News from Amista Vineyards
Savoring Sonoma at Amista Vineyards
"...Anyone who knows me or follows me on Twitter knows how deep my love for Sonoma runs. It is my favorite vacation spot and somewhere I hope to live someday. The people are some of the most real, caring, down-to-Earth that I have met anywhere in my travels around the US, and the landscapes are some of the most uniquely exquisite ones ever. " writes Christopher Browke.
Sensual Sparkling Red at Amista Vineyards
"Amista just reminds me of a classy, yet down-to-Earth family picnic. Their grounds are charmingly rustic with your arrival being marked by the iconic yellow umbrella."
Image, Christopher Browke
Read more about "Savoring Sonoma"
Nov 6, 2019 at 1:59 PM
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Amista Ilusión - Sweet Wine for People Who Don't Think They Like Sweet Wines
"Just don’t call them dessert wines. While many of them are delicious with dessert, they are often just as transcendent with savory dishes. Foie gras with Sauternes, stilton with Port—there’s a reason that these are among the most classic food and wine pairings you’ll ever experience," writes Brian Freedman in Food and Wine.
He describes our Amista Ilusión from Dry Creek Valley as "A complex blend of Zinfandel and Syrah, it has aromas of sweet cigar tobacco, dried blueberries, and cedar, and a concentrated palate that carries flavors of black cherries, baker’s chocolate, and Chinese five-spice powder."
Read "10 Sweet Wines for People Who Don't Think They Like Sweet Wine" in Food and Wine.
Oct 18, 2019 at 7:55 AM
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7 Hot Tips for Stomping Grapes
If This is on Your Bucket List
I'll let you in on what I learned about stomping grapes from Amista winemaker Ashley Herzberg.
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They’re COLD! We harvest our grapes in the early morning hours for two reasons. One, it’s easier for the workers before the temperatures rise during the day. Two, it’s better to bring the grapes in when they’re cold to control the sugar levels and avoid oxidation. It’s not so comfy for the stomper and my feet got a bit numb.
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They hurt your feet. You’re stomping on whole clusters of grapes - stems included - not just the berries. The good news is that after a few minutes, your feet quit hurting because they’re numb!
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You don’t really stomp. In fact, our winemaker calls it “foot treading” not grape stomping. The idea is to gently tread on the grapes to extract the color. Plus, the pressure of human force is gentle enough so that the seeds won't break which creates bitterness in the wine.
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It’s hard to keep your balance. The clusters are lumpy and as you tread first one foot then the other sinks into the juice.
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It’s hard work! In fact, it’s a great cardio workout.
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It’s sticky. You’ll want to turn the hose on your feet and legs when you finish just like you did – hopefully - before you started.
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It’s fun! It’s also rewarding to use a traditional, natural technique to kick off the fermentation process.
Oct 7, 2019 at 12:50 PM
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Amista - 30 days, 30 Wineries
"What is my dream? To be knee-deep in wine country. To experience life with those who live it every day, and to be around that community because it brings me such joy, happiness and the opportunity to constantly learn." writes Becky Creighton.
"Sparkling wine out of zinfandel country? No, it’s not white zinfandel. Not even close. Let me introduce you to Amista Vineyards. A lovely, no appointment necessary, small vineyard and winery. " adds Becky about her visit to Amista.
Image, Becky Creighton
Read more about "30 Days, 30 Wineries"
Sep 11, 2019 at 3:52 PM
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Experiencing the Wonders of Harvest Season at Amista and Sonoma County
"Armed with gloves, shears, and a rectangular plastic basket, I was hunched over a row of vines, removing bunches of fruit. Nervous about mangling the grapes, I worked slowly, eventually falling into a rhythm. Before long a peaceful feeling began to descend as I stood in the dirt." writes Mai Pham in the Houstonian Magazine.
"I listened intently as winemaker Ashley Herzberg, in a soft voice that belied the fact that she’s one of the area’s top winemakers, talked about making the pink sparkling grenache that she’d poured us," adds Pham about her visit to Amista.
