Sparkling Syrah A Ghoulishly Good Halloween Pairing

 

Devin Parr published an article in Wine Country titled The Best Wines to Pair with Your Halloween Candy. Who would have thought that our Sparkling Syrah would pair with Smarties. Devin explains, “These sweet-tart tubes of tiny candy disks are a true Halloween staple. Those little bites have a sweet and fruity flavor profile and a uniquely chalky finish, perfect for pairing with a glass of crisp, cold, sparkling wine.”

If Smarties are not your thing, there are several other recommended pairings such as Twizzlers and Grenache, Starburst with Rosé or Milky Way with Cabernet. It may sound frivolous to pair wine with candy, but Devin holds a certification in wine expertise from the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence, Italy, as well as the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma, so she knows what she’s doing.

In addition, trying different wines with a wide array of foods – even Halloween candy - is the best way to discover what flavors work with different varieties of wine. It is also the kind of practice that cements various flavors in your mind so you can identify them later.

Our winemaker, Ashley Herzberg, says a mentor once told her to write down everything she tastes and make notes to describe it. Doing this repeatedly creates the memories that allow you to identify even the most unusual flavors.

If on the other hand, you don’t especially care if you can identify a vast array of flavors, you may want to simply plan a Halloween wine tasting party. You can impress your friends with this unique spin on wine tasting and Devin’s article provides the perfect shopping list.

Read The Best Wines to Pair with Your Halloween Candy.

Amista Vineyards Launches Sparkling Discoveries, A Landmark Sparkling Wine Community

Wine Business Monthly today announced the launch of Sparkling Discoveries, an online community for sparkling wine lovers, makers and thought leaders. The press release goes on to explain that “the community aims to be the first brand-agnostic informational resource and hub for all things sparkling wine, including news, interviews and maker profiles, events, education, and more. Appropriately, the platform will officially launch on Global Champagne Day, this year falling on October 28, 2022.”

Conversations with the People Behind the Sparkle

We are beyond excited about this launch. Our goal with Sparkling Discoveries is to create a brand-agnostic resource about all things sparkling wine. The centerpiece of the platform shines a light on the amazing people involved in sparkling wine, both in Sonoma County and beyond, by bringing their stories to life with in-depth interviews. Sonoma sparkling icons like Joy Sterling, Proprietor of Iron Horse Vineyards, Eileen Crane, retired founding winemaker and CEO of Domaine Carneros and Penny Gadd-Coster, of Rack and Riddle and Breathless Wines, are a few of the people featured in the initial launch of the platform.

Not surprisingly, Amista Winemaker Ashley Herzberg is among those featured and reveals how she fell in love with sparkling wine, making her first "grower sparkling wine", the bubblies she has in her refrigerator right now and what she hopes her children learn from her work as a winemaker.

Inviting Nominations for Sparkling Stars

Do you know someone we should feature? Nominate them for Sparkling Discoveries and help us build the community.

Concurrent with the launch of the new platform, Sparkling Discoveries is introducing a campaign focused on the trailblazers within the sparkling wine industry. The “Sparkling Stars” program invites sparkling wine lovers, wine professionals, and the community at large to nominate those who are making an impact on the growth, promotion, and future of sparkling wine. Nominations will be open until December 31, which marks National Champagne Day.

 

Sparkling 101 – All You Need to Know About Sparkling Wine

Sparkling Discoveries will also feature a “Sparkling 101” section with articles and guides on various topics pertaining to sparkling wine, such as the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine, Methode Champenoise defined and dosage basics. The goal is for Sparkling Discoveries to become THE definitive resource for the sparkling wine community.

We have big plans for Sparkling Discoveries, which is the first resource of its kind. We look forward to bringing the exciting world of sparkling wine to life for those in the industry as well as wine lovers who want to dig deeper into what this celebrated beverage is all about.

Read Dry Creek Sparkling Wine Icon Amista Vineyards Launches Landmark Sparkling Wine Community, "Sparkling Discoveries" in Time for Global Champagne Day.

Winemaker Ashley Herzberg Discovers Sparkling Wine

I Fell in Love with Sparkling Wine & Now I Make It!

This year marks winemaker Ashley Herzberg’s 12th harvest at Amista Vineyards. She has been a sparkling wine trailblazer! She was the first to make a “grower sparkling wine” in Dry Creek Valley.

