Winemaker Notes
A classic representation of this stunning coastal vineyard, this wine is the most exuberant of the 2018 Chardonnays. Aromas of luscious tropical fruit and white pineapple begin on the nose, while the palate is reminiscent of apple galette, with delicious baked Golden Delicious along with almond paste, brioche and cinnamon stick flavors. The richness is perfectly balanced by the wine’s long, refreshing finish that leaves your mouth watering for another sip.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Chardonnay Charlie Heintz Vineyard comes from more than 30-year-old Clone 4 vines. It was 100% barrel fermented and went through full malolactic. It was aged 13 months in 55% new Francois Freres, Louie Latour and Taransaud barrels. It needs a little coaxing to reveal beautiful lime cordial, lemongrass, honeycomb and fresh pineapple scents with touches of pie crust, peach blossoms and nutmeg. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is explosive, featuring a mélange of tropical fruits and loads of savory sparks, finishing long and perfumed.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Scheduled to be bottled just after this tasting, the 2018 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard is certainly an outstanding wine and comes all from the Clone 4 of Chardonnay and 30+-year-old vines. It will have spent 11 months in 55% new oak. Offering lots of crushed rock and salty mineral notes interwoven with plenty of spice, citrus, and orchard fruits, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a balanced texture, good acidity, and a clean finish. It’s a classic, balanced Russian River release that has both richness and freshness. Range: 92-94
Over thirty years in the making, Amici Cellars is a blend of the old and the new. Preserving its legacy and producing wines of exceptional character is the unwavering commitment of proprietors John Harris and Bob Shepard, who attribute success in large part to the age-old adage “nothing replaces hard work,” but also their intuition and ability to capture the most significant opportunity in a decisive moment.
The turning point was 2009, when after more than 15 years of making wine as a passion project with modest distribution, the two friends fully committed to taking their adventure and turning it into a prestigious Napa Valley winemaking estate. The United States was facing the biggest economic downturn since the 1930s, costly Cabernets no longer flying off shelves, but John and Bob have always trusted in their intuition and a core belief - bottle beautiful, high quality wines that are accessible to enjoy every day and for age-worthy collections.
They have decidedly chosen a talented team, seasoned winemaker Tony Biagi, a Napa Valley veteran with more than 25-years-experience, and associate winemaker Dante West, a rising star whose energy matches his true-to-varietal wines. Together they bring decades of relationships with outstanding growers in the field that, combined with their craftsmanship, creates the best possible capsule of each vineyard site, a combination of the soil, climate and people who farm it.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.