January 23, 2010

For the past decade, we have proudly sponsored the Screen Actors Guild Awards®, an exclusive A-list Hollywood event that brings together the finest actors in film and television.  During the show, our wines are served at each dinner table along with several tasting bars situated around the Shrine Auditorium.  In recognition of our 10-year milestone, we bottled a wine exclusively for the show.  This special Cuvée was designed to symbolize our support and friendship with SAG as well as our friends in Hollywood.
 

The 10th Anniversary SAG Awards Cuvée was produced from the 2007 vintage and bottled in 1.5L magnums.  This artful composition was carefully selected from a handful of our finest estate vineyards and grower partners.  Each of the components, 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, add depth, richness and complexity to the wine.  This particular blend aged for 20 months in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. Fifty-five cases of the Cuvée have been produced, of which approximately 20 cases will be offered to the public beginning on Friday, January 8, 2010.   The retail price will be $125 per bottle.

A handful of bottles will be available for sale through our tasting room only.  You may call our tasting room at 800-864-9463 seven days a week between 10:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. to place your order.

Due to the limited nature of this wine, we will only be able to ship to the following states: AK, CA, CO, DC, FL, HI, ID, IA, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, ND, OR, SC, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY.

We invite you to tune into the show on Saturday, January 23, 2010.  You can watch live on TNT and TBS on at 8 pm ET/PT, 7 pm CT, 6 pm MT, and visit:  www.theredcarpetwine.com.

December, 2009

With the harvest season officially behind us, we now have time to give the vineyard our full and undivided attention.  Winter is a very important time for us in the vineyard.  Much of what we do now will ultimately affect the quality of fruit we receive during harvest.   One area of vital importance is pruning.
 

Pruning is the process of cutting back the long shoots from the vine, leaving the bud that will ultimately produce next year’s crop.  This skill takes years to learn and only a select group of vineyard workers are chosen for this important work.  The pruning season happens after the vines have slipped into dormancy.  In addition to pruning work, the soil is also cared for.  In our vineyards, we plant a nutrient rich cover crop in between each vine row.  This is a sustainable way of adding important nutrients back in to the soil which has been stressed during the long growing season.   Ultimately, this careful cultivation in the vineyard paves the way for a successful harvest.

Our cellar is another area we do not overlook during the winter months.  Much of our cleaning and sanitation work happens this time of year.   Hoses, tanks and equipment are all washed and completely overhauled after the heavy use during harvest.  We also spend a lot time in our barrel room, cleaning and prepping barrels for more wine.  The bottling line receives maintenance and cleaning, as we ramp up for bottling starting in January.  In the wine business, like most, there’s no rest for the weary as it is truly a fulltime, 12 month cycle.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Our 2009 annual Holiday Open House was truly our best yet.  Over 400 guests from as far away as North Carolina joined us for a memorable afternoon of wine tasting, food, shopping and camaraderie in our cellar and tasting room.
 

This year, the theme was “Wine Country Rustic.”  In the cellar, guests tasted several terrific age-worthy wines including our estate Fumé Blanc DCV3 and premier blend, The Mariner. Everyone enjoyed the delicious appetizers of country pate, Pt. Reyes blue tartlets, and stuffed mushrooms.  Wine club members were treated to a special “Club only” lounge area, where a wonderful charcuterie plate was enjoyed along with club member wines.  Kids were also able to enjoy the atmosphere with an arts and crafts table and warm apple cider.

The entire experience was highlighted by the Sonoma County Bach Society, who shared the wonderful sounds of the holidays with all of our guests.

In the end, the day was filled with terrific memories for all who attended.  As always, we truly appreciate everyone who joined us and encourage our friends, club members and fans to mark your calendars for next year – November 27, 2010.

New You Tube Video

Harvest 2009 has been a whirlwind!  Following a long and moderate growing season, this year's harvest was anything but predictable.  In mid-September we experienced an unusually cool weekend of chilly wet weather that had several growers scampering to shield their grapes from the rain.  Thankfully for us, most of the rain served to give our vineyards a much needed drink of water.  The following two weeks were extremely busy with all of our white grapes harvested in a very compressed timeframe.  After that came Zinfandel and several of our Bordeaux varieties, such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Malbec.   For the most part, Mother Nature cooperated – that is until Tuesday, October 13.
 

