an hour ($75). By reservation.
1:10 · Lunch at Boon Fly Café
About 9 minutes away. Lunch at Boon Fly Café at Carneros Resort, a roadhouse open daily with brunch until 4 p.m.; lunch is first come, first served. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Saintsbury
About 3 minutes away. A Carneros Pinot Noir pioneer founded in 1981 and named for the author of Notes on a Cellar-Book. The Garden Tasting is about 75 minutes ($65). By appointment.
3:50 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Madonna Estate
Adds about an hour. The Bartolucci family's organic, dry-farmed estate, one of the few in Napa Valley that still takes walk-ins. Tastings are $30, waived with two bottles; open until 5 p.m. Families and dogs welcome.
About $165 to $195 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Etude?
Appointments are recommended, and walk-ins are welcome. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Etude?
$55 per person for the Terroir tasting, $85 for the Cabernet Collection and $95 for the Study of Pinot, as of September 2026.
What is Etude known for?
Carneros Pinot Noir from its Grace Benoist Ranch, and single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Who founded Etude?
Tony Soter, in 1982. Jon Priest has been winemaker since 2005.
Can children visit Etude?
Tastings are for guests 21 and over.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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