What is the Best Amista Wine?

How We Fell in Love with Red Rhône Wines

…but why stop at red when you can make sparkling?

The first wine we made from our Healdsburg property was a Rhône variety, namely Syrah. We had just moved to Healdsburg and the Syrah vineyard we planted was only two years old. We’re not really sure why we planted Syrah except it was supposed to be an up-and-coming variety. That was just before the movie Sideways made Pinot Noir famous. Syrah was relegated to the wings while Pinot Noir took over the starring role in the California red wine show.

Garage Syrah

But I digress. Traditionally, the grapes of a two year old vineyard would be dropped on the ground to allow the roots to take hold without the burden of producing a crop. But husband Mike had other ideas. After having made his first wine almost 10 years earlier in our Silicon Valley California home - before our detour to New Jersey and Nevada - he was eager to make wine again. In 2002, he harvested three tons from the young Syrah vines and made wine in our garage with the help of neighbors, family and friends from Munich and Denver. We called it “Garage Syrah”.

The Launch of Amista

This was the wine that seduced us into starting Amista. The Garage Syrah was a hobby wine, made only for personal consumption. But every time we invited friends to come taste from the barrel, they loved the wine and wanted to know if they could buy some once it was bottled. Our friends eventually talked us into making wine for sale and Amista Vineyards was born in 2004.

Even though Syrah has not (yet) become “the hot variety”, we have fallen in love with it. So have our guests and members. We use it in many of our wines and it was the “gateway” grape that got us into Rhône varieties.

We Want More Rhônes!

In 2011 we decided to replace some of the Syrah vines. We were anxious to experiment with other Rhône varieties. Rather than rip out the 11-year-old vines, we used a technique called T-budding, where a T-shaped cut is made and a bud from the new variety is placed in the graft. We grafted about an acre each to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Another advantage of grafting is that you don’t have to wait four years for the vineyards to produce a crop. By the harvest of 2012, the new vines were producing a small amount of fruit and we made our first Grenache and a blend we call Tres, composed of all three of our Rhône grape varieties, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

Debut of Our First Rhône Blend

Tres was an instant hit and became Mike’s new favorite. It was the first blend we made on purpose (our dessert style wine was technically our first blend, but it started out as a Zinfandel that would never go dry – a story for another day). A major impetus for doing a blend was winemaker Ashley Herzberg, who had joined us in 2011. Our wines had always been single varietal from a single vineyard. That was what we did. But winemakers love to do blends and Ashley patiently talked us into making a GSM-style blend (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre). Mike was prepared not to like it and it is now his go-to wine.

The Amista Wine Lineup – Focus on Rhônes

We now make four red wines from our estate-grown Rhône grapes: a Syrah, a Grenache and a Mourvèdre, plus Tres, our Rhône-style blend. In addition, we make two Rosés from our Rhônes: Rosé de Tres and Rosé of Grenache.

Why Stop at Red When You Can Make Sparkling?

Becoming the first sparkling winery in Healdsburg wasn’t part of our plan, although to be honest, in those days we didn’t really have a plan. It all started when we made our first sparkling wine in 2008, just five years after our first Amista harvest in 2003. Once again, Syrah was the star of our show.

Our first Rosé was made from Syrah and had become a big hit. In 2007, Chris (our consulting winemaker at the time) asked if he could have some of the current vintage of our Rosé of Syrah to use to teach his class at the junior college how to make a sparkling wine using the classic Methode Champenoise. This is the method used to make fine French Champagne. We immediately said yes, on the condition that we got to try the finished product.

When we tasted it, we knew we had to make more for ourselves and our friends. We sent one barrel each of our 2007 and 2008 Rosé of Syrah, to a custom crush winery specializing in sparkling wines. This is where the second fermentation in the bottle was done, transforming a still wine into a sparkling wine. We released it in 2009 at our first Sparkling Holidays party. Mike celebrated the occasion with what has now become a tradition at this party of opening the bottle with a saber.

