Weird Wine Terms Defined

Wine tasting may be subjective, but there are some commonly used terms that seem a little out of place in everyday conversation. Here are our top five weird wine terms to get you up to speed and speaking like a sommelier:

Flabby:

No, they aren’t commenting on the arm holding the glass, but rather the lack of acidity and structure in a wine. Other ways to describe a ‘flabby’ wine are loose, soft, flat or lacking balance.

Hot:

This in no way refers to the temperature of the wine, but rather the level of alcohol. Wines that have a high percentage of alcohol are considered ‘hot’ because of the sensation that the alcohol leaves behind.

Minerality:

Imagine the smell of wet slate or a sidewalk after the rain, then imagine those characteristics translated into a flavor. We don’t recommend you licking the pavement, so take our word that the right amount of minerality is actually desirable and one of the hallmarks of impeccable Sauvignon Blanc.

Racy:

On the more scandalous side of wine terms, racy is the opposite of flabby. Wines with this descriptor are higher in acidity and offer bright, lively flavors.

Tight:

We’re not talking about how hard it is to get the cork out of the bottle, but rather a wine that isn’t quite ready to drink yet. A tight wine usually has very high tannins, which makes it hard to pick out any fruit flavors or aromas. While you can’t hold on to the opened bottle to let it age, it might be worth it to save another bottle to open again in a year or two.

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Meritage or Meritahhhge

In 1988, Dry Creek Vineyard and a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association (now The Meritage Alliance) to identify and promote handcrafted wines blended from the traditional “noble” Bordeaux varieties. Historically, most New World wines are labeled after the grape variety that comprises at least 75% of that wine. A label with “Cabernet Sauvignon,” for example, indicates that the wine is made from a minimum of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

Many winemakers, however, believe the varietal requirements do not necessarily result in the highest quality wine. The pioneers in this movement selected the term “Meritage” to identify wines that represent the highest form of the winemaker’s art – blending – and distinguish these wines from the more generic moniker, “red table wine.”

“Meritage,” pronounced like “heritage,” was selected from more than 6,000 entries in an international contest to name the new wine category. Meritage is an invented word that combines “merit” and “heritage” – reflecting the quality of the grapes and the ancient art of blending wine.

Over the years, the word “Meritage” has been widely adopted into the English lexicon. Housing developments, apartments, hotels, restaurants, financial firms and even car washes use “Meritage” in their names, and it is often used to describe a mixture of several things or something of unusually high quality.

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Fall Frittata - Butternut Squash, Kale, Bacon and Goat Cheese

Paired with 2016 Heritage Vines Zinfandel - Dry Creek Valley

A delicious and seasonal fall frittata made with butternut squash, kale, bacon and goat cheese paired perfectly with Dry Creek Vineyard 2016 Heritage Vines Zinfandel. Recipe inspiration from Coley Cooks.

Ingredients:

• 5 slices bacon, diced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 4 cups (loosely packed) raw kale, hard stems removed
• 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
• 8 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 4 oz goat cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season cubed squash with salt and pepper to taste, place on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until tender.
While the squash bakes, cook diced bacon in an oven-safe pan (cast iron is ideal). Cook for 5 minutes or until the bacon is a little crispy. Add shallots and cook 2-3 minutes or until translucent and just starting to brown. Next add kale with a splash of water and toss for a few minutes. Then cover with a lid and allow to steam for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove the lid and add the cooked squash until warmed thoroughly.
Crack the eggs in a bowl and whisk with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the vegetables and use a spatula to spread evenly. Crumble the goat cheese over the top, then place the pan in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until puffed up and golden on the outside. Check the inside by poking a toothpick in the center. If it’s still runny, place back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature with a glass of Dry Creek Vineyard Heritage Vines Zinfandel. Serves 6.

Click here for a downloadable recipe card.

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3 Things You Don't Know About Dry Creek Vineyard

Established in 1972 by David S. Stare, Dry Creek Vineyard is Dry Creek Valley’s flagship winery located in the heart of Sonoma County, California. Our premier, family-owned winery is celebrating 46 years of winemaking and is led by Dave’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace. After 46 years, a lot of stories have been told about our pioneering winery, but here are three things that only a true Dry Creek Vineyard fan would know:

1. We owe our first harvest to a stick of bubblegum.

The first harvest in 1972 was quickly approaching, but the winery had yet to be built. Dry Creek Vineyard Founder David Stare purchased four tanks and a press, and set them up at Cuvaison Winery in Calistoga, which at that time was owned by some good friends that he had met on his initial trip to California. Dave first purchased 6.5 tons of Chardonnay from Robert Young, which was delivered to Cuvaison since Dry Creek Vineyard hadn’t purchased its own truck yet. About halfway over to Calistoga, the truck radiator overheated, started leaking and eventually came to a stop. The fellow working for Dave at the time didn’t know what to do but he loved to chew bubblegum, so he filled the radiator with cool water, shoved his wad of gum in the hole to stop the leak, and the truck was able to limp over the hill and deliver the grapes. In a turn of irony, Dave later bought that same truck – after the radiator was fixed, of course.

