Ashanta Wines
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Country of Origin: USA
Location: Sebastopol
People: Chenoa Ashton-Lewis & Will Basanta, Owners & Winemakers
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
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A Legacy Rooted in Resilience
Ashanta Wines was born out of heartbreak and heritage. In 2017, the Nuns Fire devastated Chenoa Ashton-Lewis’ family vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, destroying 80% of the vines, her grandparents’ home, and decades of memories. Not long after, Chenoa’s beloved grandfather, Stephen Ashton—who had farmed and made wine there for over 50 years—passed away. Driven by grief and a deep desire to honor his memory, Chenoa found herself reconnecting with a winemaking legacy that stretched all the way back to Stephen’s grandfather, a winemaker in Sicily. Alongside her partner Will Basanta, she set out to turn this loss into something meaningful.
From the Ashes, New Growth Emerges
By 2019, the future of Ashton Vineyard hung in uncertainty, as Chenoa’s grandmother Justine was unsure if she wanted to replant the vines lost to the fire. During a visit to the fire-scarred vineyard that year, Chenoa and Will discovered something extraordinary: new vines sprouting from the roots of the burned 52-year-old plants, as if nature itself refused to give up. Inspired by this resilience, the pair painstakingly walked row by row, identifying and staking each new shoot. By early summer, 160 vines that were once seemingly dead had been reclaimed and were bearing clusters of grapes. These shoots produced the fruit for Ashanta’s first wine: a co-fermentation of Pinot Noir and Syrah, crafted from the vineyard’s organic vines planted by Chenoa’s grandparents in the early 1970s. A single barrel of this wine aged for eight months in a tent on the family property—a humble yet symbolic start.
Although Justine Ashton and other family members chose to revive the Ashton Vineyard wine label, Chenoa and Will remained resolute in building their own path forward. Guided by Stephen’s memory, mentorship from natural winemaker Tony Coturri, and their passion for storytelling, they began creating wines that capture the beauty of resilience and regeneration.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
From their first small harvest of 300 cases to sourcing grapes across California’s diverse vineyards, Ashanta Wines has evolved into a vibrant celebration of history, creativity, and place. Chenoa and Will are writing a bold new chapter in their family’s winemaking legacy while honoring Stephen Ashton’s memory and his Sicilian roots. Committed to zero:zero, traditional winemaking practices, Ashanta crafts a full range of bespoke wines—from multi-fruit co-ferments, pét-nats, and skin-contact whites to field blends and elegant California reds. The fruit is sourced from organically or biodynamically vineyards and all ferments are native. At times, Chenoa and Basanta even forage for wild fruit in both wilderness and urban landscapes, further weaving innovation into their story of transformation and resilience.
Social Media
Instagram: @zaazzzii, @willbasanta
