Brice Jones, who flew fighter jets in Vietnam and founded Chardonnay-centric Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards in Russian River Valley before anyone knew Chardonnay could even ripen in its foggy climate, has risked again, with a Pinot Noir brand called Emeritus that hits the US market in April.
Jones founded Sonoma-Cutrer in 1973, made it America’s most successful on-premise Chardonnay brand, then sold it to Brown-Forman Corp in 1999. He agreed to remain as president, yet it surprised no one when the marriage of the headstrong Jones and the Jack Daniels-owning spirits giant ended in divorce in 2001.
Before he...
