Cowgirl in the Vineyard - July 2022 Feature | COWGIRL Magazine
“I think that most people are dying for authenticity. Whether it’s Western lifestyle or perhaps something else, I think showing the next generation a peek behind the curtain of who you really are and not being manufactured is really important.”
By Ken Amorosano | CALIFORNIA – California’s Central Coast is an amalgamation of stunning coastline, dramatic mountain peaks, vast cattle ranches, and some of the best wines in America.
The Paso Robles AVA sits halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, just a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. The region is home to more than 200 wineries and some of the most dynamic and highly rated wines and vineyard sites in all of California.
Nestled at the southern end of the growing region is the Santa Margarita Ranch. A location breathtaking in views, cattle ranching, and winemaking, that dates back to the 1700s when Franciscan Missionaries settled in the region.
Amanda Wittstrom Higgins and her husband, Sam, on their Cambria, California, cattle ranch. Photo by Ken Amorosano.
In modern day winemaking, it takes way more than a prowess for grape growing, harvesting, and bottling to make a successful wine. It takes a business acumen that involves much beyond the farming and harvesting of fruit. In order to be successful, it requires innovation, marketing, national distribution, unparalleled hospitality, teamwork, beautiful wines, and a deep knowledge of the land, regions, and all its possibilities.
It helps when your roots run deep in the region. It helps when you know the terrain firsthand, and in the case of Amanda Wittstrom Higgins, it helps to be a cowgirl.
The fourth generation Central Coast native’s family has been involved in agriculture and ranching since her grandfather, Waldo Carminati’s, parents immigrated from Italy. Waldo was raised on his family’s dairy farm and ran cattle nearly his entire life throughout the hardened and rough terrain of the Paso Robles region.
Amanda’s grandmother, Betty June Cass Carminati, is a direct descendent of Captain James Cass, a New Englander who established the coastal beach town of Cayucos in the 1870s.
Her parents, Karl, and Cindy Carminati Wittstrom, were also raised in the region and continue in the family tradition of and making a living from the land with a deep tie to horses and cattle. Karl says, “All I ever wanted to be was a cowboy, cowboys always stood up for what was right.”
It was only natural that Amanda’s love affair with agriculture and horses was nurtured at an early age.
Amanda and team roping partner, Courtney Burton. Photo by Ken Amorosano.
“I think the minute I could get on a horse is when I was riding,” Amanda remembers. “I can remember being put to bed at a late-night team roping in the back of my dad’s pickup truck. We always roped and had horses. Looking back, so much of what shaped me as a person and a business professional has really been horses and cattle, especially when dealing with the colts.”
“Each day, you just want a little bit of progress. Depending on the animal, you can ask for more or go slower. When you first start, you may want to pick up its feet, then perhaps load into the trailer. The first few times of something new is always a challenge, it’s slow and steady that wins the race. The secret is not giving up and to go at the pace the animal is comfortable with. Too much pressure can be disastrous and too little won’t yield results, it’s that perfect balance.”
Cattle branding was Amanda’s favorite activity growing up, in part because she got to hone her riding and roping skills. On the other hand, it gave her the opportunity to meet her neighbors and savor the close bonds and personal relationships so prevalent in the ranching and agricultural community.
Team Roping was a natural offshoot of the cattle work, and Amanda developed her skills as a competitive header, becoming more and more addicted to the sport as she matured as a horsewoman. She recalls how this fun family and community event shaped her as a businessperson.
“As a header, you are the first step in the success of your team. How you break out of the box, how you handle the cattle and set up your partner is what determines whether you win or lose. It’s very similar in life and in business relationships and leadership.”
With her entire life so far dedicated to ranching, it wasn’t until she graduated from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo that Amanda’s true passion and future agricultural career came into clear view. Her timing could not have been more precise, and her life-long love for the region, its terrain, and people, could not have made her more prepared.
In 2005, Amanda’s family joined forces with the Rossi and Filipponi families to create wines from their estate vineyard located on the group’s historic Santa Margarita Ranch. The historic cattle ranch spans nearly 14,000 acres with nearly 1,000 acres planted to grapes and 17 different varietals grown. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, this breathtaking site is known for diverse soils and a cool climate.
As part of this venture, the partnership created Ancient Peaks Winery which specializes in wines from the Estate Margarita Vineyard, the prominent varietal being Cabernet Sauvignon.