Sparkling Wines from Non-Traditional Grapes

Our first sparkling wine was made with a grape that is never used in classic French Champagne, Syrah. Traditionally, Champagne and sparkling wines are made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. The Australians make a bubbly called Sparkling Shiraz from the Syrah grape, but it is a very deep red color and slightly sweet. Our Sparkling Syrah is a rosé, glittering cranberry in color and quite dry.

Most of the grapes we grow on our own vineyards are Rhône varieties – Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Using those grapes rather than the classic Champagne varieties, is one of the ways we innovate. The other non-traditional approach we take is to produce sparkling wines from single vintages. Although we don’t vintage date them, each bottling comes from a single year (except that first Sparkling Syrah). Most Champagnes and sparkling wines are blends from several vintages. We have the luxury of beautiful California weather, so we don’t need to save the “good years” to blend with the bad.

We now have three sparkling wines made from single Rhône grapes: Sparkling Syrah, Sparkling Grenache, Sparkling Mataró (made from 100% Mourvèdre), plus two blends that are made in whole or in part from Rhône varieties: Sparkling Tres and Fusión (a blend of Chardonnay, Grenache and Syrah).

So, what is the best Amista wine? There is no one answer. We have fallen in love with Rhône wines, and we love them all. As a friend is fond of saying, “My favorite Amista wine is the one I have in my glass.”

We invite you to put some in your glass. Come Taste with Us.

Jan 5, 2023 at 10:00 AM Permalink

Why Grenache in Dry Creek Valley?

It Started with Syrah and Led to More Rhône Varieties

…and now we use Grenache in seven still and sparkling wines!

Planting Syrah, Our First Rhône Variety

The first varietal we planted after we purchased what we came to call Morningsong Vineyards was Syrah. The entire vineyard was planted in Chardonnay when we bought it. Shortly thereafter we killed off the vines in the back of the vineyard. This was not the plan. Unfortunately, we were still living in New Jersey, knew nothing about growing grapes and hired a vineyard manager who wasn’t familiar with our vineyards. It turns out the soil in the back half of the property is very gravelly, being near Dry Creek, and needs more water than the front. It didn’t get enough water, which weakened the vines and made them susceptible to disease.

We had to rip them out. But what should we plant? We drank wine in those days, but our favorites were Cabernet and Zinfandel. We were advised that those varieties were not well suited to the valley floor, where our vineyards are located. Syrah was supposed to be the next hot grape variety at that time, so we planted Syrah. I’m not sure we had ever even tasted a Syrah. Even though Syrah has not (yet) become “the hot variety”, we have fallen in love with it. So have our guests and members. We use it in many of our wines and it was the gateway grape that got us into Rhône varieties.

We Want More Rhônes!

In 2011 we decided to replace some of the Syrah vines. We were anxious to experiment with other Rhône varieties. Rather than rip out the 11-year-old vines, we used a technique called T-budding, where a T-shaped cut is made and a bud from the new variety is placed in the graft. We grafted about an acre each to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Another advantage of grafting is that you don’t have to wait four years for the vineyards to produce a crop. By the harvest of 2012, the new vines were producing a small amount of fruit and we made our first Grenache and a blend we call Tres, composed of all three of our Rhône grape varieties.

Debut of Our First Rhône Blend

Tres was an instant hit and became Mike’s new favorite. It was the first blend we made on purpose (our dessert style wine was technically our first blend, but it started out as a Zinfandel that would never go dry – a story for another day). A major impetus for doing a blend was winemaker Ashley Herzberg, who had joined us in 2011. Our wines had always been single varietal from a single vineyard. That was what we did. But winemakers love to do blends and Ashley patiently talked us into making a GSM-style blend (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre). Mike was prepared not to like it and it is now his go-to wine.

What About Grenache?

The Grenache started out more as a well-kept secret. We didn’t put it in the wine club shipments because we made only 44 cases the first year. It was a lighter body wine than any of the other reds we were making at the time. In fact, we referred to it as our Pinot alternative. For Pinot lovers, Grenache was a welcome discovery. For Mike, who thinks most Pinots are too thin, it wasn’t a wine he was prepared to like.