Some folks called it a gully washer.  Others said it was like a monsoon out of no where – almost subtropical, Hawaii-like.  Well, whatever it was, it was CRAZY!  In a 12 hour period at the winery, we received a whopping 4.1 inches of rain.  Consider that we haven’t experienced a deluge like that in the month of October in more than 30 years and well, it was anything but expected.  The following days were warm and humid creating the perfect conditions for grape rot.  We have to say how fortunate we were that almost all of our grapes were in the barn.  And how sorry we felt for those who had not yet picked their fruit.  What a mess! 

In terms of quality, our grapes looked really good across the board.  Sauvignon Blanc yields were slightly up, Cabernet Sauvignon was slightly down.  Overall, the harvest tonnage was about average.  We’re excited to see what this vintage brings.  Stay tuned as we report back from another frenzied and chaotic harvest season.      View the video

September 12 - 13, 2009

For the fourth year in a row, Dry Creek Vineyard was the Official Wine Sponsor of the MS Waves to Wine bike race, where more than 2,000 riders took to the highways in support of finding a cure for Multiple Sclerosis.
 

The 2009 Waves to Wine bike race, was held on September 12 and 13, estimated to raise $1.5 million for critical Multiple Sclerosis research and vital programs and services in Northern California.  Cyclists participating in the fully-supported, two-day event came together to lend their support to more than 20,000 Northern Californians living with the disease. 

More than 2,000 riders, all of whom have raised $350 or more for MS, cruised scenic roads from San Francisco to Healdsburg.  Winding through the heart of the wine country, the route culminated at Lake Sonoma at the end of Dry Creek Road.  As riders cross the finish line, they received a hero’s welcome complete with a celebratory feast, entertainment and prizes.  

“Every week, more than 200 new people are diagnosed with MS.  This disease affects nearly everyone directly or indirectly, and we are committed to raising as much money as we can to make a difference in how MS is treated and hopefully one day, cured,” says Sam McIlraith, Director of Development for the Northern California Chapter of the National MS Society. “We’re proud to have Dry Creek Vineyard as our official wine sponsor.  Their wines will be a wonderful addition to our Saturday night program as well as the various venues throughout the tour.  We’re grateful for their support.”

“Dry Creek Vineyard is committed to help fight MS,” says winery owner, Kim Stare Wallace.  “My sister was afflicted with the disease at the age of 30, so I have first hand experience with the debilitating effects of MS.  We’re doing everything we can to support the MS Society in their efforts to find a cure.”

Exciting New Direction

 
Sauvignon Blanc is the heart and soul of our family winery.  For nearly 40 years we have been wholeheartedly committed to this delicious varietal.  Join us on our exciting new journey. 
  

We have released an exciting new Sauvignon Blanc from the Dry Creek Valley appellation. For those people familiar with our wines, since 1972 we have made Sauvignon Blanc, choosing instead to call the wine Fumé Blanc.  Our Fumé, modeled after the dry white wines of the Loire Valley region in France, put our family winery on the world wine map. To the credit of founder David Stare, we were also the first winery to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley all of those years ago.
 
This new wine is the last great step taken by the second generation affirming our passion to produce Dry Creek Valley appellation wines.  Food friendly and immediately approachable this delicious summertime quaffer appeals to both new wine drinkers as well as the traditional Fumé Blanc customer.    

The 2008 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing, crisp, and expressive of the unique terroir of each of the individual vineyards that comprise this wine.   We blended in 6% Sauvignon Musqué (a unique clone of Sauvignon Blanc) to give the wine additional depth and complexity without using oak or other winemaking techniques.  Effusive aromas of guava, white peach, and melon abound.   On the palate, intensely flavored stone fruit characters repeat the tropical fruit theme of this delicious wine. To purchase the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, please visit our online store.

Preservation of Old Vine Vineyards

 
Rising up from the dirt like gnarled old tree stumps, old vine vineyard’s dot the valley’s landscape.  These plantings pay homage to a rich history, weaving a 150-year-old story of a place first settled by Italian immigrants.   This history, coupled with our passion for Zinfandel, played a central role in our decision to continue the tradition of old vine, head prune vineyards with the replanting of part of our original 55-acre property - an old school Zinfandel vineyard.
  

