The Ethos Behind Our Wine
Chasing Ether is about capturing those moments wine can spark: unplanned joy, shared laughter, golden light, connection. Ether refers to the upper skies—the intangible, the fleeting, the divine.
Founded by winemaker Jon Berlin, this is wine made with intention—blended from vineyards across the state to tell the story of California as a whole. Crafted to inspire togetherness. This is wine about place and it’s people.
The Wineguy: Jon Berlin
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jon counted down the following 6575 days until he passed his driving test and hightailed it south to the cold surf and fine wines of the Western Cape. In between chasing waves, Jon was a Naval firefighter, Bracken Fern purveyor, ding repair man, airbrusher, rare succulent grower, nefarious product salesman, restaurant manager, and surfboard shaper. He still regrets not accepting one thousand camels for his then-girlfriend in Morocco in the winter of ‘91.
Completing his first wine harvest in 1999 in Cape Town, a seven-harvest spree across the hemispheres followed. The Sonoma Coast, The Hemel and Aarde Valley, the Hunter Valley, Martinborough, and the Napa Valley are still recovering.
The pursuit of Hendrix playing backwards at 45rpm was the motivation and the ether he chased.
Winemaker for Viader, from 2004-2005, Consulting Winemaker for various brands from 2005-2009, and El Molino from 2005-2024, he now directs all his energy towards delivering exceptional tasting wines that are affordable and accessible through his project, Chasing Ether.
“Get off Social Media, grab a bottle of wine, call a friend, enjoy each other's company, make questionable decisions, live a full life. Chase the Ether.”
The Wineguy: Jon Berlin
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jon counted down the following 6575 days until he passed his driving test and hightailed it south to the cold surf and fine wines of the Western Cape. In between chasing waves, Jon was a Naval firefighter, Bracken Fern purveyor, ding repair man, airbrusher, rare succulent grower, nefarious product salesman, restaurant manager, and surfboard shaper. He still regrets not accepting one thousand camels for his then-girlfriend in Morocco in the winter of ‘91.
Completing his first wine harvest in 1999 in Cape Town, a seven-harvest spree across the hemispheres followed. The Sonoma Coast, The Hemel and Aarde Valley, the Hunter Valley, Martinborough, and the Napa Valley are still recovering.
The pursuit of Hendrix playing backwards at 45rpm was the motivation and the ether he chased.
Winemaker for Viader, from 2004-2005, Consulting Winemaker for various brands from 2005-2009, and El Molino from 2005-2024, he now directs all his energy towards delivering exceptional tasting wines that are affordable and accessible through his project, Chasing Ether.
“Get off Social Media, grab a bottle of wine, call a friend, enjoy each other's company, make questionable decisions, live a full life. Chase the Ether.”