Mike Discovers Grenache

One night I served it with dinner and much to his surprise, he liked it. After dinner we moved to our chairs to watch TV and have another glass of wine. The bottle was sitting on the table between us, and I noticed Mike pouring himself another glass. A while later, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him reach over, grab my glass and pour my wine into his glass. Do you suppose he thought I had gone to sleep? That’s when I knew that he had made a new friend in Grenache.

Seven Reasons to Love Grenache

Grenache has also become one of the stars of our winemaking program. It became so popular that when we replanted some of the aging Chardonnay vines, we replaced them with Grenache. In addition to making a red Grenache, we now make a Rosé of Grenache and a Sparkling Grenache, and we use it in four blends, Tres, Rosé de Tres, Sparkling Tres and Fusión.

What Foods to Pair With Grenache

Mike has gone from a Grenache skeptic to a fan, and it is frequently the wine he chooses to have with a meal. And speaking of meals, I want to share a recipe for something we had the other night that was perfect with the Grenache. We often have Grenache in the summer, slightly chilled with light dishes – grilled salmon, pastas with fresh picked tomatoes or grilled vegetables. I was delighted that is also paired beautifully with a winter stew that I crave. It’s nothing fancy, just one of those heartwarming, comfort dishes that makes you feel cozy.

Here is my recipe for White Bean Stew with Kale and Crispy Prosciutto

Dec 1, 2022 at 10:00 AM Permalink

Let's Build a Sparkling Wine Community

Interest in sparkling wine is booming...

...and the time is right to come together.

Have you heard the news? I am excited about the launch of Sparkling Discoveries, a brand-new community for sparkling wine producers, enthusiasts, and leaders. We went live on Global Champagne Day, which fell on October 28 this year. This is my latest project and like most things in my life, it started as a seed of an idea that germinated, blossomed and grew with the help of friends and colleagues.

I’ve been writing this blog, Sparkling Moments in Wine, for the last several years to answer the frequently asked questions about my experiences as I moved from the corporate world to becoming a winery owner and advocate for sparkling wine.

Learning the Stories of the People Behind Sparkling Wine

Anyone who knows me, knows I love bubbles, but I am equally fascinated to discover how others got involved and the twists and turns in their journeys. Sparkling Discoveries started as an idea to tell the stories of those people. Initially I was thinking of winemakers and owners of sparkling wine houses in Sonoma County.

It's a Sparkling Wine Boom!

As I kicked around the idea with friends and colleagues, we realized that we are experiencing a sparkling wine boom, made up not only of those who make sparkling wine, but other thought leaders and enthusiasts. And it isn’t just happening in Sonoma County. There are fascinating stories from all over the country and all over the world.

Let's Build a SparklingWine Community

This needed to be something more than a blog. We decided we wanted to build a sparkling community. And it needed to go beyond Sonoma County. We also realized there is no single site dedicated to sparkling wine that is brand neutral, providing information and resources on everything from what’s happening in the world of sparkling, to how it’s made and what foods pair with different kinds of sparkling wines.

So, we created a section called Sparkling 101 with some basics on the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine, how and where sparkling wines are made, and different styles and types of sparkling wines. As we get questions and ideas, we’ll add more resources. In the future we’ll add sections on wine and food pairings and events.

We are also inviting 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. Nominees can be winemakers, marketers, social media influencers, hospitality workers, winery owners, and beyond. The nomination period will be open through December 31, 2022, and individuals nominated will be celebrated online, through social media channels, a promotional campaign, and a signature event in 2023.

We’re building a community one sparkling wine enthusiast at a time. We already have nominees from Napa, the Finger Lakes region of New York, Michigan, Oregon, Paso Robles, Sacramento, Healdsburg, and a U.S. based family member representing a grower Champagne house in France.

Fascinating Stories from the People of Sparkling Wine

The centerpiece of the platform is Sparkling Conversations, in-depth profiles of sparkling wine makers, thought leaders and advocates. I’ve had the privilege to tell some remarkable stories - all different, all fascinating.

Owner and CEO Joy Sterling, Iron Horse Vineyards, talks about what living in Paris as a teenager taught her about life and how it ultimately led her back to joining the family sparkling wine business. She revealed her inspirations - from the creation of unique bottlings of sparkling wine, to her favorite food pairings to the way she leads her team.