With the arrival of Spring 2009, we are excited to announce that 4.3 acres in front of our winery will become an experimental vineyard - three unique clonal selections of Zinfandel grafted onto St. George rootstock.  Each vine will be given a wide berth – 8 feet by 8 feet.  The first step will be to plant the actual rootstock.  If you happen to visit the winery this Spring or Summer, it will look like we are growing milk cartons in front of the winery. After the roots take hold, the next step is to “graft in” the different Zinfandel selections – this will probably happen in the Fall after harvest.  The process of “grafting in” is very precise.  A small incision is made in each new vine and budwood is implanted and then wrapped with a piece of tape to hold it in place. 

The preservation of these old vine vineyards is, in our estimation, vitally important to maintaining the Dry Creek Valley’s unique character and charm.   Our vision is that in 3 to 4 years time, once the vines have matured, we will be able to run trials and experiment with the different selections of Zinfandel – perhaps even make a different wine from each.  We’re really not sure what to expect, which adds to the excitement and experimental nature of this vineyard. 

Be sure to check back for more details and photos later this year!

Hollywood’s A-List will enjoy some of our finest wines

 
We are proud to announce that, for the ninth consecutive year, our wines were chosen as the official wines of the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®.
  

The 2009 SAG Awards will air Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 8 p.m. EST/PST, 7 p.m. CST, 6 p.m. MST, and will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. Several of our top wines will be featured, including the 2004 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that consistently scores 90 points and above.  More than 1,200 guests will enjoy Dry Creek Vineyard wines throughout the evening, including two fully stocked tasting bars and various wines on each of table during dinner and the awards show.

Once again, Vice President Kim Stare Wallace will be on hand to rub elbows with the Hollywood elite while introducing them to our wines.  As Kim always says – “It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!”

2006 Heritage Zinfandel

 
December, 2008 — On Monday, November 24, The Today Show featured our 2006 Heritage Zinfandel as a perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving table. Click to view the video!.
  

White Wine Sweepstakes Award Winner!

 
October, 2008 — After three days of swirling, sniffing and sipping, 25 judges at this year’s Sonoma County Harvest Fair awarded our 2007 Fumé Blanc the Sweepstakes Award as the best white wine of the competition.
  

Needless to say, all of us are on cloud nine! For some perspective, overall there were 1,051 Sonoma County wines submitted into this year’s competition, which was a record number of entries.  This is the first time in our winery’s history (that’s 36 loooong years) to have won a Sweepstakes Award at the Harvest Fair.

As many of you may know, winery  founder   David   Stare   pioneered the varietal in 1972 when he planted Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley – the very first vintner to do so.  Ever since, Sauvignon Blanc (Fumé Blanc) has been the driving force at our winery. 

We are honored and humbled to win this prestigious award.  To receive this type of recognition from our peers makes us realize exactly why we are in this business – to produce and share great wines with our family and friends!

Lisa Bishop-Forbes Promoted to Winemaker

 
On September 5, 2008, after four years as Associate Winemaker, Dry Creek Vineyard announced the appointment of Lisa Bishop-Forbes to Winemaker.  Bill Knuttel, who joined Dry Creek Vineyard in 2003, will continue in a new role as Executive Winemaker.  In another restructuring move, the winery is also pleased to announce that Nova Perrill has joined the team as Assistant Winemaker.
 

Dry Creek Vineyard President, Don Wallace said, “We are extremely grateful to Bill for helping take our wines to the next level.  I am very confident that Lisa and Nova will build on the foundation that is now in place.”  Bishop-Forbes assumes day-to-day responsibility for the wines at Dry Creek Vineyard.  Prior to joining Dry Creek Vineyard, Lisa was Assistant Winemaker at Chalk Hill Estate and before that, Enologist at Joseph Phelps Vineyard in the Napa Valley.  Lisa brings more than 20 years of winemaking experience to the cellar.  Nova Perrill joins the winemaking team after four years as Assistant Winemaker and Viticulturist at Mount Eden Vineyards.

Family to donate $1 for every bottle of Fumé Blanc sold at the winery and online

 
August, 2008 — The Dry Creek Vineyard family announced today that it will donate $1 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for every bottle of 2006 Fumé Blanc sold either in the winery tasting room or online store.   The promotion will run from August 15^th through September 14^th in support of the Northern California Chapter’s largest annual fundraising event – Bike MS: Waves to Wine Ride 2008, which will be held September 13^th and 14^th.  Dry Creek Vineyard is the official wine sponsor of the ride.
  