Left to Right: Santa Margarita Estate Vineyards; A bottle of Ancient Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon.
It was a dream come true for Amanda, who dove deep into the agricultural and viticultural business aspects of running a winery, eventually becoming the enterprise’s Executive Vice President, taking on the tasks as if she was born to do it. And she was.
Working with her partners in the areas of marketing, national distribution, distributor alliances, as well as direct to consumer programs, Amanda and her teammates successfully brought the brand to national recognition while Amanda became well versed and recognized in the world of wine production.
The Ancient Peaks Winery, and its tasting room and café, is a shining gem of the operation and is a true reflection of the passion that Amanda and her partners have for their products. Exuding character and a confidence in the wines they offer, the tasting room and café is nestled amongst the quaint shops along California’s historic El Camino Real at the center of Santa Margarita, the charismatic small town adjacent to the southern border of the ranch.
“My passion for agriculture and love for people and developing businesses and individuals in the workplace has really centered me on what I’m doing now,” says Amanda. “It’s been a dream to be part of this region and to be a voice to promote all of its possibilities.”
Through her tenure in the industry, Amanda has become a nationally recognized leader in the wine and viticulture industry, receiving recognition as a female executive succeeding in a business predominantly run by men.
In 2019, she was recognized as a Wine Enthusiast Top 40 Under 40 award honoree and a Social Visionary of the Year nominee at the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards. In 2020, she was selected Central Coast Wine Industry Person of the Year and was included in the SLO Tribune’s Top 20 Under 40 list.
Her passion for and deep knowledge of all aspects of the wine and spirits business, as well as a commitment to promoting the California Central Coast wine region worldwide, have established her as a key voice in the evolution of the American wine and spirits market.
In 2022, Amanda began a new chapter when she launched Full Cup Solutions, a full-service consulting firm for the agriculture and beverage industries whose businesses are seeking innovative strategy and long-term success.
“So often, in order to be successful, you have to master so many skills,” says Amanda. “You must be adept in social media, direct to consumer, events, HR, and creative thinking. It’s difficult for many businesses to have all those skillsets wrapped up in one small company.
“My idea was to come forward and bring a different level of skills and experiences to companies so that they could succeed in the world of agriculture and wine at any size.”
Members of Dream Big Darling: Macey Cox, Christine Wilson, Amanda Wittstrom Higgins, Abigail Lopez, and Lacie Johns.
In addition, Amanda continues to develop and nurture a project close to her heart, Dream Big Darling. In 2018, she founded the nonprofit dedicated to cultivating the next generation of women in the wine and spirit’s sector. Driven by Amanda and a team of successful women and men in the industry, the program is aimed at cultivating success within and lifting others to reach their full potential. The program includes leadership retreats, personalized coaching, education, tasting events, professional workshops, and networking.
“Dream Big Darling is an incredibly important part of who I am and something I’m very proud of,” Amanda reflects. “Its simple mission is to teach this next generation to dream bigger, truly believe anything is possible, connect them with a support system that helps them achieve those goals, and always lead with kindness.
“Darling is what my grandmother Betty called me. She was a huge inspiration in my life. When she passed away at 83, there were 600 people at her funeral. She was not a wealthy person, and she was not famous. But what I realized that day was that she touched so many people with kindness. That’s the legacy I want to leave for my children and my community. If we can succeed, we are going to make this world better for the generations that follow us.”
When not behind her desk, Amanda is in the saddle on her family’s cattle ranch and spending time with her cattle rancher husband Sam Higgins, and children Cooper and Cecilia.
“One of the things that’s most important to me is the preservation of agriculture and the Western lifestyle. My husband and I both raise our children in this environment and make sure that they understand and care for animals and embrace this Western way of life.
“I think that most people are dying for authenticity. Whether it’s Western lifestyle or perhaps something else, I think showing the next generation a peek behind the curtain of who you really are and not being manufactured is really important.”
See the article on the COWGIRL Magazine website.
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Full Cup Solutions is a full-service consulting firm owned and operated for the agriculture and beverage industries whose businesses are seeking innovative strategy, long-term success and greater accountability run by Amanda Wittstrom Higgins. Tapping a deep knowledge of sectors including marketing, sales, operations and employee development, as well as an insight on what motivates and attracts consumers and employees of all ages, the business is propelled by Amanda’s own core principles of crafting products with soul, enacting industry change, creating opportunity for others and honoring and understanding of the agricultural world.