At the time, most sparkling wines in California were made by large producers with grapes purchased from multiple vineyards in the tradition of Champagne. In France, grower Champagne has become the rage in the last two decades with small, family-owned houses making Champagne from their own grapes.

Grower Champagnes are treasured because they are limited and hard to find. People love to discover hidden gems! And that’s what Ashley is making right here in Sonoma County.

We had a conversation recently about her sparkling discoveries.

How I First Discovered Sparkling Wine

Vicky

I know you love Champagne and sparkling wines. I’m curious to know what first drew you to sparkling.

Ashley

I actually really didn't like sparkling wine at first. My parents are the ones who introduced me to wine, and they didn't drink a lot of sparkling wine. My only exposure was to really bad sparkling!

I didn't know what was possible in the world of sparkling. I don't know what the exact catalyst or the exact wine was, but I think it was a Champagne and I realized how complex it could be. It can be toasty and yeasty, fruit driven and acidic. It can be so many things all in one glass and I just loved it.

Vicky

So, the first time you finally had a good sparkling wine, you fell in love?

Ashley

The very first time! Before that I thought very sweet sparkling wines were the only things that were available.  Even when I was a child, I did not have a sweet tooth. I had an aversion to sugar. The only thing I knew was sparkling wine is sweet. And it's gross. It's not good wine.

“The only thing I knew was sparkling wine is sweet. And it's gross. It's not good wine.”
 

And then discovering that there was this whole other world, was so exciting. I realized there’s so much to learn about sparkling wine and so many wines to try. And there are so many different varietals you can use to make it.

Making My First Grower Sparkling Wine

Vicky

Clearly you developed a fascination with trying sparkling wines but when you joined us in as our winemaker in 2011, you had not yet made a sparkling wine. Did you even know we made a sparkling wine?

Ashley Herzberg Performing a Sabrage on a Bottle of Sparkling Wine

Ashley

Yes, because Mike (co-founder of Amista) had given me a couple bottles of your Sparkling Syrah as a Christmas gift. I assumed it was going to be sweet. I said to myself, “I’m not drinking that.”  Many months later I pulled it out for my girlfriends, and they loved it. I had my first taste and was so excited.

Then two years passed between me tasting your sparkling before I came to you and said I wanted to work with you as your winemaker. In that time, I had already begun my exploration of sparkling wines and realized how much I loved them.

“The challenge and excitement of making a sparkling wine was enticing.”
 

I wanted to work with you because I had familiarity with your still wines. But the challenge and excitement of making a sparkling wine was enticing.

Lessons I Learned About Making Sparkling Wine

Vicky

Aside from being a lover of sparkling, I know you are also a lover of learning. What would you say are your biggest lessons learned about making sparkling wine?

Ashley

When I made that first sparkling wine, I knew how to pick for still wines, but I was so worried about when to pick for sparkling wines. How do you maintain the acidity and not have too high a sugar level? Penny (Gadd-Coster, consulting winemaker) at Rack and Riddle said, “you just still pick for flavors. You're shifting what you're looking for in those flavors. But you're still picking for flavors.” And I was like, oh, OK, I know how to do that!

Vicky

OK, so learning how to pick the grapes for sparkling wine was a big lesson learned. What else?

Ashley

Since I was starting from scratch on making sparkling wine, I didn't have any base of knowledge, so everything was something new to be learned. Penny was very important, especially that first year.

She was a ball of wisdom. Little things would come up in conversation. Penny had this very chill attitude about it, the way I had come to feel about making still wines. What I learned is that it’s just winemaking.

People say, ‘I’ve never made sparkling, and I wouldn’t know where to start. It’s so different than making still wine.”  But it’s not. If you know how to make wine, you can make sparkling wine. Yes, there are some different processes for sparkling, but it is basically just the same as making still wines. That was really helpful to learn - you're just making wine.

Visit Amista for a Taste of Wine and a Taste of Nature

Our little town of Healdsburg takes center stage in this article that curates a perfect Sonoma wine country getaway. And Amista is one of the recommended wineries to visit for not only a taste of wine, but also a taste of nature.

Venture Out to Taste Among the Vines

Writer Jessie Beck says, “To sample the area’s best vintages, it’s absolutely worth venturing out to the wineries for a tasting among the vines.” The articles feature wineries that pair wine with nature including, Amista Vineyards that offers “wine and hike tours.”

