Sparkling Syrah A Journey Begins at Amista

From Rosé to Sparkling…

…and the lesson we learned from it.

Lessons That Will Shape Amista's Future: Seize the Opportunity

In my last post, I shared a lesson we’ve embraced at Amista that continues to guide us: being open to serendipity. Today, I want to share another story—the second step in our journey to making sparkling wine—and the lesson we learned from it.

From Rosé to Sparkling: A Journey Begins

Our first Rosé of Syrah was born out of a happy accident. At the time, we couldn’t have imagined that this unexpected success would eventually lead us to create our first sparkling wine.

Two years after that initial Rosé (we now make a half dozen) became a favorite, our winemaker, Chris, approached us with an intriguing proposal. He was teaching a class at the local junior college on the traditional method of making fine French Champagne. Chris asked if he could use some of the current vintage Rosé of Syrah for his students’ project. Naturally, we said yes, with one condition: we wanted to taste the finished product.

Sparkling Syrah: A Class Experiment

When we finally tasted the sparkling wine created by Chris and his students, we were amazed. It was delicious, vibrant, and utterly unique. We immediately knew we had to make more—not just for ourselves, but for our friends and community as well.

To make this dream a reality, we sent one barrel each of our 2007 and 2008 Rosé of Syrah to a custom crush winery that specialized in sparkling wines. This step was critical, as it’s where the second fermentation in the bottle—a hallmark of the traditional method—transforms still wine into sparkling wine.

In 2009, we debuted our first Sparkling Syrah at our Sparkling Holidays party. It was a momentous occasion, marked by Mike’s celebratory sabrage—opening the bottle with a saber—a tradition that continues to this day.

The Lesson: Seize the Opportunity

This experience taught us a simple but profound lesson: seize the opportunity. Making sparkling wine wasn’t on our radar when Chris approached us with his idea. Yet the class project revealed an unexpected opportunity, one we couldn’t ignore.

Yes, creating a sparkling wine is far more complicated and expensive than making a still wine. But thanks to Chris’s expertise and the emergence of a local winery specializing in sparkling production, we saw a way to make it work. Partnering with a custom crush operation made the process viable. And, of course, I love bubbles and couldn’t resist the idea of making our Rosé of Syrah sparkle!

Seizing opportunities has become a cornerstone of our journey toward becoming a sparkling winery. I’ll admit, Mike was naturally better at this than I was. He had a knack for jumping in with both feet, while I preferred to research and deliberate before making a move. But whenever I’ve allowed myself to take the leap, it’s always been worthwhile.

Embracing the Future

As we continue to grow and evolve, the lesson of seizing opportunities remains at the heart of what we do. It’s a reminder to embrace the unexpected and pursue the possibilities that spark joy and excitement. Who knows what opportunities will come next? One thing is certain: we’ll be ready to seize them.

 

Still Thirsty?

If you want to learn more, here is a curated list of resources.

Méthode Champenoise

Méthode Champenoise Defined

What is Méthode Champenoise?

How to Properly Saber Champagne

 

How Sparkling Wine Began at Amista

Serendipity: A Lesson Learned…

…to help guide our third decade

As we begin not only a new year but step across the threshold into our third decade, it is the perfect time to review our vision for Amista and how it will play out in the future. Most people know that my late husband and co-founder, Mike, and I created Amista largely through a series of unplanned opportunities and happy accidents.

What most people don’t know is that we crafted a vision for Amista at its very beginning. We reviewed it every few years to examine its relevance. We have made refinements along the way, although it has remained fundamentally the same. I am gratified that it has stood the test of time.

The centerpiece of our vision is what I call our core purpose. It is essentially the promise we make to our customers. Here is ours:

Amista Vineyards crafts distinctive wines and exceptional experiences – to make your everyday moments special and your special moments extraordinary.

The last two decades have been an exhilarating journey of opportunities, setbacks, surprises, and a lot of lessons learned. What I know from my previous work in leadership is that often the most growth and learning comes from two key types of experience: tackling things you are doing for the first time and dealing with adversity.

There have been plenty of firsts – from making our first wine, running a small business, building a winery, making sparkling wines, going solar, to achieving organic certification. And there has also been adversity in various shapes and sizes such as the two-year delay in getting a permit to build our winery, the theft of half of our Mourvèdre grapes one night during harvest, an extra seven tons of grapes picked and crushed that weren’t in the plan, evacuations for fires, and COVID shutdowns.

Both the firsts and the crises seemed daunting at the time. But they also generated energy that propelled creative solutions and decisive action. At those times, the importance of having a commitment to a clear purpose was vital. That and a good dose of humor! Once the first was accomplished or the crisis was dealt with, the final gift was the gift of learning. There is only so much you can learn from a book, a class, or from another person. The deepest learning is from experience.

Becoming Healdsburg’s Sparkling Wine House

Becoming the first sparkling winery in Healdsburg wasn’t part of our plan. Today, Amista is known as the sparkling wine house in Dry Creek Valley, offering a half dozen different sparkling wines, a sparkling wine club and a sparkling wine tasting flight. The spark that eventually led us to making our first sparkling wine was a happy accident—one that also provided an important lesson that will continue to guide us in the future.

Be Open to Serendipity

Embracing serendipity means recognizing that accidents and unexpected happenings present opportunities. Here is one example that led to the creation of a new wine and, eventually, our sparkling wine program.

In September 2005, we decided to try harvesting our Syrah by machine. Mike was in the vineyard at night (machine harvesting is typically done at night when it’s cool) supervising the pick. He was enthralled watching the machine go up and down the rows and got so excited that he kept asking the operator to pick more rows. He didn’t want to stop.

