Tony Soter
At its core, Soter Vineyards is the culmination of many years of study and preparation. Ever since he came to the Napa Valley in 1975, Tony Soter has been fascinated with the process of grape growing and winemaking. He brings to Soter Vineyards the experience of over 30 harvests, the erudition and attention to detail reflected in countless wines, and most importantly, the desire to make great wines from very specific places on his own terms. A symphony, half a lifetime in meticulous composition, is now in performance.

(photo courtesy of Beringer-Blass and John McJunkin.)

Tony Soter founded Etude Wines in 1982 and its name, "study," describes his reverence for the ongoing learning process that is winegrowing. Early in his career, Soter realized that there were innumerable variables that guided a wine towards excellence. He learned to distinguish between winemaking techniques fundamental to quality, and those that imparted a winemaker's signature. He sought to understand the voice of each individual vineyard, to maximize its expression in the glass. Today Tony remains the guiding hand behind Etude Wines, and eventually he will transition to a consulting role.

In the mid-1980s, Soter began working as a consulting winemaker in the Napa Valley, assisting luminaries such as Araujo, Niebaum-Coppola, Shafer, Spottswoode, Viader and Dalle Valle. After years of mentoring and encouraging some of Napa Valley's most respected growers and winemakers, he ended his consulting roles to focus exclusively on Soter Vineyards, Etude, and his family.

Apart from being a culmination, Soter Vineyards is also a beginning. Soter Vineyards is a family enterprise; with the eventual help of their children, Oregon natives Tony and Michelle Soter hope to establish a legacy of august, estate-bottled wines, in the fashion of the great family domaines of Burgundy.

Michelle Soter
Michelle Soter is also a Portland, Oregon native. Ms. Soter holds a degree in Marketing from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where she spent 10 years in the Advertising and Marketing field. The wine business soon caught her eye, and she spent half a dozen years marketing the wines of Moraga Vineyards in Los Angeles. During this time, she became a fitness aficionado, running 10k races, triathalons, and a marathon. With her healthy focus came a sincere interest in the environmental movement, focusing on nutrition and organic farming.

Beacon Hill, Mineral Springs, and Little Creek vineyards are where Tony and Michelle can demonstrate their reverence for the land. Their children also reinforce the wisdom of their farming practices. Olivia, Anton, and all their cousins and friends often run up and down the vineyard rows, picking wildflowers, tasting grapes, and blowing dandelions. It is important to keep this environment as natural as possible, free from harmful chemicals, to protect generations to follow. In every decision, from food to furniture, the Soters make choices that will put the least stress on the environment, and be the best choice for their children and the future of the land.

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