Napa Valley’s Amici Cellars picks consulting winemaker

Matt Courtney has been appointed a consulting winemaker at Amici Cellars, the Calistoga winery announced.

He joins Amici Cellars winemaker Tony Biagi, winemaker for the independent family-owned winery, a post he has held since 2015.

“Everything we do at Amici Cellars is with the intention of building a long term, sustainable winery that lives up to its full potential. Matt’s talent and commitment to excellence make him the ideal person to continue our efforts to bring out the very best in our vineyard sources and produce world-class wines,” said Amici proprietor John Harris.

Courtney worked for notable winemaker Helen Turley and her viticulturist partner and husband, John Wetlaufer, at Marcassin in Sonoma County for eight years. In 2013, he joined Arista Winery in the Russian River Valley.

Amici’s announcement stated that in that same year, Courtney launched his own project, Ferren Wines, select single-vineyard chardonnay and pinot noir from the Sonoma Coast. Additional consulting experience has included MacPhail Wines, Wilson Daniels and Carteirra.

Prior to earning his degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis, Courtney was on the path to pursue his master sommelier certification with the Court of Master Sommeliers, the winery stated.