Jon Priest, Winemaker and General Manager of Etude Winery
From the time the brand was established in 1982 in Napa, Etude Winery’s philosophy has been that winemaking begins in the vineyard long before harvest, and that that superior grape growing diminishes the need for intervention by the winemaker, resulting in wine that is grown, not made.
In what ways is your business considered eco-friendly? At Etude, we understand that our broader environmental impact trickles down to the health of not only our grapes, but the overall quality of our wines. We really view ourselves as stewards of our land, and one of our main priorities is preserving the native trees, waterways and animal life that inhabit our incredible Grace Benoist Ranch. There are a lot of ways we accomplish this.
Our vineyards are fenced off separately to allow natural wildlife pathways to remain uninterrupted, giving them access to water and shelter. We also have our own sheep who graze in the vineyard in the springtime – they eat a ton of grass and are really like mini tractors! This allows us to keep actual tractors out of our vineyard and prevents soil compaction when the ground is wet. Water is so crucial in Napa, so we use recycled water from the Carneros Pipeline Project, which brings clean, treated, recycled water from the City of Napa to local land and homeowners. We use this for landscape irrigation and to fill up fire suppression ponds, which reduces our reliance on local groundwater. Etude has also been using solar panels for over a decade, which helps to reduce energy costs.
We also have a number of sustainability certifications that we’re really proud of. In addition to being a Certified Sustainable Winery and Napa Green Winery Certified, Etude has also earned the Fish Friendly Farming Certification, as well as the Climate Adaptation Certification.
What inspired you to become an eco-minded entrepreneur? Our ownership takes its responsibility to the environment seriously, as do I as the winemaker. As a winemaker, I know that how we treat the land around us has a huge effect on the quality of the wines we make. At Etude, we believe wines are expressive of the place in which they are grown. I’m committed to carrying on Etude’s legacy and its holistic winegrowing approach, which places an emphasis on nurturing the soil, respecting the native ecosystems, and working really hard to reduce our impact on the environment. I want our wines to be the best that they can be, and that only happens if our surrounding ecosystem is thriving.
For readers who want to be more eco-conscious in their everyday lives, what do you recommend? How about for those looking to launch a green business? Take a look at the businesses you support daily, and really understand how they’re leading by example. Who do you look up to? Find someone like-minded who is leading a business you admire and make it a point to learn from them. In the wine industry, we all learn from each other. I love consulting fellow winemakers and having conversations with my peers, who I trust deeply. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to support your mission and share their advice.
What are your long-term goals for Etude and its impact? This year, we joined Treasury Wine Estates, which joined the RE100, the global corporate renewable energy initiative, bringing together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to 100 percent renewable energy. As a result, Etude plans to make the transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2024 across its own vineyard and winery footprint, and we have a bold target of net zero emissions by 2030!