Healdsburg – Special Place for Visitors and Locals

Healdsburg has become a destination for well-heeled travelers. “Right now, one of the most exciting towns to stay in is Healdsburg, which is experiencing a spate of openings and remodels,” explains the article. At the same time, Healdsburg remains a charming hometown where, as locals, we enjoy the same activities described by the author.

We agree with the writer’s advice, “Even if you have been to Healdsburg before, go again. Though many old favorites remain, much is changing in this small NorCal town. Use this guide to navigate it all—from where to stay and things to do to what to eat and drink in this corner of Sonoma wine country.”

We Love Sharing Healdsburg with You!

We are blessed to call this our home and love to share it with you. We are especially proud of our Vineyard Adventure Walk, which was developed in partnership with the Sonoma County Winegrowers. You can enjoy a self-guided stroll around our vineyard and see the grapes we grow, view our 200-year-old heritage oak and learn about the Habitat Restoration Project designed to restore the habitat for the Coho salmon and Steelhead trout that run in Dry Creek.

Read “Your Perfect Weekend Getaway in Sonoma Wine Country” by Jessie Beck in AFAR Magazine.

We invite you to experience Healdsburg, enjoy our Vineyard Adventure Walk and explore our estate grown sparkling and Rhône wines. Come Taste with Us!

 

Why We Love Healdsburg

Photo by Craig Outhier

Phoenix Magazine just published an article called “Healdsburg Wine Tour”, and we were excited to be among the wineries they showcased. The article says, “Amista Vineyards, known for its sparkling wines, the winery has a comfortable patio with scenic views of its 20-acre vineyard and Mount St. Helena. We enjoy getting a tongues-on primer in the art of making bubbly while noshing on the winery’s excellent charcuterie board, much of it derived from the on-site farm and garden.” The article reminded us how much we adore our little town of Healdsburg and how much fun it is to share it with visitors.

 

Healdsburg on Many Best Small Towns in America Lists

When we first started visiting Healdsburg in the 1983, it was a sleepy small town with wineries in the surrounding countryside and a couple of great restaurants. Since then, it has been discovered and is now a popular destination. It has remained small and charming but can no longer be described as sleepy. On most days, the downtown is bustling with people checking out the shops around the town square or sitting on a park bench under the trees overlooking the fountain.

We now have many more great places to dine, and the town is packed with art galleries, boutiques and unique tasting rooms. The article describes all our favorites and goes on to say, “And for a town of 11,000, it boasts one of the densest hospitality biomes you’ll find in California, which explains all those best-small-town accolades. It’s quaint and seasoned, but unmistakably upscale.”

 

Just Outside Healdsburg - Wine Tasting in Dry Creek Valley

“Still, the thing I love best about the Sonoma County town is leaving it – or more precisely, hopping on a bike and gliding around the rolling, winery-encrusted foothills just a few miles up the road,” the writer declares.

Agreed! There are more wineries in Dry Creek Valley than there were when we first visited, including Amista Vineyards! The idea of starting a winery wasn’t even in the back of our minds in 1983 when we first saw Healdsburg while visiting from our home state of Colorado. It was nearly two decades and a trek from one coast to the other (Colorado to Silicon Valley to New Jersey to Nevada) before we moved to Healdsburg in 2002. We launched Amista in 2004.

Our little cottage, that we think was first built around 1918, is surrounded by vineyards. I never get tired of waking up to the vines outside our bedroom window. It is a pleasure to walk the vineyard each day with our two Shelties, Dylan and Torin, and pop into our tasting room to meet our guests. We’re in the heart of the bucolic countryside and yet only five miles from our adopted hometown of Healdsburg.

If you visit Healdsburg, we invite you to Taste with Us at Amista Vineyards in the heart of Dry Creek Valley. We specialize in estate grown, Methode Champenoise sparkling wines and Rhône varieties. Soak up our gorgeous vineyard and valley views and experience a friendly Amista welcome (Amista means “making friends” in Spanish).

Read more in “Healdsburg Wine Tour”, by Craig Outhier for Phoenix Magazine.

Chardonnay Four Ways from Amista Vineyards

Including the First Sparkling Blanc de Blanc from  Dry Creek Valley!

…and we didn’t think we liked Chardonnay!

 

We have always grown Chardonnay grapes on our estate Morningsong Vineyards, and we have come to love creating new wines from it. Today we offer four ways to enjoy Chardonnay and another coming in 2024 for our 20th anniversary.