Image, Sonoma County Tourism
Read more about "The Wonders of Harvest Season in Sonoma County"
Sep 3, 2019 at 9:04 AM
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How Do You Find a Female Winemaker?
She Found Us!
…and spearheaded our journey into sparkling wines.
I’ll never forget the day (December 2, 2010) when Ashley said, “I would like to be your winemaker.” I was honored and thrilled to hear her question and knew my husband Mike would feel the same. We had been working with Ashley in her role as assistant winemaker for several years at the winery where we custom crush our grapes. Custom crush refers to making wine in a facility with equipment and resources provided by the facility under the direction of your own winemaker. It’s a great way to make wine without the overhead and capital investment of a dedicated winery.
Ashley had decided to strike out on her own and become a consulting winemaker so she would have more flexibility to start a family. She identified us as potential clients because she liked the quality of our fruit, both from our own estate and that purchased from our Dry Creek Valley neighbors, and she enjoyed working with us – go figure! We didn’t hesitate to say “Yes” because we felt the same way about her.
Little did we know that when Ashley joined us, we wouldn’t just get an amazing female winemaker, we would also get two delightful children in training. From the time her kids were very little we would see her walking our vineyards holding one by the hand with the other in a baby sling. They have grown up in the vineyards and have become experts in knowing when to pick. Ashley brings her talent and unbridled enthusiasm to everything she does, from leading our shift in focus to Rhône varietals and sparkling wines, to being an incredible mother, gardener, and friend.
Sep 2, 2019 at 2:14 PM
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On the Sparkling Wine Trail in Sonoma
Laura Sutherland showcases sparkling wineries in Sonoma, including Amista, and makes some fascinating points about the state of Sonoma sparkling in her article in Taste & Travel Magazine.
Here are her five key themes and my two cents from the perspective of an owner of the 1st sparkling winery in Healdsburg, California.
Point #1. California is Heir to the French Champagne Throne
“If Champagne, France is the king of bubbly, then California is next in line to the throne, with dazzling sparkling wines being produced throughout the state,” proclaims Laura. I agree that dazzling sparkling wines are being produced these days in California, primarily in Napa and Sonoma.
However, with a head start of centuries and Champagne’s iconic brand, I’m not sure the heir will ever ascend to the throne – at least not in my lifetime. I say that because the brand “Champagne” is akin to Coke, which is used to refer to any cola beverage, like Champagne is often used to refer to any sparkling wine.
Champagne will probably remain the king from a recognition point of view, but many California sparkling wines are of equal quality and elegance when compared with the Champagnes of France.
Point #2. Sonoma is Perfect for Growing Champagne’s Key Varietals
Although I admit to being biased, I love that the focus of the article is on Sonoma, our home in wine country. Amista Vineyards is in the heart of Sonoma in the countryside outside the charming town of Healdsburg.
Laura goes on to say, “since Sonoma sits closer to the ocean, it benefits from foggier mornings, cool misty nights and occasional sea breezes — the perfect climate for growing pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, true champagne’s key varietals.”
Chardonnay and pinot noir are the classic varieties used to make Champagne and the same varieties used by the early sparkling wineries in California. They were established by iconic French Champagne houses like Louis Roederer and Moet & Chandon, which began investing in California in the 1960s and 1970s, and they all followed the French tradition.
Point #3. Sonoma Wineries Turning out Bubbly on a Level with French Relatives
“Sonoma has boasted excellent sparkling wine producers for decades, like Iron Horse and Gloria Ferrer, but recently, more and more Sonoma wineries are turning out bubbly on a level with their French relatives,” Laura declares. I must admit, this make me happy!
We love making sparkling wines. In fact, our winemaker Ashley Herzberg and I say, “we make bubbles for ourselves and we’re happy to share them.” And we love enjoying our own wines, but it’s especially gratifying to hear that Amista and our neighboring sparkling wine houses are seen as making quality wines on par with the icons of French Champagne.
Point #4. California Winemakers Have More Creative Freedom
Agreed. And for that I am thankful. Champagne is special because of the clear restrictions on the varieties of grapes that can be used and the number of years a wine must be aged to be designated a vintage wine, among other things.
