Our Amista Winemaker Dinner in the Vineyard has become a beloved tradition—for our guests and especially for me.
We hosted our first one in 2013 to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the opening of our tasting room in 2007. We had been having anniversary parties since 2008 to mark the day that Mike, my late husband and co-founder, first opened the doors to welcome our guests on August 2, 2007. In those early years, we celebrated with open houses and informal lunches on the patio.
Then, in 2013, we decided to do something different: a sit-down dinner among the vines. We didn’t know it at the time, but that first dinner would become the beginning of a magical tradition.
The Five Ingredients for a Magical Dinner in the Vineyard
- Hearing the winemaker’s insider stories
- Watching old friendships grow and new ones begin
- Experiencing a true sense of place
- Savoring a tapestry of flavors
- Toasting to an extraordinary evening together
The Inaugural Amista Dinner in the Vineyard
It was a mix of elegant and rustic—and completely delicious. We had just released our first Blanc de Blanc, so it seemed only fitting that we start the evening with Blanc de Blanc paired with freshly shucked oysters. It’s a classic pairing for a reason: vibrant, elegant and delightful.
The centerpiece of the dinner was a pig roast. Our guest chef barbecued a whole pig and then carved it up for our main course. It was amazing.
Every year I look forward to discovering a new menu of wonderful flavors paired with our Amista wines. But as much as I love the food and wine, it is always the people who make the dinner so special.
For that first dinner among the vines, my parents traveled from Arizona to be with us. It meant as much to me as it did to them. They were so proud to have a daughter and son-in-law who had launched a winery, and my mom was giddy with excitement to be part of this special evening.
We were also joined by friends from Petaluma who have been with us for nearly every dinner in the vineyard since.
Over the years, we’ve had different locations all around the property. We’ve had different chefs and, of course, different menus. During COVID, we modified the event with stand-up tables and appetizers in the vineyard so everyone could remain socially distanced.
But there are some things that never change—and they are the things that make it the occasion I look forward to year after year.
What Makes a Magical Dinner in the Vineyard?
Here are the five things that make it so special for me.
1. Hearing the winemaker’s insider stories as we stroll among the vines
You would think that after years and years of hearing Ashley’s stories about the vineyard, I would opt out of the vineyard tour. But her knowledge and experience are so great that I learn something new every time.
Plus, it’s fascinating to hear the questions our guests ask her and to witness her boundless enthusiasm when she talks about how we farm our vines organically. She even loves to talk about our 250-year-old heritage oak and the habitat project to restore Dry Creek for coho salmon and steelhead trout.
These insider stories, told directly by the winemaker, are one of the most special aspects of a winemaker dinner in the vineyard. It’s something you rarely get when visiting a winery. You’re not just tasting the wine—you’re hearing the stories of the place where it all begins.
2. Watching old friendships grow and new ones begin
This may be my favorite part of the evening.
I can’t wait to look at the guest list and see who’s coming. I get especially excited when I see the names of people who have joined us year after year. We have guests who travel from Texas, Rhode Island and Colorado, and for some of them, this is the one time each year that I get to see them.
This year, we had an especially fun connection that began thousands of miles away.
While I was in Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne region of France, I encountered a couple in a lovely little bistro. As I was leaving, they stopped me and asked if I was a famous cookbook author. I laughed and said no, and somehow the conversation pivoted to wine, food and travel.
Eventually, I asked where they were from.
“Sonoma,” they said.
What a coincidence! I told them I was from Healdsburg and owned a winery. At that point, they immediately knew it was Amista. They had been wine club members at one time.
I invited them to come back for a visit. They did—and then decided to join us for the vineyard dinner.
I love stories like that.
And it’s equally exciting to welcome people who are coming for the first time. We have many longtime wine club members who have never been able to attend the vineyard dinner.
Miriam is one of those people. She and her husband, Robert, have been part of our wine club for 17 years. They’ve tried for several years to make it to the dinner from their home in Colorado. This year, Miriam made a special trip just to be here.
Marge and George drove from Southern California to be sure they could attend. They had to miss last year’s dinner when their flight was cancelled, so they weren’t going to let that happen again.
And then there are the friendships that happen right at the table.
One of the most rewarding things for me is watching people who may have arrived as strangers begin sharing their stories with one another. They talk about wine, food, travel, family and the special moments that make up a life.
I know many friendships have been made at this dinner. And our guests often look forward to seeing the people they met the year before as much as I do.
That feels especially meaningful to me because Amista means “friendship” in Spanish. From the beginning, we’ve believed that wine is about bringing people together and making everyday moments feel special.
There’s something magical about watching that happen right before my eyes.
3. Experiencing a true sense of place
When we gather among the vines, the connection between the place, the grapes and the wine becomes almost tangible.
Sitting under the open sky, with views of the tree-studded hills in the background, as the sun begins to set makes for an evening of enchantment.
As the leisurely dinner draws to a close, the sparkling lights come on and the night sky emerges. Everyone seems to linger at the table.
No one wants to break the spell.
4. Savoring a tapestry of flavors
Experiencing a sense of place isn’t limited to being in the vineyard. We’ve had many guest chefs over the years, and every one of them takes great pride in sourcing the freshest local, seasonal ingredients.
I never cease to be amazed by the combinations of flavors they create—and by how beautifully those flavors can transform a wine.
One memorable dish was heirloom tomato, avocado and burrata bruschetta with roasted pistachios and local microgreens. Paired with our Grenache, it was a winning combination.
Another favorite was a wild mushroom budino—a savory custard—with wine-braised leeks and Parmesan frico, a delicate, lacy Italian cheese wafer. It was wonderful with both our still and sparkling Grenache.
It’s always fun to see which wines the chef chooses to complement each dish.
In recent years, we’ve added something unique that is both interesting and fun. Since we make both sparkling and still wines, we serve a taste of two wines with each course—one still and one sparkling—made from the same blend or varietal.
It’s a delicious way to experience how differently sparkling and still wines can express the same grape.
5. Toasting to an extraordinary evening together
It has always been our tradition to make a toast during the golden hour, when the light turns warm and rich and everything seems to glow.
By this point in the evening, people have shared stories, discovered new connections and enjoyed a leisurely dinner together. The toast brings everyone back into a single moment.
There is something powerful about raising a glass together. The conversations may have started as small groups around the table, but the toast unites everyone in celebrating the same experience: dinner among the vines, beautiful wines, wonderful food and the simple pleasure of being together.
And perhaps that is what makes the evening magical.
It’s not just the setting, although the vineyard at sunset is pretty hard to beat. It’s not just the food or the wine, although both are an important part of the experience.
It’s the people.
It’s old friends coming back. It’s new friendships beginning. It’s stories being shared around a table and moments that none of us could have planned.
When I look around that long table and see people laughing, talking and raising their glasses together, I’m reminded of why we named our winery Amista in the first place.
Friendship.
And after all these years, that may be the most magical ingredient of all.
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