Amista Vineyards Chardonnay Collection

Amista Chardonnay

• 100% chardonnay
• Harvested every year since 2004

Amista Sparkling Blanc de Blanc

• 100% Chardonnay
• Methode Champenoise
• Harvested every year since 2011

Amista Sparkling Fusión

• A blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% red Rhône grapes - Syrah, Grenache or Mourvèdre
• Methode Champenoise
• Harvested every year since 2013

Amista Cristalina Chardonnay

• 100% chardonnay
• Fermented in a concrete egg imported from France
• From the Chardonnay Clone 4 block
• Harvested first in 2021

A New Sparkling Chardonnay Coming Soon!

On August 17, 2022, winemaker Ashley harvested Chardonnay from the "Lemonade Block" to make a special sparkling wine – yet to be named. We will release it in 2024 to celebrate Amista’s 20th anniversary.

Chardonnay in Dry Creek Valley

We found our Dry Creek Vineyard in 1999 – on the internet! We were living in New Jersey at the time and my husband Mike was yearning to return to California where he had made his first wine in our garage. We have always loved the town of Healdsburg and the Dry Creek Valley, which we first discovered when we visited from our home state of Colorado back in 1983. So, finding a vineyard here was a dream come true.

Our love affair with Sonoma County and Healdsburg continued after we moved from Colorado to Silicon Valley. Perhaps our frequent visits were what inspired Mike to plant a backyard vineyard on a hillside at our home in Saratoga, California, and then to try his hand at making wine in our garage. Back then, making wine and growing grapes were brand new hobbies for Mike.

But the hobbies were cut short when I got a job offer in New Jersey. We never saw our vineyard produce grapes because the vines were only a year old when we left. Fortunately, the wine Mike made in the garage was in a barrel that we took with us to New Jersey and aged in our basement. After a few years, the Cabernet Sauvignon was ready to drink. We shared it with friends who declared it to be delicious and Mike’s secret dream of becoming a winemaker was fortified.

That is what prompted him to start looking for properties near Healdsburg and led us to this beautiful 28-acre vineyard located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley. At that time, the entire vineyard was planted in Chardonnay. Over the years, we have replanted every vine and replaced some of the Chardonnay with Rhône varieties.

Why Chardonnay?

Ironically, we didn’t even make Chardonnay during our inaugural year in 2003 because it wasn’t one of our favorites, even though over half the vineyard was planted in Chardonnay at that time. We were persuaded to make our first Chardonnay in 2004 by two of our club members and we have made it ever since. We decided to make an unoaked Chardonnay (fermented in neutral oak barrels) which was unusual for California Chardonnays of that era. We much preferred it to the big oaky Chardonnays and we’ve continued to make it in that style throughout the years.

Chardonnay – Making it Sparkle!

We made our first sparkling wine in 2008 from our estate Syrah grapes and it quickly became a cult favorite. When our winemaker, Ashley Herzberg, joined us in 2011, the two of us immediately conspired to make a Blanc de Blanc from our Chardonnay because we both adore sparkling wines.

I am especially delighted that we started making it because Blanc de Blanc has become my “go-to” wine! A glass of “Blanc” marks the end of my workday and a time to throw frisbees for the dogs as we sit on the deck and enjoy looking out over our Chardonnay vines. Often, we enjoy the Blanc de Blanc with our entire meal.

Fusión - Our First Sparkling Blend

It didn’t take long for Ashley to add more sparkling wines to our collection. Every wine we made during our early years was from a single variety (except Ilusión, a port-style dessert wine, but that’s a story for another time).  Although making single varietal wines requires skill and has its own set of challenges due to the vagaries of weather and water with each vintage, winemakers love to do blends.

So, it was no surprise that Ashley wanted to make a sparkling blend and created a wine we call Fusión, made from Chardonnay with a kiss of Grenache and a bit of either Syrah or Mourvèdre.

Cristalina from a Concrete Egg

I have also fallen in love with Cristalina, our newest Chardonnay, fermented in a concrete “egg”. The idea of making a second Chardonnay emerged in a conversation about how we could use more of our estate fruit in our Amista wines. Winemaker Ashley threw out the idea of fermenting a Chardonnay in concrete, which sounded intriguing.

She went off to research concrete fermentation vessels and came back with a proposal to acquire a concrete egg. She knew exactly the one she wanted, called an “Oeuf de Beaune”, a concrete fermenter in the shape of an egg imported from France.

