Visiting Amista Vineyards
August 18, 2009
The Facts:
Amista Vineyards is a boutique operation producing just fewer than 2,000 cases of wine per year. Amongst their distinctions, all their wines are 100% varietal, single vineyard offerings. They have 20 acres of Estate vines and also source additional fruit from long time, Dry Creek growers. Their tasting room which is located on Dry Creek Road is open from Thursday through Monday from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Gabe’s Take:
When I was out for Passport 2009, Amista Vineyards was on the list of Wineries I wanted to get to but ran out of time to stop by. Having made two separate visits there on my recent trip it’s fair to say I made up for it. My first stop came in the middle of the week as I wandered into their spacious tasting room to sample their offerings and see what they were up to. A couple of friendly folks helped me and were more than happy to tell me about the wines and the winery.
Tastings at Amista Vineyards come with a modest $5 charge. This is complimentary for their wine club members. I’d learn later that they have a robust and tight knit club that stands at the core of their efforts in many ways. Tasting through their wines I found that there was a lot to like. The ones that stood out the most to me were:
2007 Morningsong Vineyards Chardonnay – This is their Estate vineyard. This Chardonnay is all about the fruit which shines through impeccably. Apple, white peach, mineral and white pepper are the stars of the show here. This wine has no oak treatment and is very crisp and clean. 296 cases of this wine were made and the suggested retail is $25
2005 Francesca’s Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon- This fruit for this wine was sourced from the Passalacquas. This Cabernet Sauvignon is loaded with dark and brooding berry fruit. Cassis is prominent in the extroverted nose and there are copious spice notes throughout as well as recurring flourishes of dark chocolate. About 300 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail of $40.
2005 Saini Farms Zinfandel (Gene’s Block)- Soft lush fruit is the hallmark of this Zin. Sour cherry notes stand out. The finish features earth and black tea. This is a dry, balanced Zin that will be great with many foods. Despite alcohol over 15% this wine isn’t hot in the least. 318 cases of this Zinfandel were produced and the suggested retail price is $32.
2004 Morningsong Vineyard Syrah – Leather and hints of spice are prominent on the nose. Dark berry notes are present throughout the palate. Cigar box and earth emerge on the finish. This wine is lovely, balanced and restrained. 406 cases of this offering were produced and the suggested retail price is $28.
The connective tissue that ties these wines together is the clean and balanced style they are made in which accentuates the fruit. That’s also true of the other offerings I tasted from Amista. Staying true to their name which means making friends, the folks at Amista were incredibly welcoming; so much so that they invited me to come back. A couple of days after my visit they were having a party for their wine club to celebrate their 2nd Anniversary. How could I resist that?
When I stopped by on Saturday I was curious to see what their party would be like. On a patio area outside their tasting room they had a section set aside with tables for people to sit and hang out. The party was catered with some delicious food and of course they were pouring wine. One of the special treats was a 3 year vertical of the Syrah. The 2004 had been my favorite of the wines when I visited earlier in the week so I was curious to taste the other vintages. While each of them was solid, the 2004 remained my favorite of the moment. That could change when the 2005 has a touch more age on it.
Another highlight of the event was getting to meet Vicky and Michael Farrow who are the co-founders and proprietors of Amista Vineyards. In meeting them it’s easy to see where the friendly attitude that permeates Ross and other folks in the Tasting Room comes from. One of the things that made the event fun and laid back was that it went on for a large part of the day. By doing this their guests were able to come and go at their leisure without worrying about getting to Amista in a narrow window of time. I’m sure it took extra effort and resources for them to schedule the event this way but it was worth it as people were flowing in and out while I was there, creating an excellent atmosphere. If you like these wines this seems like the sort of Wine Club to join; both for the beyond excellent treatment and the fact that the Farrows sure know how to throw a fun and inclusive event.
Amista Vineyards is a very worthwhile stop on your next wine country excursion. They’re an operation run by and filled with friendly and welcoming folks; just as importantly they’re making some solid, fairly priced wines. So while you don’t have to visit them twice in one week like I did, you should definitely go at least once. You’ll go back for sure the second time without my needing to urge you.
Please vote for Drink Dry Creek!
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Amista is a great winery! Everyone there is very friendly and social, the atmosphere is wonderful, and yes, their wine is awesome too! I have also had the great pleasure to enjoy a nice picnic lunch (with a bottle of their wine!) on their patio in the middle of their vineyard. An experience that you will definitely want to have. Amista is definitely a wine country “must visit!”