Entrepreneur Bruce Lundquist, co-founder of Rack & Riddle, describes the long and winding road to founding a sparkling custom wine services business and recounts the lessons he learned in his career and what he hopes his six kids learned from his experience.

Winemaker Penny Gadd-Coster of Rack & Riddle, Breathless Wines and Pénélope Wines, describes how she eventually became a sparkling winemaker following two surprising previous careers, her unique approach to sparkling winemaking, her favorite pairings and the best and worst moments in her sparkling career.

Our own Amista Vineyards Winemaker Ashley Herzberg reveals her goals for making sparkling wines, how she hopes people will feel when they pop the cork and her fascination with grower Champagnes, including the ones she has in her fridge right now.

Kathleen Inman, Owner and Winemaker of Inman Family Wines, talks about how two continents, two degrees, two careers and a series of positive omens led her to sparkling wine.

Retired CEO and Winemaker Eileen Crane of Domaine Carneros describes her determination to make sparkling wine that started with her first taste of Champagne at a family Sunday supper and her happiest moments - the best pairings with sparkling wine, open book management and the most rewarding time in her career.

If you love sparkling wine, we invite you to join us. Here are some options:

• Check out the Sparkling Discoveries website
• Subscribe to our news
• Nominate someone who is making an impact on sparkling wine
• Contact us with your questions, feedback and ideas

And next time you’re in Healdsburg, come Taste With Us and explore the sparkling wines of Amista Vineyards.

Nov 3, 2022 at 4:00 PM Permalink

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.

Oct 6, 2022 at 10:00 AM Permalink

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.

Sep 1, 2022 at 10:00 AM Permalink

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.

Aug 4, 2022 at 8:00 AM Permalink

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. 

Jul 7, 2022 at 1:14 PM Permalink

Wine and Food Festival Tips - Make It Magical!

My Top Ten Tips

...based on 20 years of Passport to Dry Creek Valley, the premiere wine and food festival in Sonoma County

I know I’m hopelessly partial, but my favorite wine festival happens right here in Healdsburg, California – where we live.  It’s called Passport to Dry Creek Valley® and even before we lived here and started our own winery, we loved Passport.  Now we are hosts.  I’ve learned a lot about wine events over the years being on both sides and asking the veterans who attend year after year. 

Wine festivals can be magical weekends shared with a special person or a whole group of friends.  Here are my tips for how to make them remarkable.  But first…

What is a wine festival?

A wine festival is an event featuring wine tasting from many wineries all included for a single ticket.  The event often showcases a wine growing region or varietal.  I am partial to the ones that also include food.  And I love the chance to meet the winemaker and owners.

There are two main formats.  The first takes place all in one location. The second enables participants to travel from winery to winery. 

The focus of this post will be on events where participants visit the wineries.  This is my clear choice since you can discover the personality of each winery by seeing it in its natural habitat – whether it be a warehouse, an urban storefront or surrounded by vineyards and breathtaking views. 

Most festivals also include something you won't find by visiting at other times, special wine and food pairings, entertainment, education, barrel tastings, opportunities to meet the winemakers and owners, or access to wineries not generally open for tasting.

Here are my Top 10 Tips

1. Choose the event that’s right for you.

2. Leverage your wine club memberships.

4. Book your lodging early.

Event weekends bring thousands of people into the area and lodging is booked well in advance.  Our regular Passport guests usually book next year's lodging while they're in town for this year's event.  The event organizers often provide a list of local lodgings or if you're a club member of a participating winery, they can generally recommend places to stay.

5. Take advantage of ancillary events.

6. Know what you like and plan accordingly.

7. Explore - go to some wineries you've never visited.

8. Ask for suggestions.

9. Pace yourselves.

10. Book a driver.

For our club members and declared sparkling lovers, we offered entry to the “bubble lounge” where our guests could try the newest addition to our collection of sparkling gems, Sparkling Tres. It is made from three Rhône varieties, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. 

If you come to any of the wine events in our area, we invite you to visit Amista just outside the charming town of Healdsburg, California. We’ll be standing out front welcoming you or meandering through the crowd.