Ashley describes how the egg shape creates a natural circulating effect while the grape juice is fermenting on the yeast and exposes the wine both to air at the top of the vessel and to the concrete, which heightens the sense of minerality that is naturally present in the wine from our rocky vineyard soil.

Want to learn more about "the egg" and its affect on the wine? Check out  the "Concrete Egg" video from Ashley. 

Come Taste With Us and discover Chardonnay Four Ways from grapes harvested in our Morningsong estate vineyards, or treat yourself to our Rhône reds and sparkling wines.

What is Blanc de Blancs?

A Sparkling White Wine Made from White Grapes

…typically, Chardonnay

 

First, I must confess that our Amista Blanc de Blanc is the bubbly I drink most often. It marks the end of my workday and the beginning of the evening. I pour a glass and either head for the back deck where my husband Mike and I throw the frisbee for our dogs and gaze out over the Chardonnay vines, or as we prepare dinner. He does the entrée. I do the salad.

White from Whites

But I digress. Blanc de Blancs, translated from French, means literally “white from whites”. The term originated in the Champagne region of France where the wine is nearly always made from 100% Chardonnay grapes.  This contrasts with most Champagne that is a blend of three grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

How Does a Blanc de Blancs Taste?

Typically, a Blanc de Blancs from Champagne will be crisp and clean with a lively acidity and a touch of minerality, and in some cases a yeasty component developed during fermentation. However, the taste varies widely depending on the specific location the grapes were grown, the winemaker's style, the dosage (small amount of sugar added to the finished wine), and the amount of time the wine spends on the lees (the yeast). Wines that spend more time on the lees will have more of the yeasty character.

Is Blanc de Blancs made only in Champagne?

Today, sparkling wines are made around the world in all countries where wine is made and that goes for Blanc de Blancs. You can find lovely examples from elsewhere in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, England, South Africa and of course, here in the U.S. I suppose technically, Blanc de Blancs could be made from any white grape, but they are almost always made from Chardonnay following the French tradition.

Is Blanc de Blanc Sweet?

It’s usually dry. Fine Blanc de Blancs from Champagne and elsewhere in the world are typically on the dryer side, designated as Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature. The sweetness is determined by the amount of dosage (a mixture of wine and sugar) that is added to the sparkling wine just before the cork and cage are put on the bottle.

There are several levels of sweetness designated for Champagne and sparkling wines as measured by the number of grams per liter of sugar added.

    Doux - more than 50 grams of sugar per liter

    Demi-sec - 32-50 grams of sugar per liter

    Sec - 17-32 grams of sugar per liter

    Extra dry - 12-17 grams of sugar per liter

    Brut - less than 12 grams of sugar per liter

    Extra brut - 0-6 grams of sugar per liter

    Brut nature – 0 – 3 grams of sugar per liter

Our Amista sparkling wines are typically Extra brut or Brut Nature. We have found that most of our customers (and I) like our sparkling wines dry.

What Foods Pair with Blanc de Blancs?

In my book, almost everything! There are some classic pairings that are always wonderful like briny oysters on the half shell, crab cakes, grilled sea bass, and sole picatta. It is also lovely with hard cheeses – I especially love aged Parmesan – or as a counterpoint to soft triple cream cheeses.

It goes equally well with comfort foods, especially fried foods like fried chicken, French fries and Fritto Misto. It's perfect with grilled chicken, garden salads and light pasta dishes like linguine with pesto or fettucine alfredo.

I recently heard of another comfort food pairing from a friend that I can't wait to try. He had it with creamy potato soup and crusty homemade bread. He said “This totally worked with a glass of Blanc de Blancs. The Blanc was refreshing and balanced the richness of the soup."

For something more casual, pour a glass and take it to the pool with a bag of potato chips and some crème fraîche for dipping and you'll be happy. We like to serve it in our tasting room with freshly popped popcorn with a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of lemon herb salt.

Karen MacNeil, author of the Wine Bible says, “Blanc de Blancs Champagne is the best wine ever for a hot summer night.” I agree with her, except I would not limit it to Blanc de Blancs made only in Champagne.

 

How Does Amista Blanc de Blanc Taste?

Our Amista Blanc de Blanc (you may notice we use the singular “Blanc” – don’t ask me why), is always crisp, refreshing and bright. Although we don’t vintage date it, we make it from a single vintage, so it varies a bit from year to year. It typically has lemony notes with green apple and sometimes the flavors of Asian pear.

