Amici, Olema, Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, California, 2019

About the Producers
In the 1990's, a group of friends with a passion for good wine and fun times together crushed a few tons of grapes in the Napa Valley for their personal cellars. The resulting wine was so well-received that they started producing wine the very next year to share with the public. They chose to name the wine, appropriately, Amici ("friends" in Italian).

Our family-owned winery is nestled in the foothills of the Palisades, just outside Calistoga, Napa Valley, where we are dedicated to producing true-to-varietal wines from exceptional vineyard sources.

Working alongside our talented winemaking team led by Tony Biagi and Jesse Fox, together we bring decades of relationships with outstanding growers that, combined with their craftsmanship, result in elegant, balanced, expressive wines made to be enjoyed among friends.

Amici's owners — John Harris, Bob and Celia Shepard, and Bart Woytowicz—are all great friends with a passion for making and enjoying great wine. At Amici the focus is on quality, not quantity. Because they insist on keeping the production small, they can carefully control the process of creating each wine, crafting what they like to consider a small work of art in each bottle.

What started as a few friends crushing some grapes for fun is now an award-winning premium wine known around the country, but one thing will never change: Amici is a wine created by friends, for friends.

About the Wine
The 2019 Olema Pinot Noir, made by Amici Cellars, is a smooth and aromatic Pinot Noir showcasing the best of Sonoma County winemaking from an excellent vintage.

A blend of Pinot Noir grapes from premier vineyards in the widely acclaimed Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations, the wine features classic Pinot Noir characteristics of perfumed aromas and bright, focused red fruit flavors, framed by delicate tannins.

The 2019 growing season began with abundant amounts of rainfall, causing the soils to retain moisture throughout the growing season. The long, warm summer saw very few heat events, with some strong foggy mornings setting the stage for vibrant and expressive balance in fruit development. The relatively mild finish to the white season helped to preserve freshness, strong acidity and created an opportunity for more maturity. Harvest began about two weeks later than in ’18 and lasted for around 10 days, creating great balance in our finished blend, with some vineyards showing strong complexity and freshness while others added richness in the palate.

Grape / Blend
100% Pinot Noir

Origin
Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
A quintessential Pinot Noir, the 2019 is true to its varietal character with ripe cherry, raspberry and rose petal notes accompanied by garnet and bountiful spice characters through the nose. The fruit aromas carry into the velvety mouthfeel with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. A medium-bodied wine with lively, bright flavors, soft tannins, and a silky-smooth finish.

Product size: 750ml