Reed Renaudin has been involved in the wine industry since 1996. He founded Amicus & X Winery in 2001 and has helped guide this start up company's rapid growth. Reed has an MBA from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a BS from UC Davis. He has also completed extensive graduate research in Enology at UC Davis, and has presented his works at the American Society of Enology and Viticulture's annual meeting. His resume is highlighted with viticulture experience working for Gallo of Sonoma, and enology experience working for Napa Valley wineries including Heitz and Cuvaison. Reed also has winemaking experience with Cape Clairault Wines in Australia.
In 1861 Lake County was created from parts of Napa and Mendocino counties and has since been well-known as a farming community. In the 1870s vineyards were planted, and by the early 1900s the area was already earning its reputation for producing "the world's greatest wines."
Prohibition forced an end to the Lake County wine production in 1920. Many of the vineyards were removed and replaced with walnut and pear orchards. The comeback of the wine industry began in the 1960s when a few growers rediscovered the area's grape-growing potential and once again began planting vineyards. Lake County now has close to 10,000 acres of planted vineyards, and is among the fastest-growing regions in California.
The 2009 vintage was one of the best there here. The long, slow and relatively cool growing season allowed perfect maturation of the grapes, and thus the resulting wine. Bursting with bright citrus aromas, this Sauvignon Blanc is clean and refreshing. Notes of lemon, grapefruit and guava hit the nose and infuse well with the tropical flavors of kiwi and melon on the palate. The finish is long and tangy and the acidity is well-balanced. Pair this wine with a great cheese plate or challenging seafood dishes like Shrimp Diablo or fish and chips.