2. We were almost talked out of being the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley.

Dave brought his love of Loire Valley white wine and in particular Sauvignon Blanc to the Dry Creek Valley to start his family winery. The Sonoma County Farm Advisor was adamantly opposed to Dave planting Sauvignon Blanc, which he deemed “inappropriate” to the region, and recommended that Dave plant Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Gamey Beaujolais on his property. As Dave says, “I was just bull-headed enough to do what I wanted to do,” so he planted the first Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley anyway, which is now considered to be the premier white varietal of the appellation.

3. We were the first winery to coin the term ‘Old Vines Zinfandel’.

Our family winery has had a long tradition of using old vine vineyards for the base of our Zinfandels. Back in the 80s, we had to combine the 1985 and 1986 vintages of Zinfandel but didn’t want to label the wine as a ‘non-vintage’, so we wanted to come up with a name that could speak to how special these ancient vines were. Gary Emmerich (who has worked for Dry Creek Vineyard for 41 years!) asked, “The vines are pretty old, so why don’t we call it old vines?” The term caught on within the wine industry and the rest is history!

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Sail Into Summer

Thank you to everyone who participated in our “Sale Into Summer” campaign! Our nautical themed point-of-sale materials were a great success and we love seeing Dry Creek Vineyard displays throughout the country. See below for some of our favorite displays, and send any additional photos to Director of Marketing & Communications Sara Rathbun at sarar@drycreekvineyard.com for a chance to be featured!

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Grilled Scallop Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette

Paired with 2017 Sauvignon Blanc - Dry Creek Valley

A refreshing summer salad perfectly paired with Dry Creek Vineyard 2017 Sauvignon Blanc – Dry Creek Valley.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound fresh bay scallops
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup Citrus Vinaigrette, divided (see below)
• 5 ounces red-leaf, lollo rosso, or butter lettuce
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced radishes
• Sea salt flakes
• 1 orange or tangerine, peeled and sectioned

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Soak sliced onion in ice water for 10 minutes; drain well. Place scallops, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, and toss until scallops are evenly coated. Grill the scallops until grill marks appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side (overcooking the scallops will make them tough and rubbery). Transfer scallops to a platter, and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the Citrus Vinaigrette. Toss together the lettuce, radishes, red onion, and remaining 1/4 cup Citrus Vinaigrette in a large bowl. Divide the salad among four plates, and top each salad with grilled scallops. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, and serve with orange segments. Serves 4.

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange or tangerine juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

Cook the peppercorns in a small skillet over medium, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool completely, about 5 minutes. Crush the toasted peppercorns. Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, tarragon, mustard, pinch of kosher salt, and crushed peppercorns in a medium bowl. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Click here for a downloadable recipe card.

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Sustainability Point-Of-Sale Materials

We are excited to bring back our sustainability point-of-sale campaign for select markets. Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for us – it’s our way of life! We have case stickers, snipes, shelftalkers, wildflower seed packet neckers and something new and special: a king-size display cork with our patented sustainability design!

Dry Creek Vineyard officially became 100% Certified Sustainable in 2015, though we have been employing many of these principles for over 25 years. Here are just a few examples of what we are doing to lessen our carbon footprint:

COVER CROPS:

Planting cover crops between the vines helps to rebuild the soil and creates an environment for beneficial insects. Provides erosion control and loosens the soil so that water can penetrate.

COMPOSTING:

Our composting practice includes all organic material generated from harvest. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers as well as improving quality of our soil.

WATER CONSERVATION:

Use of deficit irrigation has led to the virtual dry farming of some vineyards. Wherever possible our water systems are designed to capture flood water or runoff instead of using the underground water table.

BLUEBIRD HOUSES, BAT HOUSES, OWL BOXES & RAPTOR PERCHES:

Attracting bats and birds provides a natural control for pests such as insects, voles and gophers.

STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT:

Such as weather stations, neutron probes and leaf bombs enhance quality, reduce water consumption and maximize other viticultural practices.

SOLAR POWER:

In 2012, the winery began installation of solar panels. With solar energy now powering the daily energy needs of the winery, Dry Creek Vineyard’s “off grid” approach has taken another step in protecting and preserving our environment.

BEEKEEPING:

Enhances the eco-system for our vineyard.

FISH HABITAT RESTORATION:

Improving our fish and creek habitat means we can create an overall healthy ecosystem. Being a good steward of the land is critically important to us.