On the other hand, in this country, we have the freedom to experiment with different varieties and aging protocols, which allows us to craft unique sparkling wines.
At Amista we are on a mission to make brilliant sparkling wines from our estate grown Rhône varieties like Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, although we give a nod to tradition and make a Blanc de Blanc from the Chardonnay that we grow in our estate vineyards. We love to experiment and try new varieties and blends.
Laura agrees, saying, “Pushing the envelope of what makes a great sparkling wine is one of Amista’s signatures.” This month we released the newest in our collection of sparkling wines, Sparkling Tres. It is a sparkling rosé made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. We make a red GSM blend, so it was inevitable that a Sparkling Tres was something we had to try.
Our Sparkling Tres turned out to be a beautiful wine, in the glass and on the palate with red berry notes coupled with slivered almonds and short bread cookies. It sounds like dessert but like all our sparkling wines, it is dry with a dosage of 4g/L, which is considered Extra Brut.
Point #5. Most California Wine Made in Traditional Methode Champenoise
Although we use non-traditional grapes, all our sparkling wines are made using the traditional method for making fine French Champagne. The grapes are picked at a lower brix level (sugar content) and the wine goes through a second fermentation in its own bottle.
There are other less expensive and time-consuming ways to produce bubbles, but we remain committed to the traditional process because it delivers the highest quality sparkling wine.
Check out “On the Sparkling Wine Trail in Sonoma” by Laura Sutherland in Taste & Travel Magazine for a superb list of sparkling houses to visit in Sonoma wine country.
We hope you will put Amista Vineyards on the top of your list and Taste with Us on your exploration of Sonoma sparkling wines.
Sep 1, 2019 at 4:00 PM
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How Does Amista Make Sparkling Wine?
Do you know how sparkling wine is made? Our friends at the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley created a brief and informative explanation. Best of all, they featured a beautiful photo of our Blanc de Blanc!
Check out their Intro to Sparkling Wine in the Dry Creek Valley blog.
Aug 21, 2019 at 12:46 PM
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Sustainability in Action at Amista
"The artisan, family-owned winery and beautiful, estate vineyards of Amista Vineyards showcase the gorgeous grapes of Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley. Set off on a self-guided Vineyard Adventure Walk and you’ll learn more about grapes behind the award-winning wines and the extra care Amista dedicates to preserving its enveloping natural beauty, including efforts to restore the natural fish habitat in the onsite Dry Creek," wrties Amy Bizzari in Upscale Living Magazine.
Find out more about Sustainabilty in Action at Amista Vineyards and neighboring wineries.
Aug 10, 2019 at 2:16 PM
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5 Fabulous Pairings with Sparkling Syrah
I’ve had such fun learning to pair wine and food
Impress your friends with these great pairings!
Our Sparkling Syrah is a Rosé. I call it “joy in a bottle” because its shimmering cranberry color makes it festive. When we first launched Amista Vineyards, the only thing I knew about pairings was that Cab was good with steak. Then we started making Sparkling Syrah! You might be surprised how versatile this wine is and how much fun it is to try it with a wide variety of foods. Here are five of our favorites.
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Thanksgiving. There are so many assorted flavors on the Thanksgiving table, it’s hard to find a wine that works. Enter Sparkling Syrah! Because it spends several hours on the skins, it has added heft that enables it to work with the bigger flavors of roast turkey and stuffing. At the same time, its fruit characteristics pair well with the cranberries and sweet potatoes. The bubbles cleanse the palate and the wine’s effervescence is a welcome counterpoint to the richness of the Thanksgiving feast. Added bonus – the brilliant color turns any meal into a celebration.But don't take my word for it. It comes highly recommended by the Jetsetting Fashionista.
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Taco Salad. This is a casual summer meal for us. The combination of spicy taco meat coupled with garden fresh lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro makes this a challenging pairing. Sparkling Syrah comes to the rescue. Plus, it is so refreshing on a warm summer evening.