Or come Taste with Us any time!

Jun 2, 2022 at 6:40 PM Permalink

Secrets of the Amista Wine Tasting Barn

A Beautiful, Energy Efficient, Solar Powered, Wine Tasting Space with a Secret Welcome Sign

Five secrets revealed...

Painting it White

Paloma Blanca has arrived at Amista Vineyards! That’s the name of the new color we painted our barn, which means White Dove. Gone is the sage color that made the building melt into the many shades of green on the hillsides behind it. I secretly wanted to keep it that way. I liked the fact that it blended into its environment. Brian, our estate director, had another idea. His vision was to create a modern farmhouse look. He was right. It provides a stunning backdrop for the indigenous Valley Oaks that frame the barn and our hallmark yellow umbrellas. It looks fresh; it pops; it’s beautiful!

Creating a Place for Wine Tasting in Mike's Dream Winery

If our barn could talk, it would reveal a lot of secrets. Like the fact that it was originally designed to be a production facility. It has a concrete pad for crushing grapes. It has a big roll-up door on the “crush pad” side and huge double doors in the front that are sized for a forklift. It has a little back room that was supposed to be the lab, a drain running down the middle of the floor and a wine production-size septic system. It has lots of windows in the clerestory that were intended to bring natural sunlight into the production area. It was Mike’s dream winery.

About halfway through the construction, I told him I thought it had a higher purpose. Since our property is in the very heart of Dry Creek Valley and only three miles from the charming village of Healdsburg, I wanted the entire building to become a tasting room. I figured we already had a place to make our wine at a local custom crush facility, but we desperately needed a place to sell it. And we needed a place to welcome guests and host our wine club members.

Without a tasting room, we had come up with the idea of hosting tasting parties in the homes of friends all over the Bay Area. The parties were a big success. We had fun telling our story in a casual setting, met a lot of new people, sold a lot of wine, and signed up a lot of club members. On the other hand, driving for two hours, hosting a party, and then driving home at night made for a long day. Plus, we couldn’t even have a glass of wine with our new friends since we had to drive back home. It was not a long-term solution. And that’s the story of how Mike’s dream winery became a tasting room. He’s always been a little sad about it, mostly because he never got his forklift!

Building an Energy Efficient Building

Another secret the barn would reveal is that is constructed of ICF blocks and the walls are a foot thick. ICF’s or insulated concrete forms, are blocks with two layers of thermal insulation with space in between to fill with concrete. They are assembled as interlocking modular units that are dry stacked without mortar. The units lock together something like Lego blocks. Once the blocks reach a certain height, they are filled with concrete. The process is repeated until the full height of the building is achieved. The forms stay in place providing both insulation and strength.

ICF’s are more energy-efficient than most construction materials resulting in energy savings and reduced environmental impact. The thick, steel-reinforced concrete walls also protect against fires and earthquakes. Because of the energy efficiency of the walls and the carefully designed system that blows warm air out from vents at the top of the clerestory and draws cool air into the vents near the floor at night, there is no need for air conditioning. Of course, you must keep all the doors closed on warm days for this to work properly – a concept that would have been perfect for a production facility but maybe not so great for a tasting room where everyone wants to see the view!

Adding Solar at Amista

And the view is truly worth seeing – lush vineyards in the foreground with a backdrop of tree-studded hillsides revealing multiple layers and shades of green. People gravitated to the outdoor space, so we put up a large white tent to protect them from the sun.

The tent provided shade for over ten years, but I’m sure that our energy efficient barn secretly yearned for a more suitable partner. In 2020 we finally built a patio with a shade structure entirely covered in solar panels. We also added panels on the south-facing roof of the barn. The new solar system powers the tasting room, our home and all the wells on the property.

I wonder if the barn carries the secret of who came onto the property in the middle of the night and stole two tons of Mourvèdre grapes that were almost ready to harvest. But that is a story for another time!