We hope that our sustainability campaign will resonate with our buyers and consumers and invite them for a closer look at Dry Creek Vineyard. Please contact your regional sales manager to find out if these point-of-sale materials are available in your area.

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Sail Into Summer Campaign

Our “Sail Into Summer” campaign will kick off on June 1 and run through August 31. Our nautical theme transcends the obvious and evokes the essence of summer and adventure! This is a natural fit for any summer themed BTG program or retail display.

Sail Into Summer themed point of sale materials will be front and center at many retailers and key accounts. This year’s POS design features more of a lifestyle approach to make the consumer feel as if they are on the boat! We have listened to feedback from the marketplace and are proud to present a large case sticker, a retail snipe, shelftalkers, nautical flags, burgees, corkscrews, display buoys and large sailboats.

Please contact your regional sales manager to inquire about receiving items in your market.

Happy Sailing!

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Valentine Varietals

Some of the world’s most popular grape varieties are the product of matchmaking! Whether the love connection was made intentionally or by accident, these famous children of the grape varietal world owe their success to their celebrity parents.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

America’s most popular grape was actually a happy accident! DNA evidence shows that Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between two other well-known grape varieties: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. The love birds most likely met in the 17th century when two adjacent vineyards containing the two parent varieties led to an accidental cross-contamination.

Merlot:

According to studies conducted by the University of California, Davis, the Merlot grape is related to Cabernet Franc and Carménère. Thanks to DNA, it is now thought that Merlot is a cross between Cabernet Franc and the obscure grape Magdeleine Noire des Charentes.

Pinotage:

The South African grape was an intentional crossing of Cinsault and Pinot Noir. It was first crossed in South Africa in 1925 when Abraham Perold observed how Pinot Noir struggled in South Africa’s climate, so he played matchmaker and crossed it with a very productive species: Cinsault (called Hermitage). The first time the name Pinotage appeared on a wine label was in 1961.

Syrah:

There are many theories surrounding the origin of Syrah, also known as Shiraz in Australia and South Africa, but DNA testing has proved that the grape is the result of a French love affair. It is the derivative of two esoteric grapes: a white varietal called Mondeuse Blanche, and a red varietal called Dureza.

Petite Sirah:

Petite Sirah (or Durif, the grape’s French name) was created by botanist Francois Durif in Montpellier, France around 1880. The grape is a cross between Syrah and the even more rare varietal, Peloursin. It was imported to America by Charles McIver in the mid-1880s where it got its new name: Petite Sirah.

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Cruise the Enchanting Rhine with Dry Creek Vineyard

April 29 – May 6, 2019

Amsterdam · Cologne · Rüdesheim · Mannheim · Strasbourg · Breisach · Basel

Join Dry Creek Vineyard owners Kim Stare Wallace and Don Wallace on an enchanting 7-night journey along the Rhine to magnificent cities and charming villages alike! Grand cities blend in perfect harmony with their historic past and progressive future in Cologne and Amsterdam. Explore France’s picturesque town of Strasbourg, home to exquisite Alsatian wines and possibly the oldest wine in the world.

Inspirational towns have given way to great stories, such as Heidelberg, where Mark Twain wrote “A Tramp Abroad.” Timeless traditions still remain intact – from the making of Cologne’s Kölsch beer to the making of Rüdelsheimer coffee. There is no better way to experience this journey than by combining the ease of moving through the region on an AmaWaterways river cruise along with the exquisite culinary experience onboard, creating a unique and exclusive experience!

Here is a closer look at this delicious adventure. We hope you will join us!

• 7 nights aboard the luxurious AmaKristina
• Regionally-inspired cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients
• Complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner, and even sparkling wine with breakfast
• Daily life-enriching tours with local guides
• Daily entertainment including cultural performances
• Free in-room internet
• Complimentary bicycles and guided bike tours

For more information, contact Expedia Cruise Ship Centers at 877-651-7447 or WineClub@CruiseShipCenters.com to reserve your space today!

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Seared Scallops with Brown Butter & Lemon Pan Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 Meyer lemons
• Small handful of chives, thinly sliced
• 12 large dry sea scallops
• Kosher salt
• Cayenne
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tsp, drained capers

Directions

Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring glass or small bowl, you should have ¼ cup of juice, remove any seeds and set aside. Thinly slice chives and place in a small bowl, set aside.

Pull side muscle off scallops, if needed; pat dry. Season lightly on both sides with salt, cayenne and pepper. Heat a large skillet, preferably stainless steel, over medium-high. Pour in oil to lightly coat surface (2-3 Tbsp); heat until it shimmers and you see first wisps of smoke. Swiftly place scallops into skillet, flat side down, don’t crowd work in two batches if necessary. Cook without touching, tossing or fussing until underside is deep golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Use a thin spatula or tongs to gently turnover, if they resist, cook another 30 seconds and try again.