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Cranberry Brie Phyllo Cups. This is a delicious and beautiful appetizer that is spectacular with Sparkling Syrah. The tartness of the cranberries, the creamy brie, and the crunchy phyllo cup come together with the Sparkling Syrah and everything pops! This easy appetizer is sure to impress your friends.
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Hot and Spicy Baked Crab is a favorite of our winemaker, Ashley Herzberg. It has long been a tradition on Christmas Eve and serving it with our Sparkling Syrah has become her family’s new tradition. In fact, Sparkling Syrah is a fabulous choice with all kinds of spicy cuisines, like Thai, Szechuan, and Indian dishes.
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Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis. We served this at one of our annual Sparkling Holiday Soirees and it was a homerun! The Sparkling Syrah was dazzling with the tart, sweetness of the raspberry coulis and the silky panna cotta.
Have fun pairing this unusual bubbly with your favorite dishes. I’d love to hear what you discover.
Why A Blog?
As a woman winery owner, I have been asked lots of questions about what it’s like to be in the wine business and live the wine country life after spending decades in the corporate world. Here are my stories about the wonderful world of sparkling wines – which I love – and owning a vineyard in Dry Creek Valley. I am grateful I get to live near the charming town of Healdsburg, California, in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country. As with any endeavor, there are glorious moments and difficult moments. For me, each of them brings new discoveries and learning, which is why I call them “sparkling moments”.
About Me
I started with an education in psychology - pretty much useless for getting a job - which led me to explore breakthrough leadership and a career as an executive in several global corporations. Following my corporate career, I became an executive coach helping CEOs and their teams build the leadership skills they need to achieve top performance.
Getting into the wine business wasn’t exactly a plan. As I look back, I believe it was a dream that my husband Mike and I didn’t know we had and didn’t know we shared. When we started out together, we never knew we'd end up living in Sonoma's beautiful Dry Creek Valley surrounded by our own vineyards. From planting our first vineyard in Silicon Valley, to tasting our first “garage-made” wine out of the barrel with friends in our basement in New Jersey, to eventually moving to this beautiful property in the Dry Creek Valley, the creation of our winery, Amista Vineyards, unfolded over many years and in several locations.
Owning a winery has catapulted me into a leadership role that is both challenging and exhilarating. I love crafting our business strategy, meeting our guests, and nurturing the growth and development of our team. I also love living the wine country life – farm fresh foods, beautiful wines, good friends – all in a stunning setting surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills.
About Amista Vineyards
We are dedicated to crafting distinctive wines that inspire you to celebrate the special moments in life and experience the friendly spirit of wine country living. We are proud to produce the best sparkling wine and Rhône varietals in Sonoma wine country, the perfect collection of wines for making everyday moments special and special moments extraordinary.
We are Michael and Vicky Farrow, co-founders of Amista Vineyards. Since we released our first wine in 2005, our goal has been to provide an exceptional wine country experience of Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. It is a dream come true to live in this special place and we’re excited to share it with you. We will remain small, and family operated, offering our wines through a personal connection with each guest, whether in person or on-line.
We are local. Our grapes come from our estate vineyards just outside the charming town of Healdsburg, California, and from our neighbors in Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile. We want to be able to walk the vineyards, taste the fruit and have a personal relationship with the people who grow our grapes.
We are sustainable. In August of 2018, our estate Morningsong Vineyards became Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. This certification is only one part of our commitment to our land and people. We were part of project to restore the incredible beauty of Dry Creek and at the same time recreate a vibrant habitat for endangered Steelhead trout and Coho salmon. We built our tasting room with energy efficient insulated concrete forms (ICF's) and constructed a solar structure that powers the tasting room and vineyard irrigation. We believe a vital part of our business is to provide extraordinary learning experiences to people on our team who aspire to be leaders and innovators in the wine business and to impact others in lasting and significant ways.
We are friendly. Amista, loosely translated, means making friends in Spanish and we want your experience to be welcoming, engaging and fun. If you visit us in person, you can look forward to a friendly welcome in a beautiful setting surrounded by vineyards. We are also known as the best dog friendly winery in Healdsburg, California.
Aug 5, 2019 at 2:29 PM
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