Amphora Winery

Ambiance

• Have you ever been to a wine collective?

• A group of wineries with their tasting rooms collectively in the same area.

• It’s actually a BRILLIANT concept that benefits the wine taster.

• Instead of having to drive all around wine country, you go to Timber Crest Farms Wine Collective and spend the day popping between several tasting rooms: Amphora, Kokomo Winery, Papapietro Perry Winery, and Peterson Winery.

• In this post I focus on Amphora.

• Now, be warned…

• Don’t expect fancy-shmancy, roll-out the red wine tasting carpet, chandeliers, and epic vineyard views.

• The Wine Collective is kinda like going to wine warehouses but cozier and personable.

• Amphora has a barrel room which makes you feel like you’re hanging with the wine.

Cost:

• $10 per person waived with wine purchase.

• Wines range from $30 to $58 per bottle.

Appointment Needed? 

• Walk-ins ok.

• Open daily, 11:00am-4:30pm

Wine Pick

• Both my friend and I really liked the 2015 Grenache.

• There are a range of wines to try here: Zin, Petite Sirah, Mourvédre, Aglianico, Tempranillo.

Dog Approved

• Yes!

• The owners have an adorable lab named Rickie.

Social Media Worthy

• Being a warehouse type one collective you wouldn’t think there would be many photo ops.

• Wrong.

• Taking photos inside by the barrels is cool.

• I also really like the photo below.

• Amphora is named after Amphorae of clay jars that were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to store/transport wine and olive oil.

• At the entrance to the tasting room sit two statuesque amphora’s that look so statuesque and european in photos.

Feel Good Vibes

• Name some hobbies a winemaker might have?

• What first comes to mind might be cooking.

• Well, Rick Hutchinson, owner/winemaker/president of Amphora has a fascinating hobby you might not be able to guess.

• Pottery Making!

• Years ago he stumbled into a pottery making class and realized he had talent behind a potter’s wheel.

• This was before he owned Amphora and had been working in the Sonoma County wine industry since he was 20.

• While in the pottery class, he made several Amphorae clay jugs like the one you see below.

• When he started his own winery in 1997 his Amphorae became the symbol.

• A few things I’ve learned about wineries

1) Never judge a winery by it’s cover.  Sometimes the wineries with the best stories and passion, and grit are the ones off the beaten path. 

2) Wineries are a lot like Goodwill.  You go int o Goodwill and you have to HUNT.  You have to look carefully to find a unique treasure you are looking for.  Same with wineries.  Thank goodness I asked the gal doing my tasting several questions.  I was so fascinated to learn about the pottery making winemaker!  

I can’t wait to share this wine with friends and tell them about the amphora significance. 

Wine Nerd Facts

• Ruins from wine cellars 6,000 years ago show that amphoras were used to make wine.