Winemaker Notes
A classic representation of this stunning coastal vineyard, this wine is the most exuberant of the 2019 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.
Blend: 100% Chardonnay
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard comes from a great vineyard within site of the Pacific Ocean. It has a touch of botrytis in its honeyed lemon, melon, and floral aromatics and is medium to full-bodied, sweetly fruited, and balanced on the palate. A singular, unique expression of Chardonnay, it brings plenty of fruit while staying vibrant and bright on the palate. Coming all from 30+-year-old clone 4 Chardonnay vines with full malolactic fermentation and 13 months in 40% new French oak, it should keep for 7-8 years.
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James Suckling
Intense nose of spiced apple, grilled pineapple, papaya, lime curd, jasmine and toasted hazelnut. Salted caramel, too. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity and a buttery, layered and silky palate. Excellent concentration and complexity.
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.