The next morning, he was still reveling over his midnight pick when he got a call from someone at the winery. They told him he had 10 tons of Syrah grapes in a 10-ton fermentation tank, and when the wine started fermenting, it was going to bubble over, go all over the floor, and he was going to have to clean it up.

He swiftly moved into action and had 200 gallons moved from the tank to neutral barrels. Neutral barrels have been used in prior years and impart no oak to the wine. His idea was that once the Syrah in the tank was fermented and moved to barrels, he would combine it with the juice he had removed.

In early January of 2006, we went down to the winery with our winemaker, Chris Wills, to taste all the wine in barrels. We decided to taste the wine that had been removed to avoid the spillover. It had spent very little time on the skins, so it was a rosé rather than a red wine. We tasted it. It was fantastic. We decided on the spot to keep it separate from the other Syrah and bottle it as our first Rosé of Syrah. This was step number one in the serendipity that would lead to our first sparkling wine.

As we move into Amista’s third decade, I’m inspired by the lessons of the past to embrace the opportunities ahead. This year, we’ll focus on how our vision continues to evolve and share more stories about the moments that shape us. Here’s to serendipity and the journey ahead!

 

 

Amista Vineyards - 5 Magical Memories

Celebrating 20 Years…

 

…of adventure, friendship and joy.

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 wrap up our 20th anniversary celebration at Amista, I find myself reflecting on the incredible memories we’ve made along the way. Some moments shine brightly the instant they happen, while others reveal their magic only with time. It was no easy task to choose just a few highlights from the 20-year journey my late husband Mike and I shared. But here are five cherished memories that capture the heart, joy and fulfillment of our adventure in wine.
 

1. The Joy of Our First Garage Syrah Bottling Party

One of the most unforgettable moments happened in December 2003, when we bottled our "Garage Syrah." Mike had harvested three tons of Syrah grapes the year before, and by the time bottling rolled around, we needed help. So, we turned it into a party, inviting a dozen friends and family members—many of whom had already invested in futures of our first official Amista Syrah.

That day wasn’t just about bottling wine; it was about community. Together, we bottled 100 cases in record time, laughing and forging new friendships in the process. That evening, we gathered around a candlelit table for a dinner Mike and I prepared, to relive the day’s best moments. The warmth, laughter, and shared sense of accomplishment linger to this day, a beautiful reminder of how our journey began—with friends, family and the magic of wine.
 

2. Barbecue Bonds that Became Lifelong Friendships

In 2006, our winery was not yet built, but we had plenty of wine to sell. We decided to host a happy hour for guests who had joined us for a vineyard tour the year before during Passport, Dry Creek Valley’s signature wine event. Among them was Jack, who brought a few friends. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and soon more of their group arrived, turning the evening into a full-blown party.

Jack’s crew had a tradition of hosting an upscale barbecue during Passport weekend, but that year they lacked a location. Hearing this, Mike didn’t hesitate. “Bring the food,” he said. “You can cook here.” The next night, coolers in tow, Jack and his friends arrived. They filled our kitchen with laughter and incredible aromas—grilled red curry coconut chicken, asparagus, and crusty French bread.

As the group of 20 gathered around our table, it felt like a reunion of old friends. Their stories, laughter, and love for life filled the evening. They cleaned up after dinner and left with plenty of wine, ensuring our first Passport sales were a hit. This tradition continues to this day, creating a bond that spans generations. Jack’s family, friends, and now even their children have become part of our Amista family.
 

3. Diner Amista – A Passport Celebration to Remember

Passport weekends are a highlight at Amista, with each year bringing a new theme. One of the most memorable was when we celebrated the classic American diner—with a twist. Picture truffled mac and cheese, black-and-white checkered decor, and jukebox tunes filling the air.

Our staff donned retro diner attire, and even our dogs wore paper hats. The winery transformed into a lively, nostalgic space where guests sipped wine, enjoyed comfort food, and danced the jitterbug. My mom stole the show on the dance floor, embodying the spirit of the day. This event was a beautiful reminder that joy comes not just from great wine but from the teamwork and shared experiences that bring us together.
 

4. Sabrage and Sparkling Beginnings

Our annual Sparkling Soiree is a cherished tradition, but one evening stands out as a turning point. It marked the debut of our first Blanc de Blanc — the first sparkling wine crafted by our winemaker Ashley Herzberg—and truly launched our sparkling wine program. What began with two sparkling wines that evening has since grown into a collection of seven.

That night was also memorable for another reason: it was the first time Mike donned his iconic tux, top hat, and red bow tie. As he performed the sabrage ceremony, his signature look became inseparable from the celebratory spirit of Amista. The Blanc de Blanc went on to win gold at the “Best of the Best” North Coast Wine Challenge, but the true prize was the joy of that evening, which marked the start of a sparkling journey that continues to thrive and expand.
 

5. Wine Cruising on the Danube – A Journey of Connection

In 2017, we co-hosted a wine cruise along the Danube with fellow Dry Creek Valley wineries. The first evening, as we sailed past Budapest’s glittering lights, the air was filled with wonder. The next night, we hosted an Amista wine dinner, presenting our wines alongside exquisite dishes.

Sitting at the head table with Ashley, my parents, and dear friends, I watched Mike beam with pride. Guests approached him afterward, eager to hear the story of how we turned a dream into reality. In that moment, I realized the magic of Amista wasn’t just in the wine—it was in the connections we made and the community we built.

As I reflect on these memories, I am reminded that Amista has always been more than a vineyard. It’s a place of friendship, joy, and the belief that life is meant to be celebrated. Here’s to 20 years of magic—and many more to come.

 

 

Still Thirsty?

If you want to learn more, here is a curated resource.

How to Properly Saber Champagne