The Syrah that Sparked the Amista Community
Our First Harvest Adventure…
…and three insights that continue to shape Amista.
As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, I'm excited to share a series of short weekly posts that take you behind the scenes, revealing memorable moments that have shaped our journey at Amista Vineyards.
As we approached our first commercial harvest, we realized we had far more Syrah than we could use for Amista. My late husband and Amista co-founder, Mike, couldn't bear the thought of seeing tons of grapes dropped from the vines, wasted. Determined to find a solution, we brainstormed until Mike had a brilliant idea—what if we invited our friends to invest in our first vintage?
The concept was simple: we’d offer the chance to purchase grapes in ½-ton lots, the size of a single macro bin. We would handle all the winemaking—crushing, fermenting, and bottling—while they would pay for the grapes. In return, each “partner” would receive a case of the Syrah, a special case of a blend that they would help create and a case of every other wine we planned to make that year.
We sent out invitations to friends, family, and some of my consulting clients, unsure of what to expect. To our surprise, we had an enthusiastic response—we sold 10 lots, allowing us to harvest 5 extra tons of Syrah. What started as a practical solution to avoid wasted grapes soon blossomed into something much more—a community of people excited to call themselves “partners” in our new winery.
We wanted this group to feel as much a part of the journey as we were, so we kept them updated and hosted several events. Our first gathering was the “Garage Syrah Bottling Party,” where everyone helped bottle the Syrah we’d been making in our garage, followed by a cozy dinner at our home. It was an incredible experience for everyone—intimate, hands-on, and fun.
Throughout the next year, we invited our partners to taste the young wines from the barrel and to visit our winery while it was still under construction. Strangers became friends, bonding over the excitement of seeing our dream take shape.
One of my favorite memories is the Vintage Partners Summit in October 2006. The weekend kicked off with a welcome reception at our house on Friday night, followed by a trip the next day to a beautiful vineyard on the rolling hills above Dry Creek Valley. We wanted our partners to experience the vineyard firsthand, so we taught them how to assess grapes for harvest—checking sugar levels with a refractometer, examining the color of the seeds, and, most importantly, tasting for that perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
After a morning in the vineyard, we headed back to our future winery for lunch among the vines. We toasted to friendship at a makeshift bar set up on the construction site—an unforgettable moment. The day continued with barrel tastings at the winery where we were crafting the wines, and that night, we gathered back at our house for dinner under the harvest moon. It was truly magical. The weekend wrapped up with a farewell brunch on our back deck, where no one wanted to say goodbye.
Another unforgettable event was the blending workshop, where our partners created the 2006 Vintage Partners Blend. It was our first gathering in the newly finished winery. Our winemaker guided us through the art of blending, with each team coming up with their own version. We tasted them all and voted on the best blend, which became the recipe for their special wine. Though they had to wait two more years for the wine to be bottled and ready, the celebration continued with a sumptuous farm-to-table lunch in the courtyard, paired with the very wines we had just blended.
Looking back, we realized that what we were offering was essentially wine futures, but with a twist. Typically, wine futures are sold after the wine is already in the barrel, giving customers a taste of what's to come. In our case, people were investing in the wine before the grapes were harvested. They weren’t just betting that the wine would turn out delicious—they were betting on us. They believed that two people, their friends and family, could not only craft wine they would love but also launch a business and keep it alive long enough for the wine to be bottled. It was a huge leap of faith, and I am eternally grateful. More than the trust, we built something even more precious—a community of friends.
Our journey has been filled with valuable life lessons. In those early days, we discovered three insights that would continue to shape Amista:
- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
- Building a business is about building relationships.
- People long to be part of a community.
These lessons have stayed with us through every harvest, every challenge, and every success, reminding us that at the heart of it all, we are not just making wine—we are creating connections.
Still Thirsty?
If you want to learn more, here is a curated list of resources.
Here a Bin, There a Bin, Everywhere …
How (and Why) to Buy Wine Futures