Revealing the Secret Amista Welcome Sign on the Door

Our barn was completed in 2007, making it 15 years old. I wonder what other secrets it holds. It has certainly had its share of wonderful people coming through its massive copper (on the outside) and brass (on the inside) double front doors. The doors were a gift from my mother, designed and crafted by an artisan blacksmith in Berkely, California. The handles on the outside are in the shape of what I call the Amista “swoop”, that surrounds the word Amista on our logo. The swoop represents arms opening, the perfect sign of welcome to Amista, which means making friends in Spanish.

One thing that is not secret is that the barn is the perfect setting for meeting new guests from near and far. It is the place where we welcome our members “back home to Amista”. It is where we share delightful wine club celebrations, tastings, and dinners. And it is the "work home" for all the special people who are or have been members of our Amista team over the years.

If you’ve been before, come see us all dressed up in our new Paloma Blanca. If you haven’t, you’re invited to come taste with us and experience the warm welcome and gorgeous views for yourself.

May 5, 2022 at 6:00 PM Permalink

What are the Best Wines?

The Best Wines are Those Shared with Friends

...an unexpected pleasure of starting a winery – making friends!

The most rewarding thing about the creation of Amista Vineyards is the friendships we’ve made and deepened along the way. We’ve often talked about how our friends were involved in every step as we launched our winery, which is why we searched for a name that had something to do with friendship. Amista, roughly translated, means making friends in Spanish. Little did we know that it was only the beginning and that we would make many more wonderful friends on this journey.

Friendships Sown in the Vineyard

This is the story of one friendship that started while standing in our vineyard in Healdsburg, California in 2005, before we had a tasting room or sold our first bottle of Amista wine. We had signed up to host a vineyard tour as part of the annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley, a fabulous food and wine event held every year during the last weekend in April.

Our dear friends Meg and Dale had flown out from Colorado to attend Passport with us and offered to help with the vineyard tour. The tour was scheduled for early Sunday morning and after the four of us enjoyed attending Passport on Saturday, we came home to prepare for the tour. Meg made cookies and I made quiches.

All of us worked on the “speech” my husband Mike and I would do during the tour. It didn’t even occur to me, but Meg suggested we have all the guests sign up for our mailing list (we didn’t have one yet!), so we quickly made up some signup cards.

On Sunday everyone assembled in our vineyards at the site of what would be our future tasting room. The hot coffee, quiches and cookies were a big hit in the chilly morning air. I climbed atop an upside-down yellow mop bucket so I could see everyone (Mike is 6’3 and needed no such bucket) and talked about our plans for Amista. There were lots of great questions and lively conversations.

Among the guests was a guy named Jack who had been bringing a group of his friends to Passport for many years. Several of his friends were with him. They all signed up for our newly created mailing list.

Friendships Nourished at a Barbecue

Fast forward to Passport 2006. We still didn’t have a tasting room (the reason is a story for another post), but we had plenty of wine to sell. We decided to have a Passport welcome happy hour at our house on Friday evening and invite the people who had attended the vineyard tour the previous year.

Jack came with several of his friends, and we were all having so much fun, that he called other members of his group who joined in the party. Jack’s gang had a tradition of preparing an upscale barbeque – think Thai grilled beef and noodle salad not grilled hot dogs – at the bed and breakfast where they typically stayed. This year however, they couldn’t stay at their usual place and didn’t have a spot to do their barbecue.

When he heard them talking about it, Mike said, “Hey, if you bring the food, you can host your barbecue here and use our kitchen and our grill.” The next night Jack and his usual cooking buddies, Bruce and Mary, arrived early with coolers full of food ready to cook.

They took over the kitchen, fired up the grill and proceeded to turn out a feast of red curry coconut grilled chicken breasts, grilled asparagus, and French bread. The whole gang of about 20 people arrived and had a fantastic evening of food, wine, and friendship.

It was fun to hear their stories of how they had all met and how they reunite each year at Passport. One couple even got married at a Dry Creek Valley winery during the Passport event.

Not only did the group do all the cleanup after dinner, but they also purchased many cases of wine, which meant our first-year sales at Passport were a big success!

Passport 2007 rolled around, and our winery was finally under construction but not ready for us to participate in the event. We hosted another happy hour on Friday and invited Jack and his group to return for their Saturday night barbecue.

