Wine Maker Jon Priest and General Manager, is dedicated to inspired winegrowing. His focus is on cultivating grapes in optimal locations with ideal conditions to produce wines of exceptional world-class character. Through his intentional winemaking approach, he aims to express the intrinsic qualities of each varietal while highlighting their unique characteristics and a distinct sense of place.

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.

Little Vineyards only makes reds, but they are quite good. Tastings (as of summer '09) are only 5 bucks, and the fee is waived if you buy any of their reasonably priced wines. This place is right next door to B.R. Cohn winery Take the road that is also used for B.R. C's deliveries, and keep on going 'til you see the signs for Little Vineyards.

Louisa Sawyer Lindquist has dedicated her entire adult life to the business of wine. Her journey began at the age of 21 with cellar work at Long Island wineries, including an internship she created at Hargrave Wine Cellars, the first winery on Long Island, in Cutchogue, NY. She continued her experience at Scuttlehole Vineyard, which later became Channing Daughters Winery. Louisa then transitioned to fine wine retail shops and restaurants, followed by roles in sales with wine distributors and importers, and eventually direct sales at wineries. This path has been a rewarding journey for her.

In 2000, Louisa founded Verdad Wine Cellars, with the goal of crafting pure, balanced wines from the exceptional vineyards of California’s Central Coast. Her focus lies in the cool, coastal vineyard sites of this region, inspired in part by the wines of Spain. The Spanish and Mexican heritage of California fueled her passion for using Spanish wine grapes. In 2014, after a client requested a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, she ventured into making Cabernet for Verdad, recognizing it as an incredible grape that produces some of the most age-worthy wines in the world.

Alongside her husband, Bob, Louisa also collaborates on creating a Demeter Certified Pinot Noir and a balanced coastal Chardonnay under the Sawyer Lindquist label.

We found them in the Sonoma Wineries listing and saw that tasting was by appointment only..we didn't know that it was out of date and that there was an official tasting room...anyway, we made the appt and got lost trying to get there. We happened to see a man doing some work in a barn/garage and asked his help to find the winery. He told us we found it. Turns out the winery was in the barn, he was the winemaker, and the tasting was done on the porch. Talk about a beautiful setting to taste wine. The hills, the vineyards, the babydoll sheep...yes, sheep. Forth uses babydoll sheep instead of herbicides. Very environmentally friendly.