If you want to discover for yourself, please Come Taste with Us. We have several sparkling wines made in the classic Méthode Champenoise, as well as a collection of estate grown Rhône wines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amista Uses Méthode Champenoise to Make Sparkling Wines

What is Méthode Champenoise?

 

What I’ve learned about it and what makes it special…

We made our first sparkling wine in 2008 and it’s been an amazing process of discovering how sparkling wine is made and how the process differs from making our reds, whites, and rosés. I always loved drinking sparkling wine, at least once I realized it could be dry and interesting and delicate. But I didn’t know how it got to be that way until we started making it ourselves. Today we make six estate grown sparkling wines!

What is Méthode Champenoise?

Méthode Champenoise or Méthode Traditionnelle is the process used to make French Champagne, as well as many other sparkling wines around the world. There are several methods for making sparkling wine and the method thought to produce the best sparkling wines is the traditional method.

In this method, the wine goes through a secondary fermentation in its own bottle. Unlike still wines that are fermented only once in tanks, barrels or other vessels, sparkling wines are fermented twice. The second fermentation is what makes the wine “sparkle”.

What is Secondary Fermentation in the Bottle?

After the initial fermentation, the sparkling wine is bottled with an additional mixture of sugar and yeast, called the liqueur de tirage. The sugar acts on the yeast producing carbon dioxide gas that is trapped in the bottle, thanks to a crown cap (like a bottle of beer). Quality sparkling wines are left on the yeast, or lees, for several months, sometimes years.

Does the Yeast Stay in the Bottle?

No, and this is another distinctive feature of the Méthode Champenoise. The reaction of the sugar and yeast produces carbon dioxide and dead yeast cells. The residual yeast cells are removed by a process called disgorgement.

What is Disgorgement?

I know, it isn’t exactly the most appealing word for such a beautiful wine. It sounds much better in the original French – dégorger. In disgorgement the dead yeast cells are propelled from the bottle when the crown cap is removed.

What is Riddling?

Prior to removal of the crown cap, the bottles are riddled, a process where the bottles are turned on their heads and slowly shifted each day until all the dead yeast cells are in the neck of the bottle. Then the neck is frozen creating an icy plug of the residual cells. When the crown cap is removed, the plug is forced from the bottle by the pressure of the carbon dioxide in the wine. It’s quite an ingenious process.

The process can be done by hand by experienced “riddlers” with the bottles resting with the tops down in riddling racks. It’s more common today to accomplish riddling in huge cages that gently shake the wines on a daily schedule. Disgorgement can also be done by hand but is much faster and safer to do by machine. It’s fascinating to watch - providing you have on a pair of safety glasses and are standing behind the safety glass!

Why is Méthode Champenoise Preferred?

Fermenting the wines in their own bottle is what produces the fine bubbles that are coveted in the best Champagnes and sparkling wines. There are other methods of producing sparkling wines that are faster and less expensive, but do not produce the delicate bubbles and more complex flavors of a fine sparkling wine.

Want to treat yourself to our bubbles? Come Taste with Us! In addition to our collection of estate grown sparkling wines we also have a wonderful lineup of Rhône reds. 

Amista Sparkling Syrah - One of the Best 2022 Rosé Wines

When the JetSettingFashionista picks you as one of the “The Best 2022 Rosé Wines I’m Loving”, you know you’ve arrived! She describes our Amista Sparkling Syrah as “aromas of freshly picked raspberry and orange blossom leave the perfect bright taste on the palette.”

We call is simply, “Joy in a Bottle!"

It Started as a Class Project

We first made our Sparkling Syrah in 2008 and it’s been a cult favorite ever since. Other than our club members and frequent visitors, it is still a best kept secret. That was the bubbly that launched us on our journey into sparkling. It started out as a class project at Santa Rosa Junior College, and it was so good and so beautiful in the bottle we decided we had to make it.

Six Estate Grown Sparkling Wines

We now make six different sparkling wines, all from grapes grown on our estate vineyards, and all using the traditional Methode Champenoise. The post says, “Amista Vineyards produces some of the best rosé wines right here in Healdsburg, California.” We are honored to be on the list!