We couldn’t wait to taste what Jack, Bruce and Mary were cooking up for this year’s feast. I was especially excited that my mother, Lori, and her husband Don were visiting us and could be part of the festivities. They enjoyed getting to know Jack and his friends as much as we had.

Friendships Sustained through the Years

The next year and every year since, Jack and his group have held their Saturday night Passport barbecue at Amista (except in 2020 and 2021 when Passport was cancelled during the pandemic). We moved from our house to the winery in 2008, when our building was finally complete.

Jack fires up the grill to finish his creations. Every year the menu is a little different, inventive, and delicious. Every year we have some new wine to share with our friends. In 2008 it was our first Sparkling Syrah, the wine responsible for Amista becoming the 1st grower sparkling wine house in Healdsburg. No matter what we’re eating or drinking, the company and conversation are always outstanding.

Nearly everyone in Jack’s group is part of our wine club and we’ve had the privilege of following how their lives have evolved – watching their children and now their grandchildren grow. Some of the “kids” joined our club when they became of age along with the mother of one member of the group, so we now have three generations in our Amista family.

Along the way, Jack met and married a wonderful woman, and we now welcome the talented and lovely B to the annual barbecue. She immediately took over the responsibility for the hors d'oeuvres and presented the most gorgeous and delicious cheese board I’ve ever seen!

Jack and B purchased a vacation home just a mile away from us, so now we get to see them more than once a year. They can often be seen with Ashley and the picking crew during our harvest. The crew fell in love with them when they presented them with a box of 2 dozen doughnuts.

Last year when Ashley decided to foot tread some of the grapes for our sparkling wines in the vineyard, B jumped in the bin and went to work alongside Ashley and her kids and members of our tasting room team. B had a blast – she’s the one with her arms in the air and a big smile on her face.

Friendships Enriched during Challenging Times

During the pandemic Passport was cancelled. No one could quite believe that this long-standing event wasn't going to happen for the first time in 30 years. Trips were cancelled; long time guest were disappointed not to enjoy a weekend of food and wine and everyone missed reuniting with their friends. We had to do something.

We asked Jack if he was willing to create a pairing for each of the wines that we had planned to pour at Passport in 2020 and co-host a virtual tasting with us. No surprise, he was excited to do it!

He even prepared each of the dishes for us and left them on our doorstep - since everyone was quarantining at the time - so we would have them for the virtual tasting. Jack introduced each dish; our winemaker Ashley Herzberg described the wines and B made sure each item was artfully plated. They were imaginative creations that paired beautifully with our wines.

Friendships Celebrated with Gratitude

A few weeks ago, we asked Jack and B to join us for dinner. I was nervous because I volunteered to make the meal, something that Mike typically does. My role is generally relegated to making salads. We decided to serve Cassoulet, a complicated dish with many steps, even though all the meats, including the duck confit, were ready to sauté and layer into the bean mixture I had prepared the day before.

I was especially nervous to be handling the cooking duties since we were serving the results to such an accomplished home chef as Jack. It turned out fine (although next time I will make sure it stays juicy) but more importantly, the chance to gather around the table with Jack and B after nearly two years of not having guests in our home, was priceless.

We reminisced about how we first met and the many Passports we have experienced together. We caught up on each other’s lives. We talked about what we learned during the pandemic. And we gave Jack a special gift thanking him for his 15-plus years of being a supporter, an ambassador, a member, and a friend.

I am proud, and frankly surprised, that Mike and I have been able to build a thriving winery even though we have never owned our own business, never worked in hospitality or agriculture, and never worked together! Far more important, I am grateful for the friendships and treasured memories we’ve experienced on our journey.

If you love delicious food, check out the wine and food pairings with recipes that Jack created for our Passport to Dry Creek virtual tasting.

If you enjoy luxury accommodations and hospitality, check out Jack and B’s beautiful vacation rental, Decanter Healdsburg, just a few minutes from Amista.

If you want to experience the friendly spirit of Amista, Come Taste with Us and enjoy sparkling and Rhône wines surrounded by gorgeous vineyard views in Healdsburg, California in the heart of Sonoma wine country.

Apr 7, 2022 at 8:00 AM Permalink