Winemaker Notes
Elegant from start to finish, the wine offers rich aromas of bing cherry, cranberry, and orange peel. On the palate, juicy red fruit notes lead into violets, cherry cordial and blueberry compote with a long, velvety finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Displaying a bright red color, the 2022 Pinot Noir Reserve Russian River Valley is a pretty and floral red that’s expressive with aromas of pomegranate, pressed flowers, tangerine pith, and dried earth. It’s medium-bodied, with a fine, chalky texture and an easygoing, approachable feel. Tasted alongside the 2023, it has more transparency and is lighter on its feet.
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James Suckling
Aromas of dried strawberries, cedar and hints of mahogany and stems. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins that are well-integrated and a savory finish. A blend of high-end vineyard such as Bootlegger’s Hill and UV Laguna.
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Vinous
The 2022 Pinot Noir Reserve is very pretty and floral. Red-toned fruit, orange peel and dried flowers are some of the notes that build in the glass. This is a very good light to medium-bodied Pinot.
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.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.