Our other sparkling wines include Blanc de Blanc, Sparkling Grenache, Sparkling Mataró, Fusión (a blend of Chardonnay, Grenache and Mourvèdre), and our newly debuted Sparkling Tres (a GSM rosé blend). We love bubbles and we are the only winery in Dry Creek Valley with an all-sparkling wine club.

Plus Limited Edition Rosés

In addition to our sparkling rosés, we also have two limited edition still rosé wines this year, a Rosé of Grenache and a Rosé de Tres, a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. We made only 68 precious cases of each.

Rosés with Food

We love to have a chilled rosé with our favorite summer meal, linguine con pesto (made with basil, fresh from the winemaker’s garden) topped with wedges of just picked tomatoes. Now that is summer!

The Sparkling Syrah can stand up to heartier flavors, including spicy foods. It’s wonderful with sushi and spicy Chinese or Thai dishes. We even love it with taco salad, which is another of our easy summer weeknight meals. And did we mention the holidays? It not only goes with all the dishes on the holiday table, but it adds a festive pop of color and refreshing brightness to any occasion.

We invite you to Come Taste With Us and get in on the secret of our Sparkling Syrah, along with our other sparkling wines and red Rhône wines.

Check out “The Best 2022 Rosé Wines I’m Loving” to see all the delightful rosés on the list.

Dog Friendly Wineries Near Healdsburg - Amista Vineyards

Two Kinds of Dog Lovers for Wine Tasting

We have two kinds of dog lovers at Amista. Which one are you?

The first lives a car ride away, loves wine, wants to explore new wineries, or return to their favorites, loves their dog, and hates to leave him or her at home…so they bring them along. They are welcome at Amista!

The second comes from afar, loves wine, wants to explore new wineries, or return to their favorites, loves their dog, and hates to leave them at home, but couldn’t bring them and misses them terribly. They are welcome at Amista!

For the dogs we offer fresh water – current vintage – and doggie treats. For the humans who miss thier dogs, we offer ours for petting and loving, when we visit the tasting room on our daily walk.

 

Dog Friendly Wineries in Sonoma County

If you’re visiting Sonoma wine country, you’re in luck. There are several wineries that are dog friendly. Amista was featured along with our dog friendly neighbors in “18 Best Dog-Friendly Wineries in Sonoma County” in Sonoma Magazine.

 

Amista Dogs Dylan and Torin

Our dogs, Dylan and Torin (both Shetland Sheepdogs or Shelties for short), love to visit our tasting room on their daily walks. They especially love to meet other dogs. Once they’ve made the rounds of the visiting canines, they greet the human guests. We can always tell when people are missing their dogs at home because they are eager to say hello to our pups.

“Several Sonoma County wineries are now welcoming visitors to pair vino with Fido in ways which both dog-owners and dogs can appreciate: fine wine and artisan bites for “Mommy” and “Daddy,” and treats, vineyard sprints and bowls of water for the beloved pooch,” the article goes on to say.

 

Vineyard Adventure Walk – for Dogs and Their Humans

Our self-guided vineyard tour is another attraction that is perfect for dogs and their owners. You can breathe the fresh air as you explore our vineyards on a self-guided Vineyard Adventure Walk, created in partnership with the Sonoma County Winegrowers. See the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Chardonnay varieties we grow, learn about the wines we make from them and discover our backwater pond that is part of the Habitat Enhancement Project designed to restore the natural fish habitat in Dry Creek. The complimentary walk is approximately one-half mile on flat terrain. Dogs on a leash and children are welcome.

 

Discover Estate Grown Sparkling and Rhône Wines

“After taking a self-guided tour of the property with your dog, taste Amista's sparkling and still wines on the patio,” says the writer. We are the only winery in Healdsburg to offer a selection of sparkling Rhône wines as well as a Blanc de Blanc made from our Chardonnay grapes. If red is more your style, order our Taste of Amista flight and enjoy a selection of our Rhône reds, Dry Creek Zinfandel or Rockpile Cabernet.

 

Friendly Vibe, Gorgeous Views

Amista means “making friends” in Spanish and you can be assured of a warm welcome and a friendly experience. Sit on our solar covered patio surrounded by our estate vineyards and gaze out at the gorgeous Dry Creek Valley hillsides.

If you’re planning a visit to Sonoma, with or without your dog, come Taste With Us at Amista Vineyards, Healdsburg, California in the heart of Dry Creek Valley.

Check out 18 Dog Friendly Wineries in Sonoma County in Sonoma Magazine.