Dry Creek Vineyard, after conducting an exhausting search for a new winemaker, has announced that William (Bill) Knuttel will start as winemaker, Monday, July 21, 2003. Knuttel comes to Dry Creek Vineyard from Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards and Winery, where he was winemaker for the last seven years. Before working at Chalk Hill, Knuttel was winemaker at Saintsbury for 13 years, where he was highly respected for his superlative Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.

Dry Creek Vineyard General Manager and Partner, Don Wallace said, “We’re very excited to have Bill join the team.” Knuttel replaces Jeff McBride, who left in March to become a General Manager for Stimson Lane at their Napa Valley facility. “Bill and Jeff both make great wine,” states Wallace. “Now we’re ready for Bill to continue and extend the great winemaking that has come to define Dry Creek Vineyard.”

A native of Philadelphia, Bill moved to California as a teenager. He graduated from California Polytechnic University, Pomona, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering in 1976. After a brief career in the chemical industry, he decided to pursue wine, something that had been of great interest, and accepted a scholarship in 1981 from the University of California, Davis. After pursuing a Master of Science in Enology at Davis, he started his wine industry career at Saintsbury in 1983.

Established in 1972, Dry Creek Vineyard was the first new winery established in Dry Creek Valley following Prohibition. Dry Creek Vineyard is recognized for varietal-defining Fumé Blanc and Zinfandel. In addition to these flagship wines, the winery also produces Chardonnay, Dry Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Meritage. Still a true family winery, our mission remains to raise the standard of winemaking excellence in this prestigious area of Sonoma County.