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, Waves to Wine is estimated to raise $1.5 million for critical multiple sclerosis research and vital programs and services.  Cyclists participating in the fully-supported, two-day event will come together to commemorate the anniversary and lend their support to more than 20,000 Northern Californians living with the disease. 

“Every week, more than 200 new people are diagnosed with MS.  This disease affects nearly everyone directly or indirectly, and we are committed to raising as much money as we can to make a difference in how MS is treated and hopefully one day, cured,” says Liz Bernstein, Development Manager of the Northern California Chapter of the National MS Society. “We’re proud to have Dry Creek Vineyard as our official wine sponsor,” says Bernstein.  “Their wines will be a wonderful addition to our Saturday night program as well as the various venues throughout the tour.  We’re grateful for their support.”

More than 1,500 riders, all of whom have raised $350 or more for MS, will cruise scenic roads from San Francisco to Healdsburg.  Winding through the heart of the wine country, the route will culminate at Lake Sonoma at the end of Dry Creek Road.  As riders cross the finish line, they will receive a hero’s welcome complete with a celebratory feast, entertainment and prizes.

“Dry Creek Vineyard is committed to help fight MS,” says winery owner, Kim Stare Wallace.  “My sister was afflicted with the disease at the age of 30, so I have first hand experience with the debilitating effects of MS.  We’re doing everything we can to support the MS Society in their efforts to find a cure.

Kim Wallace elected chairman of the Meritage Association

 
July 29, 2008 — The Meritage Association, a wine industry organization dedicated to promoting wines blended in the tradition of Bordeaux, announced today the election of a new slate of officers. Assuming the role of Chairman through April 2009 is Kim Stare Wallace, Vice President of Dry Creek Vineyard. Also elected was Lee Nordland, Estate Manager at Icon Estates, as Treasurer. Stephanie Trotter-Zacharia, General Manager of Casa Nuestra Winery, was named Secretary.
  

Now entering its 20th year, The Meritage Association is reshaping its marketing and public relations initiatives through the development of a marketing task force committee. "This committee was put in place to review the association's marketing and PR efforts in the hopes of developing fresh, creative ideas that will drive our organization forward," says newly elected Chairman, Kim Stare Wallace. "Our hope is to grow the Meritage concept through consumer tastings and increased awareness in both the trade and press. We want Meritage to be a household name."

The Meritage Association was formed in 1988 to promote wines blended in the tradition of Bordeaux. David Stare, Wallace’s father and the founder of Dry Creek Vineyard, was instrumental in organizing the association and his winery was one of the first to release a Meritage wine (from the 1985 vintage).   With the Meritage concept gaining international acceptance, the organization has grown to more than 200 members in the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, Argentina, France and Mexico.

For more information on The Meritage Association, please visit www.meritagewine.org.

Is Fumé Blanc Age-Worthy?
 

July 2008 — To help answer the question, a panel was assembled that included some of the wine industry’s most respected writers, authors, and educators.  On hand were Dan Berger, Vintage Experiences, Leslie Sbrocco, internationally acclaimed author, consultant and speaker, Sara Schneider, Wine Editor at Sunset Magazine, Linda Murphy, Decanter Magazine, Virginie Boone, wine writer at the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, and Ziggy “The Wine Gal” Eschliman, wine radio personality and consultant. 
  

Moderated by second generation winery owners, Don and Kim Wallace, along with winemaker, Lisa Bishop Forbes a total of 19 wines were tasted in two separate flights.  The first flight consisted of the winery’s Sonoma County Fumé Blancs from the past three decades: 1973, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1989, 1992, 1998, 2002, and 2007.  The second flight consisted of a 10-year vertical of the winery’s acclaimed Estate Fumé Blanc DCV3, a wine which author Paul Lukacs called one of the “great Sauvignon Blancs in America” in his book, The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages. While developing a consensus was tricky, the overall notion was that Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc is an age-worthy wine.  “When made with the proper pH and balance, Sauvignon Blanc (Fumé Blanc) can age extremely well,” noted Dan Berger.  
 

