Calistoga, CA, July 22, 2015 —Amici Cellars is pleased to welcome industry veteran Anthony “Tony” Biagi as Consulting Winemaker. Biagi’s extensive experience with notable Napa Valley wineries—Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Plumpjack, Cade and Hourglass among them—expertly complements the Amici portfolio, which features several small-production, single vineyard wines from prominent Napa and Sonoma appellations such as Spring Mountain District, Rutherford, Oakville and Russian River Valley.
Amici Cellars is a winery that is, at heart, a story of friendship: Amici’s owners—John Harris, Bob and Celia Shepard, and Bart Woytowicz—are all great friends with an equally great enthusiasm for making and enjoying great wines together. Bob Shepard notes, “When we met with Tony, we were struck not only by his impressive résumé, but also by how well our philosophies meshed: about winemaking, about life, about enjoying this journey together. It’s a great fit and we are excited to see where Tony will take our wines.”
Biagi says his role at Amici will be to work with Winemaker Bobby Donnell and the team to reach new goals. “When I consult, I always end up learning as much as I teach,” he says. “I love what they have achieved already and how they are pushing the limits and experimenting.”
Born and raised in California, Biagi earned his degree in fermentation science from the University of California at Davis in 1995. Upon graduation, he joined Duckhorn, where by 1998 he was named winemaker for the new Paraduxx Winery. From 2001–2003, he held the role of Winemaker and General Manager at Neal Family Vineyards. In March 2003, Biagi joined the Plumpjack Group, where he remained for nearly 10 years, serving as Winemaker for Plumpjack and becoming the Founding Winemaker of Cade in 2005. Biagi is Winemaker for Hourglass and Sinegal Estate and has an active consultancy, which now includes Amici Cellars.
As harvest approaches, Biagi is looking forward to rolling up his sleeves. “What I’m most excited about is to be joining such a wonderful extended team that’s already in place,” he says. “There’s such a supportive atmosphere, it’s really a family feeling.”
Amici Cellars is located at 3130 Old Lawley Toll Road in Calistoga, CA and is open to the public by appointment. To schedule a visit, please call (707) 967-9560 or send an email to tastingroom@amicicellars.com.