Cook on second side until flesh a top and bottom looks opaque but there is still a faintly translucent strip in the middle, 1-2 minutes, depending on size. Transfer scallops to a plate. Pour off any oil in skillet and set over medium heat. Add butter and cook, swirling until butter foams, then browns, about 2 minutes. Add reserved lemon juice and energetically stir and swirl pan to emulsify sauce. Mix in capers and reserved chives and spoon pan sauce around and over scallops. Serves 4.

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Dry Creek Vineyard Announces New Sales Team

For Immediate Release

HEALDSBURG, Calif. – JANUARY 16, 2018 – Dry Creek Vineyard announces new hires in the creation of its dedicated sales team to strengthen the company’s vision, strategy and focus in the wholesale channel. This bold step is led by Dry Creek Vineyard President Kim Stare Wallace and Director of Sales John Doxon.

“We are delighted to welcome a number of talented new members to our winery family,” said Stare Wallace. “In a world of increasing consolidation, I am proud that Dry Creek Vineyard has remained one of the last truly private, family owned, iconic wineries consistently producing 90-plus point wines.”

The new hires include Thomas Bailey, National Accounts Director, Rocio Gonzalez, Regional Sales Director – South, Matt McCormack, Regional Sales Director – Midwest, and Kurt Spann, Regional Sales Director – Northeast. Joe Czesnakowicz has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager – West. Mike Eaker of Winery Associates will remain on board in the Mid-Atlantic.

• Thomas Bailey brings 11 years of experience as a Regional Sales Manager representing brands primarily based in the Pacific Northwest, having recently been the National Accounts / South Region Sales Manager for Owen Roe Winery.
• Joe Czesnakowicz joined Dry Creek Vineyard in 2011 after a successful career in the restaurant industry. His previous position with the winery was the Key Account Specialist for California.
• Rocio Gonzalez has over 20 years of combined sales, service and management experience within the wholesale wine and food and beverage industries. Most recently she was the Central Regional Sales Manager for Long Meadow Ranch Wine Estates.
• Matt McCormack first joined Dry Creek Vineyard in 2006 as a Midwest Divisional Manager. He later transitioned to V2 Wine Group in 2011 as the Midwest Regional Manager, increasing his scope with the additional brands that were also represented.
• Kurt Spann joins the sales team with 20 years of sales experience spread between wineries, importers and distributors, and most recently represented Peju Province Winery.

###

Contact:
Sara Rathbun
Director of Marketing & Communications
SaraR@drycreekvineyard.com
(707) 433-1000 x128

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2014 Old Vine Zinfandel – A Top 100 Wine!

Wine & Spirits

Our 2014 Old Vine Zinfandel has been selected as one of the ‘100 Best Wines of the Year’ by Wine & Spirits Magazine. This is just further proof that we are never satisfied to rest on our laurels and are committed to producing exceptional terroir-driven, varietal defining wines.

First coined by Dry Creek Vineyard in 1987, the term “Old Vine” has special meaning to our family winery. Back in the 80s, we had to combine the 1985 and 1986 vintages of Zinfandel, but didn’t want to label the wine as a ‘non-vintage’, so we wanted to come up with a name that could speak to how special these ancient vines were. Gary Emmerich (who still works for Dry Creek Vineyard!) asked, “The vines are pretty old, so why don’t we call it old vines?” The term caught on within the wine industry and the rest is history!

Although there is no legal definition, we define an old vine vineyard as having vines that average more than 50 years in age. For the 2014 bottling of our Old Vine Zinfandel, the vines are more than 95 years in age and in some cases, more than 110 years old! Old Vine Zinfandel vineyards remain the most prized and historic of all plantings in the Dry Creek Valley.

Click to find shelftalkers and flyers for this prestigious wine.

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#CAWineStrong

North Bay Fire Relief

Our very heavy hearts continue to go out to each and every one affected by the devastating wildfires in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, and Solano Counties. We are deeply appreciative of the selfless first responders who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe during this unprecedented disaster. We are so proud to be a part of such a loving, united community and have joined the #CAWineStrong effort to restore this beautiful place we call home.

Through the end of November, for every bottle of wine we sell in our tasting room we will donate $1 to fire relief.

All proceeds will be split among the following:

• Napa Valley Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund
• Community Foundation of Sonoma County’s Resilience Fund
• Community Foundation of Mendocino County Disaster Fund of Mendocino County

You can learn more about other wineries who are participating at www.cawinestrong.com.

Together we are #CAWineStrong.

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North Bay Fire Update

Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and messages during these devastating wildfires. We extend our greatest sympathy and thoughts to those who have suffered losses and remain threatened by this tragic event.

We are relieved to say that all of the members of our winery family are safe, as are our vineyards and our winery. Our hearts are breaking for those around us who have suffered a different fate. Some of our employees remain under evacuation orders, and we are sad to say that our founder and Kim’s father, David Stare, has lost his home.