Perhaps it was Linda Murphy who summed it up best.  “When wines are made like these, there’s no doubt in my mind that Fumé Blanc can age extremely well.  It’s a testament to the winemaking skill at Dry Creek Vineyard over the years – I mean, how often can you taste a 30-year-old white wine, made in California, that still has several years of life left in it?” 
 

Winemaker's art form reaches a new milestone
 

January 2008 — Since our founding in 1972, blending varietals to achieve depth and richness in our red wines has been at the heart of our winery.  Starting in the 1980s, winery founder David Stare joined together with a group of American vintners in an effort to give definition to these “New World” Bordeaux style blends.
  

From this initial concept, the term Meritage was born.  Since the 1985 vintage, we have used the phrase Meritage to describe our premier Bordeaux style blends, incorporating the noble Bordeaux varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. 

In January 2008, the Meritage Association began a year-long celebration of the phenomenal growth of Meritage during the past two decades.   As part of the celebration, the association has launched a global campaign to get the word out about Meritage, creating educational materials, tools and opportunities intended to help broaden awareness of these exceptional wines.

Hollywood’s A-List enjoys some of Sonoma County’s finest wines
 

January 2008 — For the eighth consecutive year, Dry Creek Vineyard wines were chosen as the official wines of the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®   The 2008 SAG Awards show was simulcast live on TNT and TBS from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 8 p.m. EST/PST, 7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain.  In addition, this was the 75th Anniversary of the Screen Actors Guild, the nation’s largest union representing working actors.
 

This year’s show featured several of the winery’s top wines, including the 2003 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, which recently received 90 points in Wine Spectator Magazine.  More than 1,100 guests enjoyed Dry Creek Vineyard wines throughout the evening, including 86 tables for dinner and two fully stocked wine tasting bars.  Over 500 bottles of wine were served, featuring the 2006 Fumé Blanc - Sonoma County, 2005 Chardonnay - Russian River Valley, 2005 Merlot - Dry Creek Valley and 2003 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon - Dry Creek Valley.

Hob-nobbing with the Hollywood A-list was second generation winery proprietor, Kim Stare Wallace.  “People really enjoyed our wines during the show and we had some nice media coverage for the winery.  It was a win-win for everyone – and besides, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!”

A great time was had by all
 

December 2007 – On Saturday, November 24, 2007, we held our annual Holiday Open House. What a turnout! Over 650 people joined us for delicious wines, fabulous food and artisan cheeses by local "cheesemonger," John Raymond. Our tasting room and cellar was beautifully decorated for the holiday season and a live jazz trio contributed to the cheerful nature of the day.
  

Families and friends from the Bay Area, as well as other relatives from across the country, sipped and shopped the afternoon away. Kids had juice and cookies and enjoyed a surprise visit by our special Santa, none other than winery founder, David Stare! Kim Stare Wallace and daughter, Taylor, greeted guests with a warm smile and a glass of our Dry Chenin Blanc.

Even if you missed our Holiday Open House, we invite you to join us this holiday season for some sipping and shopping. We have a wonderful array of gift giving ideas including wine gift sets, holiday table decorations, clothing, wine jewelry and much, much more! What better way to shop than with a glass of wine in hand? Tasting room hours are 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

A fast start leads to a long finish
 

October 2007 – A fast and furious start – that was the beginning to the 2007 Harvest season. As winemaker Bill Knuttel put it, "by the time Labor Day weekend had ended, our entire crop of Chenin Blanc along with 2/3 of our Sauvignon Blanc was already in the barn!"
  

Harvest time in wine country is an exciting time for everyone in the wine industry. The future prospects of a great vintage keep people buzzing and add extra energy to the Dry Creek Valley. Grape trucks, harvest equipment, and round the clock activity add to the organized chaos.

This season, the fast start to harvest was not necessarily a bad thing. For our Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, the fruit was excellent with superb flavors and ample sugar levels. Each of these varietals should be terrific this year with tremendous acidity and balance. During this warm period, we also had some bits and pieces of Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Merlot arrive at the winery, which was slightly early. However, as more temperate weather arrived many varieties slowed their ripening pace and came back to a more normal schedule.

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Introducing our new proprietary blend
 

September 2007 – It’s an exciting time at Dry Creek Vineyard. For 35 years, we have dedicated ourselves to producing high quality wines that define their varietal category.

