Winemaking

Dry Creek Vineyard never hesitates to credit the Loire Valley as a primary source of inspiration. The winery’s love affair with the Sauvignon Blanc grape began when founder David Stare traveled through the vineyards of France. Dave was beguiled by the classic wines of the Loire region, and he vowed to produce wines fashioned after the refreshingly grassy and herbaceous Sancerres and subtle Pouilly Fumés. Today, the winery is also well known for it’s zesty Chenin Blanc, well balanced Chardonnay’s, delicious Zinfandels and full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Meritage wines.

		Meet Our Winemaking Team! William Knuttel brings a broad range of practical and artistic winemaking talent to Dry Creek Vineyard. Bill, who began as winemaker in July 2003, joins an established family winery committed to quality with great estate vineyards and long-term contracts with highly regarded local growers. Read more
		Fumé Blanc Pioneer Our Sonoma County Fumé Blanc signature remains a bold and grassy style that never strays from the varietal’s inherently appealing characteristics. As the first winery to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley, David Stare’s vision to make wines modeled after those of the Loire Valley in France still influence our winemaking decisions today. For example, in order to preserve the fresh citrus and grapefruit characters, stainless steel fermentation is used for each of our Fumé Blanc bottlings. Read more
		Zinfandel Specialist Zinfandel may be California’s most distinguished contribution to the world of fine wine. Just as Pinot Noir is synonymous with Burgundy, Zinfandel is most at home in Dry Creek Valley. We produce five distinctive bottlings of this varietal: Heritage Zinfandel, Old Vine Zinfandel, Somers Ranch Zinfandel, Beeson Ranch Zinfandel and Late Harvest Zinfandel. Read more
		Bordeaux In The Dry Creek Valley Dry Creek Valley may well be California’s undiscovered Cabernet country. Well known for its Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley actually has more acreage of Cabernet Sauvignon planted than any other varietal. A little known fact is that the Cabernet Sauvignon grown here has contributed significantly to the blends of many well known Cabernets from the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. In addition, the unique terroir of Dry Creek Valley contributes greatly to the flavor profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Read more
		Russian River Chardonnay – A Case Study In Transformation There is a good reason Chardonnay is often called the king of white wines—more of it is produced than any other variety in North America. Few places on the continent can produce Chardonnay better than the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California. This cool, fog abundant region is consistently recognized for producing some of the world’s best Chardonnay. Not only is the climate ideally suited for this delicate grape, but the diverse array of soils and passionate local growers contribute to the increase in both quantity and quality of Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. Read more
		Clarksburg Dry Chenin Blanc – A Loire Valley Inspiration Chenin Blanc is arguably the most versatile of all wine grape varieties. Throughout its history, the style of Chenin Blanc has varied dramatically, depending on the part of the world where it is made. Our Chenin Blanc has always been crisp and dry, although Chenin has been known to morph into light sparkling wines, into long-lived nectar-like dessert wines, and even into brandies. Read more