Our winemaking team has been working diligently during this difficult time, and nearly all of our fruit had already been brought in before the fires began. We are very impressed with the quality of the 2017 vintage thus far and are extremely optimistic that there will be no adverse effects from the smoke.

We are deeply appreciative of the selfless first responders who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe during this unprecedented disaster. If you are looking for ways to help us rebuild our community and those affected by the fires, please visit: http://www.sonomacounty.com/fire.

We continue to monitor the ongoing situation, and due to the impact of the surrounding areas, shipments or communications may be delayed. We ask for your patience at this time and will do our best to keep you updated.

Sincerely,

The Dry Creek Vineyard Family

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2016 Dry Chenin Blanc – 91 Point Best Buy!

Our Dry Chenin Blanc has earned the coveted Wine Enthusiast “Best Buy” designation a staggering 12 times over the past 15 years, and the 2016 vintage received its highest rating ever of 91 points! This is just further proof that we are never satisfied to rest on our laurels and are committed to producing exceptional terroir-driven, varietal defining wines.

When David S. Stare started our family winery in 1972, his first vintage included a dry style of Chenin Blanc. 45 years later, we continue to honor the history and tradition of this incredible white wine. A 10-time winner at the Pacific Coast Oyster Competition, our Chenin Blanc forms the perfect pairing with fresh oysters. Often described as high on “the bliss factor” – it’s a match made in heaven.

Click here to find shelftalkers and flyers for this exquisite wine.

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Help Us Help You!

We want to send you point-of-sale materials that are effective and useful for you. Take our short survey to let us know how we can do that >> Click Here

1. What is the most useful type of POS that you use (i.e. shelftalker, case sticker)?

2. Do you ever use large display pieces (i.e. sailboats, Old Vines)?

3. What, if anything, would you change about our POS campaigns?

4. Please list your name, company and state.

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4 Things to Know About Old Vine Zinfandel

1. Dry Creek Vineyard was the first winery to coin the term ‘Old Vine Zinfandel’.

Our family winery has had a long tradition of using old vine vineyards for the base of our Zinfandels. Back in the 80s, we had to combine the 1985 and 1986 vintages of Zinfandel but didn’t want to label the wine as a ‘non-vintage’, so we wanted to come up with a name that could speak to how special these ancient vines were. Gary Emmerich (who still works for Dry Creek Vineyard!) asked, “The vines are pretty old, so why don’t we call it old vine?” The term caught on within the wine industry and the rest is history!

2. There is no legal definition of how old the vines need to be.

Although there is no legal definition, we define an old vine vineyard as having vines that average more than 50 years in age. For the 2014 vintage of our Old Vine Zinfandel, the vines are more than 95 years in age and in some cases, more than 120 years old!

3. Most of the old vines in the Dry Creek Valley were brought by Italian immigrants in the mid to late 1800s.

When European immigrants migrated to California in search of gold in the early 1850s, they brought indigenous vine cuttings with them in an effort to carry on their heritage. An era of experimentation began as they settled into their new surroundings and searched for which varietals would be successful.

4. There is probably more than just Zinfandel in your wine glass.

For centuries, farmers have produced wine by harvesting and fermenting the miscellaneous assortment of grapes that were planted in their fields. This tradition of “field blends” lives on today, though it is becoming increasingly rare to find a vineyard planted in this old-world style.
Field blend vineyards are planted with multiple varietals, in a seemingly random way. This means that a Zinfandel vine might be planted right in between a Petite Sirah vine and a Carignane vine. The whole field is picked at one time, and all of the grapes are fermented together for a wine that is truly created in the vineyard. Many of our old vine vineyards are field blends of primarily Zinfandel, with additional vines of Petite Sirah, Carignane, Grenache and other unique varietals.

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5th Consecutive Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence

Dry Creek Vineyard is honored to have received the prestigious 2017 TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence for the fifth consecutive year! This recognition is awarded to establishments that regularly exceed customer expectations and recognizes true excellence within the hospitality industry.

Our family winery is proud to be consistently ranked as the #1 “Thing To Do” in Healdsburg. With over 500 reviews by travelers, we make it a priority to read every comment and implement new procedures based on customer feedback.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest gratitude to our many valued guests who have visited, tasted and shared their positive experience on TripAdvisor®. Thank you!

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2017 Sail Into Summer Campaign

Our “Sail Into Summer” campaign will kick off on June 1 and run through August 31. Our nautical theme transcends the obvious and evokes the essence of summer and adventure! This is a natural fit for any summer themed BTG program or retail display.

