Beringer to purchase Etude

Wines & Vines, Nov, 2001

Beringer Blass Wine Estates has entered into an agreement to purchase Napa Valley-based Etude Wines from owner and winemaker Tony Soter. Soter will remain with the winery following the acquisition to further develop the brand and his winemaking team. All Etude employees will be retained.

While continuing to work closely with its current portfolio of grower partners, Etude will collaborate with Beringer Blass vineyard manager Bob Steinhauer to identify high-quality Pinot noir blocks within Beringer's newly developed Benoist Vineyard in Carneros.

Beringer Blass Wine Estates grows, produces and markets a broad range of premium wines from Australia, California, Europe and South America. In the United States, the company produces critically acclaimed wines at six California wineries, including Beringer Vineyards, Chateau St. Jean, Chateau Souverain, Meridian Vineyards, Stags' Leap Winery and St. Clement Vineyards. Other Beringer Blass Wine Estates' brands marketed in the U.S. include Australia's Wolf Blass, Black Opal, Greg Norman Estates and Rothbury Estate, and Italy's Castello di Gabbiano and Campanile. The company also imports Vina Tarapaca and Dallas Conte from Chile and Travaglini from Italy.