Five years ago, Dry Creek Vineyard reached a crossroad. Competition in the wine industry had exploded with new brands, from all parts of the globe, entering the American market almost daily. It was evident that we needed to restructure our business to meet this new reality. Fortunately, we were able to recruit a highly skilled winemaking team that would allow us to produce the kind of wines we wanted to make. One objective that came forth from our planning sessions with winemaking was our desire to create a new Meritage blend and give it a proprietary name. Perhaps one of our biggest strengths is our knowledge of the unique terroir of the Dry Creek Valley. That is, our experience with Dry Creek Valley’s soil, climate, and vineyard diversity allows us to choose the best fruit from the best vineyards. The essence of that knowledge is how The Mariner came to fruition.

As our (then new) winemaking team got to know our winery, it was apparent that a new blend could be realized with some changes in our cellar and vineyards.

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Growing in Harmony with Nature
 

July 2007 – These days, "sustainability" is a common buzzword in Dry Creek Valley, and beyond.  For growers and consumers alike, this is a good thing. By adopting more environmentally responsible farming and business practices, we up the odds of survival for our irreplaceable Planet Earth.
  

The essence of the growing sustainability movement rests on the principle that we must find new ways to satisfy our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Our desire is to leave the land to our children in better shape than how we found it.
 
To that end, our winery embraces a more earth-friendly approach to vineyard management called integrated crop management. This style of farming employs numerous nature-based strategies to deal with pests and other viticultural issues. To find out more about our sustainable farming practices and specific techniques that we are currently utilizing, please click here.

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Dry Creek Vineyard tops the "bliss factor" list
 

May 2, 2007 – For the 6th year in a row, and now 8 out of 13 competitions, Dry Creek Vineyard’s Dry Chenin Blanc (2006 vintage) has once again tickled the fancy of 37 oyster-loving food and wine writers, restaurateurs, oyster growers, and oyster lovers at large, at the 2007 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. In addition, the winery’s 2005 Fumé Blanc was also selected as a Top 10 wine, making an appearance for the first time in this illustrious group of wines. "We’re thrilled to have two wines make the Top 10 this year," said winery proprietor Kim Stare Wallace. "Being recognized as an oyster award winner will result in immediate and substantial sales benefits. I couldn’t be happier."
  

The process to find the right match is a rigorous one. First, 185 wines are tasted in a preliminary judging to narrow the contenders to 35 semifinalists and then 20 finalists. Panels of 12 to 13 judges in three cities – Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, then taste the 20 finalists. Each wine is tasted blind with a Kumamoto oyster and judges are asked to rate the "bliss factor," the wine’s affinity for the oyster. In the end, 10 equal winners are selected in the only wine competition to judge a wine by how it goes with food.

Since 1972, Dry Creek Vineyard has produced Fumé Blanc as part of founder David Stare’s vision to bring "a little bit of the Loire Valley" to the Dry Creek Valley.  As the

first producer to plant Sauvignon Blanc vines in the Dry Creek Valley, Dave was instrumental in establishing the Dry Creek Valley as a recognized AVA in 1983. Over the years, grapes for the winery’s Chenin Blanc have come from many different locations around California. However, in 1992, the family finally found a permanent source for its Chenin Blanc – the Clarksburg region of the Sacramento Delta. With fertile soils and the proper heating and cooling cycles, Clarksburg is quickly becoming a recognized and well respected winegrowing region.

Dry Creek Vineyard Featured at the
2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards®

Seventh year as the official wine of the SAG Awards®

Dry Creek Vineyard Scores Big in Wine Enthusiast!
 

November, 2006.  In the November 15, 2006 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Dry Creek Vineyard’s 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2003 Old Vine Zinfandel received glowing reviews.  California wine editor, Steve Heimoff, had this to say about these wines:
 

2003 Old Vine Zinfandel,  Sonoma County - "The primary source of this Zin is from Dry Creek Valley. It’s rare to find this quality and quantity of upfront fruit in a Zin that’s so balanced, but here it is. Just delicious."

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley - "Dry Creek Vineyard keeps turning out the most drinkable, delicious Cabernets, at such a good price, and hardly anyone notices. Why? Because it’s not from Napa. A sophisticated wine."