Dry Creek Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Amista Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Estate sparkling wine and Rhône varieties from organically farmed vines, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Mike and Vicky Farrow met in 1982, planted their first vineyard in 1994 and, five years later, found their property in Dry Creek Valley just outside Healdsburg. They founded Amista Vineyards in 2004; the name means "making friends" in Spanish. The tasting room opened in 2007 among the estate's Morningsong Vineyards, and Amista today describes itself as woman-led.
The estate of about 20 acres is farmed organically and planted to Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah and Roussanne. Amista's first vintage, in 2003, combined estate Syrah with Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon bought from neighbors. It released its first sparkling wine, a Sparkling Syrah, in 2008 and a Blanc de Blanc in 2011, and all its sparkling wines are made by the traditional method from estate grapes. Ashley Herzberg is the winemaker.
Amista calls itself Healdsburg's first sparkling winery and the first to make sparkling wine from Dry Creek Valley grapes, and it pours sparkling wines alongside Rhône varieties. Tastings are on the solar patio, in the barn or with a vineyard view, and a guided walk through the organic vineyards leaves daily at 11 a.m. Guests of all ages and leashed dogs are welcome, and you can bring a picnic.
Tasting Fees
$40 for The Taste of Amista, a flight of sparkling, white or Rhône wines. $60 for the Organic Vineyard Tour & Tasting, daily at 11 a.m., weather permitting. Cheese and charcuterie and a caviar service can be added.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3320 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg
AVA
Dry Creek Valley
Visiting
Open daily 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All experiences are pre-paid reservations, and groups of 7 or more must reserve. Walk-ins are welcome when space is available, until 3:30 p.m.
Known For
Estate sparkling wines made by the traditional method, and Rhône varieties
Founded
2004 (tasting room opened in 2007)
Good to Know
Guests of all ages are welcome, including those under 21, and so are well-behaved dogs on a leash. You may bring a picnic to enjoy during your tasting. Groups of 7 or more must reserve.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:40 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona, in time for Amista's 11 a.m. opening.
10:40 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, and The Madrona, a 24-room hotel on a historic estate on Westside Road, are each about 15 minutes from Amista, so pickup is at 10:40 for the 11 a.m. opening. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Amista Vineyards
The Organic Vineyard Tour & Tasting, a guided walk through the estate vineyards with a wine flight ($60), or The Taste of Amista ($40).
12:10 · Lambert Bridge
About 10 minutes away. Founded in 1975 in the first wave of post-Prohibition wineries in Dry Creek Valley, owned by the Chambers family since 1993 and known for Bordeaux varieties. The seated Winemaker's Selection Experience of red and white wines with light nibbles is $75. Reservations recommended, with walk-ins when space allows; open daily.
1:20 · Lunch at Dry Creek General Store
About 10 minutes away. A country store since 1881 at the crossroads of Dry Creek Valley, with a deli for sandwiches, soups and salads, a front porch over the valley and a garden out back. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:35 · Quivira
About 10 minutes away. Founded in 1981 and farmed organically, with more than 100 raised garden beds and Wine Creek, a restored salmon and steelhead stream, running through the estate. The Estate Tasting of five current releases, taken at your own pace, is $35, and Sip & Graze under the olive trees is $50. Tastings are booked online; open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3:35 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 3:55 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
About $150 to $185 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Amista Vineyards?
Experiences are pre-paid reservations, and groups of 7 or more must reserve. Walk-ins are welcome until 3:30 p.m. when space is available. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Amista Vineyards?
$40 per person for The Taste of Amista and $60 for the Organic Vineyard Tour & Tasting, as of September 2026.
Can I bring children and dogs to Amista?
Yes. Amista welcomes guests of all ages, including those under 21, and well-behaved dogs on a leash.
What is Amista known for?
Sparkling wine made by the traditional method from its own Dry Creek Valley grapes, including Sparkling Syrah and Blanc de Blanc, along with Rhône varieties.
What does Amista mean?
"Making friends" in Spanish, a name the Farrows chose for a winery born of friendship and the Spanish heritage of the valley.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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