"The Good Stuff" - Episode 92: Amphora Winery

In this episode of "The Good Stuff" presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk to Rick Hutchinson Owner, President, and Winemaker of Amphora Winery and his wife and partner, Bridget. A Sonoma County native, Rick’s winemaking journey began humbly at age 20 on the bottling line at Sebastiani Winery. A single step into the cellar—and the nostalgic scent of fermentation—transported him back to his childhood memories of canning jam with his mother, igniting a lifelong passion. From there, Rick trained under acclaimed winemakers like Doug Nalle and John Kongsgaard, developing deep roots in Sonoma’s winemaking traditions, particularly the bold varietals of Dry Creek Valley. But Rick’s story doesn’t stop with grapes. A chance pottery class led him to discover a new creative outlet: shaping clay amphorae, the ancient vessels once used to store and age wine. That intersection of art and craft became the soul of Amphora Winery, which Rick founded in 1997 with just a few tons of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah—and a vision to do things differently. Today, Amphora stands out as one of the few California wineries fermenting and aging wine in traditional Italian terracotta. From its early days in a redwood barn to its current home in the Timber Crest collective, Amphora has grown into a destination for adventurous, small-lot wines. Rick shares how his portfolio has expanded to include varietals like Mourvèdre, Alicante Bouschet, Teroldego, and sparkling rosé—while always staying true to his philosophy of sourcing great fruit and letting the wine speak for itself. And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!