Amizetta Estate Winery
Napa Valley AVA
(pronounced ahm-ah-zet-uh) One of Napa's finest family wineries
The fact that both of their families were agriculturally oriented made Spencer and Amizetta (pronounced ahm-ah-zet-uh) Clark’s entry into the wine business make a great deal of sense. The time was 1979, and the Clarks had recently completed their migration to San Francisco from their home in Houston, Texas.
Spencer was a professional musician, and his band, Chameleon, had met with some success. But, Spencer was determined to become a studio musician and resettled in San Francisco with his childhood sweetheart and wife Amizetta. His early childhood included the rice business while Amizetta’s family had been active in the spice business and other agri-businesses.
A day trip to the nearby Napa Valley proved fortuitous to the Clarks. They fell deeply in love with Napa Valley and Spencer Clark decided to change his life ambition to grape growing. He immediately got a cellar rat position at Sterling Vineyards, and then another job with Charles Shaw. It wasn’t long before the Clarks were looking for a suitable site to begin growing grapes.
A picturesque 20-acre parcel atop Howell Mountain beckoned, and the Clarks found themselves planting vines on terraced spots above the Napa Valley. This was 1979, and the great California wine rush was just beginning. Three years later, the Clarks were able to add an adjoining 20 acres to their property and for the next fifteen years, they actively supplied high quality fruit to neighboring wineries. Sometime in 1985, plans were detailed that led to the building of a winery on the property. Spencer named the winery after his wife, whose family name was passed down over fifteen generations. It comes from a Native American background and means “little friend.” Spencer next contacted Justin Meyer (of Silver Oak Cellars fame) to be a consultant, and the rest is history.
Today’s Amizetta Vineyards is quite the successful venture, and three of the couples’ sons, Perry, Edward, and Spencer Clark Jr., are now part of the business as well. They continue to concentrate on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and red blends, and involve the whole family when making final decisions – the perfect way it should be for a family-oriented and developed operation.
Map of the area
Edward Clark - Winemaker
Dear Platinum Wine Club Members,
Spencer and Amizetta Clark established Amizetta Winery in 1979. Today, the winery represents over 30 years of winemaking excellence. Amizetta wines are produced solely from Amizetta estate vineyards. The vineyards consist of steep terraced rows on the eastern mountains of the Napa Valley. Amizetta sits at an elevation of 1,000 ft, tucked away between Pritchard Hill and Howell Mountain. The vines grow in rocky soils that force limited quantities of high quality grapes. The vineyard site has its own microclimate with frost free growing conditions, foggy mornings, and warm sunny afternoons. These special conditions allow our vineyard to produce wines with deep rich colors and round condensed flavors.
The wine you are receiving today is a 2010 red blend called “Complexity.” This wine is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, the three main Bordeaux varietals grown at Amizetta Vineyards. This is a special wine created by the entire team at Amizetta. Each year, everyone sits down to taste and create a red blend that embodies the strong characters of the individual varietals and the growing season. We have named this wine “Complexity,” because of the many deep layers of flavor that come form the power of Cabernet, the velvety texture of Merlot, and the spiciness of Cabernet Franc.
We invite you to experience this limited production hillside red blend.
Cheers!
Owner/President
Perry Clark
