🇺🇸 Amici Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2023

Coastal Chardonnay energy, but with its act together. Creamy and bright at the same time, like someone who drinks buttered toast and still runs marathons.

Wine Description 

Amici’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2023 is what happens when you let cool-climate fruit do the flirting, then finish it off with smart oak, not a lumberyard cosplay. It’s 100% Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, built for people who want texture and freshness in the same glass. 

It’s made by the Amici team with winemaker Dante West and lead winemaker Anthony Biagi in the mix, which matters because these guys don’t make “meh” their personality trait. The result is a coastal Chardonnay that lands bright, creamy, and quietly expensive-tasting without actually being a billionaire. 

Vine-To-Table: Meet the Winemaker 

Dante West joined Amici in 2020 and came up through UC Davis Viticulture & Enology, with hands-on experience in Napa and Sonoma cellars and vineyards. At Amici, he works closely alongside Tony Biagi, which is basically an apprenticeship in making polished California wines without losing the plot. 

The Vibe 

Sonoma Coast breeze, silk shirt, clean lines, and just enough toastiness to keep things interesting. It’s the bottle you open when you want “nice” to feel effortless, not like a homework assignment.

What it tastes like 

Think lemon peel and ripe peach up front, then a little crushed-rock minerality and a subtle sea-spray kind of lift, with a finish that leans into key lime pie and roasted hazelnut framed by toasty oak. It’s creamy, but it stays precise, which is the whole point. 

Pairing + When to drink it

Bring this to seafood nights, buttery fish, or anything cream-sauce adjacent where you want the wine to keep up instead of waving politely from the sidelines. Drink it now for that bright coastal snap, or hold a bit if you like your Chardonnay vibes slightly more mellow. 

Quick Specs 

• Producer: Amici Cellars 

• Winemaker: Dante West (Winemaker); Anthony Biagi (Lead Winemaker) 

• Region/Appellation: California, Sonoma Coast AVA 

• Grapes: 100% Chardonnay 

• Vintage: 2023

• Winemaking/Aging: 100% barrel fermented; aged 10 months in 32% new French oak 

• ABV: 14.2% 

• Bottle size: 750ml 

Critic Reviews

• James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 93 points
  Reviewed vintage: 2023 
  Short excerpt: “Super-creamy texture… toast, dough and light butter notes… Affordable for the quality.” 

FAQs 

Q: What’s the exact oak and aging plan for Amici Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2023?
A: It’s 100% barrel fermented and aged 10 months, with 32% new French oak, so you get toast and cream without losing precision. 

Q: Who is the winemaker behind Amici’s current releases, including this Chardonnay?
A: Dante West is listed as Winemaker, and he joined Amici in 2020 after studying Viticulture & Enology at UC Davis. 

Q: What’s the alcohol level on Amici Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2023?
A: The producer lists it at 14.2% ABV, which helps explain the creamy, full-feeling palate. 

Q: What’s a verified tasting-note snapshot straight from the producer?
A: Amici calls out lemon peel, ripe peach, crushed rock, and a sea-spray note, then key lime pie and roasted hazelnut on the palate.

Q: How small is the production for this bottling?
A: Trade material distributed by Serendipity Wines lists annual production at 3,000 cases.