Sail Into Summer themed point of sale materials will be front and center at many retailers and key accounts. This year’s POS design features one of our most recognizable paintings from our Heritage Vines Zinfandel. We have listened to feedback from the marketplace and are proud to present two sizes of case stickers, shelftalkers, nautical flags, burgees, corkscrews and special clothing items featuring “The Mariner”.

Please contact your V2 Wine Group representative to inquire about receiving items in your market.

We love seeing your displays in the marketplace, so please post your pictures to Instagram and tag Dry Creek Vineyard or use #drycreekvineyard. Happy Sailing!

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DCV in Wine Spectator

We are proud to be featured in the May 31^st issue of Wine Spectator! James Laube dedicated his entire one-page, monthly column to Dry Creek Vineyard and how second generation owners Kim Stare Wallace and her husband Don are ‘Keeping The Dream Alive”.

When Don and Kim officially took the helm of our famiy winery in 2006, they put into place their vision of producing terroir-driven, appellation-focused, varietal-defining wines. For more than a decade, they have been firmly committed to a “no compromises” philosophy, and shifted the winemaking practices and vineyard management to maximize flavors and reflect the Dry Creek Valley. Basically, in a world where things are getting faster and bigger, Dry Creek Vineyard is taking a smaller and slower approach.

Dry Creek Vineyard is one of the last truly private, family-owned iconic wineries consistently producing 90-point wines. We are thrilled that James Laube and Wine Spectator wanted to share our story, and we hope you will pick up the May 31^st issue and read it for yourselves.

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Budbreak in the Vineyards

After a very long and wet winter and spring, the vineyards are waking up from their dormancy. During the winter, the bare vines have been pruned to preserve the shape of the vine and determine the number of buds that will bear fruit for the coming vintage.

Little flecks of green spread throughout the vineyard to signal the start of the annual growth season. The soil begins to warm around this time of year, and osmotic forces push water up from the root system, containing organic acids, hormones, minerals and sugars. The tiny buds that are left behind during pruning begin to swell and sprout green shoots, and eventually grape leaves with miniature grape clusters.

The timing of bud break holds considerable importance. If budbreak occurs too early, the young shoots may be vulnerable to frost damage during spring. However, if budbreak occurs too late, the grapes may not have enough time to fully ripen before harvest. It typically happens between mid-March and mid-April, depending on how cold the winter has been and the amount of rainfall that has occurred during the winter months.

All in all, bud break is a hopeful event. It marks the beginning of a season of growth, and the beginning of the new vintage for our family winery.

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2017 Sustainability Campaign

We are excited to introduce our Sustainability point-of-sale campaign for select markets. Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for us – it’s our way of life, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to share that story in the marketplace. We will have case wraps, case stickers, shelftalkers and something new and special: bottle neckers with a wildflower seed packet attached. It is a fresh and new concept for Dry Creek Vineyard, and we can’t wait to see how you bring it to life in the market.

Dry Creek Vineyard officially became 100% Certified Sustainable in 2015, though we have been employing many of these principles for over 25 years. Here are just a few examples of what we are doing to lessen our carbon footprint:

• SOLAR POWER: In 2012, the winery began installation of solar panels. With solar energy now powering the daily energy needs of the winery, Dry Creek Vineyard’s “off grid” approach has taken another step in protecting and preserving our environment.
• WATER CONSERVATION: We use high pressure, low flow devices for cleaning our tanks and barrels.
• CELLAR LIGHTING: We use lower energy lighting in our production areas and motion sensors limit when lighting is used.
• MINIMAL PRODUCTION WASTE: We recycle all organic waste materials from the conversion of grapes to wine.
• RECYCLING: We recycle everything we can, including glass and cardboard.
• GREEN TEAM: Meets regularly to evaluate existing work and devise solutions to ecologically challenging problems.
• INSECTARY GARDEN & VINEYARD WALK: Our insectary garden and self-guided vineyard walk is designed to educate visitors on sustainability and our healthy ecosystem.
• COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Through our public relations and local efforts, we educate the community and our industry on what we are doing to rebuild our eco-system and reduce our impact on the environment.
• CAR CHARGING STATION: We support drivers of eco-friendly cars by offering a car charging
  station in the car park.

We hope that our Sustainability campaign will resonate with our buyers and consumers and invite them for a closer look at Dry Creek Vineyard. Please contact your V2 Sales Rep to find out if these point-of-sale materials are available in your area.

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2017 Sonoma County Barrel Auction

On April 21, 2017, over 250 of the nation’s top wine trade and media will gather for the third annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction at Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa, CA, to compete over one-of-a-kind Sonoma County wines. Presented by Sonoma County Vintners, the live auction will offer “never before, and never again” wines evaluated in a blind tasting by a panel of Master Sommeliers, each crafted by Sonoma County growers and vintners in lots of five, 10 or 20 cases. The wines will not be found in the market, except by the wine seller who secures the unique lot bearing the official Sonoma County Barrel Auction label.

The two-day festivities begin Thursday, April 20 with preview events hosted by Sonoma County AVA Associations and an invitation-only VIP trade and media event. The live auction will take place on Friday, April 21. Attendees are licensed wine sellers, including retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers, invited personally by participating wineries. For more information or to request a ticket, visit sonomawine.com/barrelauction or contact: sommelier@fullcirclewinesolutions.com.

To commemorate our shared history, Dry Creek Vineyard and Rochioli Vineyards and Winery have partnered to create a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc from two historic plantings. Sourced from two of the most iconic vineyards in Sonoma County, this incredible blend of Rochioli Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc and Dry Creek Vineyard DCV3 Sauvignon Blanc celebrates 45 years of family winemaking for Dry Creek Vineyard, and honors the longstanding relationship between the Rochioli and Stare Wallace families.

Joe Rochioli, Sr. and his son Joe Jr. first planted Sauvignon Blanc in 1959 in the Russian River Valley, which at the time was a strange new white varietal that was used mainly for blends. Today, these same vines are still in production and considered some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in California. Further north, newcomer David S. Stare was the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley in 1972, in a vineyard subsequently named “DCV3”. While Stare waited for his young vineyard to develop, he sought out Sauvignon Blanc from the Rochioli family for the inaugural 1972 vintage of Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc – the first Sauvignon Blanc to be labeled as such from Sonoma County.

This lot represents an integral piece of history for Sonoma County grape-growing and winemaking, combining the original Rochioli Vineyard Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc with Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Musqué clones from the pivotal DCV3 parcel of Dry Creek Vineyard. This exclusive offering was created especially for this occasion to honor Dry Creek Vineyard’s 45 years of winemaking, and is only available in this one-time auction lot.

We hope to see you there!

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Love Thy Neighbor

This year marks 45 years of family winemaking for Dry Creek Vineyard and we have a lot of news to share! We are sending out new releases and reviews every week via email, so please make sure that all of the members on your team are receiving our winery news.

Please contact Sara Rathbun at SaraR@drycreekvineyard.com or sign up at the bottom of this page to update your email information or add a co-worker to our Tradewinds newsletter list.

For more winery news and behind-the-scenes action, make sure that you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We are posting videos, giving updates and telling stories about the people that make Dry Creek Vineyard the ‘real deal’.

We love to see what you are up to as well! Tag us in your photos or use our hashtags: #drycreekvineyard or #teamdrycreek to share your favorite moments with Dry Creek Vineyard wines.

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2015 Heritage Vines Zinfandel Is Shipping!

At long last! The 2015 vintage of Heritage Vines Zinfandel is available and tasting beautifully! After being sold out for the past six months, we can finally breathe a sigh of relief as we pass it from our hands to yours. This delicious wine has received 90+ point accolades from Wine Spectator for the past five consecutive years, so get your placements and orders in now, before it is sold out again!

Click here for the New Release Flyer

Winemaker Comments:

The 2015 Heritage Vines Zinfandel is delicious and beautifully balanced. This vintage presents enticing aromatics of raspberries, cherry and a hint of toast and black pepper. On the palate, brambly flavors of ripe boysenberry and spicy dark chocolate come forward. The wine is complex, with bright acidity complimented by notes of berry syrup and mocha. The tannins are silky and smooth to lend a round, rich mouthfeel. From start to finish, this remarkable wine offers refreshing acidity paired with excellent structure.

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Winery Update: Blending and Bottling Blancs

Harvest may be over at Dry Creek Vineyard, but our winemaking team remains busy. Leading up to the holidays, we have bottled our 45^th vintage of Dry Chenin Blanc (now shipping!), and we are creating final blends and preparing to bottle our 45^th vintages of Sauvignon Blanc, and Fumé Blanc.

We are incredibly proud to be the only domestic producer to bottle 45 consecutive vintages of Dry Chenin Blanc. To create this ultimate oyster wine, the components are separated into 13 different vessels by pick dates, vineyard blocks, yeasts, etc. Small amounts of various lots are put together and evaluated by taste, aroma and color to create the perfect combination. After the final blend is approved, we replicate it on a larger scale to prepare for bottling and test for heat stability and cold stability. All this is done in an effort to ensure that your Dry Chenin Blanc is the best that it can be when you open and taste it.

For more winery news and behind-the-scenes action, make sure that you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We are posting videos, giving updates and telling stories about the people that make Dry Creek Vineyard the ‘real deal’.

We love to see what you are up to as well! Tag us in your photos or use our hashtags: #drycreekvineyard or #teamdrycreek to share your favorite moments with Dry Creek Vineyard wines.

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2016 Accolade Cheat Sheet

Although we consistently receive 90+ point scores, we are still incredibly thankful for each and every one! This year was particularly notable, as we received multiple 90+ point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

One quote stood out in particular for our 2013 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon:

“Dry Creek certainly seems to give an earthiness to its wines, much like Graves does in Pessac-Léognan.”

Wow – it doesn’t get much better than that!

In case you missed the impressive range of accolades that we received in 2016, here is your cheat sheet:

Top 100 Best Wines of Sonoma – Sonoma Magazine

2015 Dry Chenin Blanc – Best Buy, Wine Enthusiast

2015 Fumé Blanc – 90 points, Top 100 Best Buys, Wine Enthusiast

2015 Sauvignon Blanc – 91 points, Wine Enthusiast

2014 DCV Estate Block 10 Chardonnay – 90 points, Wine Enthusiast

2014 Heritage Vines Zinfandel – 90 points, Smart Buy, Wine Spectator

2013 Old Vine Zinfandel – 93 points, Wine Enthusiast

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – 91 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

2013 The Mariner – 90 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

2013 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon – 93 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

2013 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon – 91 points, Wine Spectator

2013 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon – 91 points, Wine Enthusiast

We are sending out flyers and shelftalkers every week, so please be sure that we are added to your “safe senders” list in your inbox.

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2013 Cabernet New Release – 91 Points

Our 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is set to release any day now, and it has already garnered rave reviews! This vintage was rated 91 points by Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate saying, “This serious Cabernet Sauvignon showcases just how good Cabernet can be from Dry Creek” – wow! The Dry Creek Valley is an undiscovered gem, producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in California. Primarily known for Zinfandel, our home appellation actually has nearly as many acres planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Our region’s unique terroir provides just the right growing conditions.

Much of the Cabernet grown in our appellation is planted on sharply terraced hillside vineyards on the western slopes of the valley. The iron rich soils of the Dry Creek Valley are low in vigor and rocky, creating a stressed environment in which to grow grapes. A perfect microclimate with long days of vibrant sunshine and cool foggy evenings allows for exquisitely ripened Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  Bright cherry fruit framed by floral and spice elements create a wine that speaks to the distinctive soil and growing conditions of our appellation.

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Behind the Scenes at DCV

Have you ever wondered what we are up to all day while you are out on the road selling Dry Creek Vineyard wines? We have stepped up our game with social media to provide you a unique insight to a day in the life at DCV! Check to make sure that you are following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for all of the latest news and behind-the-scenes action at the winery. We are posting videos, giving vineyard updates and telling stories about the people that make Dry Creek Vineyard the ‘real deal’.

We would love to see what you are up to as well! Tag us in your photos or use our hashtags: #drycreekvineyard or #teamdrycreek to share your ‘day in the life’ story.

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Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Wrap-Up

Our America’s Cup World Series Incentive was a hit and we have you to thank for it! Developed especially for our key partners and Midwest distributors, the ‘fast start’ program made a big impact on shipments and depletions. We spent an incredible weekend with the winners in Chicago, Illinois, where we viewed the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series yachting regatta right on the water. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we were so thrilled to share our passion for the exhilarating sport of sailing with the winners!

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Dry Creek Vineyard Selected as the Official Wine of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series New York & Chicago

Our winery was selected by the America’s Cup Event Authority as the Official Wine of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series events in New York and Chicago. The New York event (May 7 & 8) was a great success and our wines were served exclusively in all hospitality lounges and on spectator boats, alongside other beverage sponsors including Moët & Chandon, Gosling’s Rum and Toast Vodka. We are looking forward to the Chicago events on June 11 and 12.

Our support of sailing is not new, and we have been involved in sponsoring and partnering with regattas and teams for almost 40 years. The America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport, and is considered the pinnacle of world-class yacht racing. The series is made up of several dynamic yachting regattas that challenge the best sailors in the world in both match and fleet racing skills. The regattas will play a part in determining the seeding of the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers in Bermuda in 2017.

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Mariner Club Incentive

The Mariner Club, our popular incentive for OND is coming this Fall!

As many of you know The Mariner Club provides the chance to win prizes tied to sales volume for October through December sales. Incentives include a trip to visit our winery in California, as well as participate in a Meritage blending challenge, go sailing on San Francisco Bay, participate in vineyard tours, cooking competitions and more. Winners will be determined by sales volume across three tiers, Captain, Admiral and Ambassador. Stay tuned for more information on how to qualify for this great prize.

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Wine for Sailors Campaign

Our “Wine for Sailors” campaign will kick off on June 1 and run through August 31. Summer is of course a great time to highlight our sailing theme and showcase wines that are ideal for hot summer days. Wine for Sailors themed Point of Sale materials are shipping and will be front and center at many retailers and key accounts. This year’s POS design features a fresh new look with an original painting of the yacht Endeavour to attract consumer attention and generate excitement around our wines. POS displays will also feature The Endeavour, a limited edition custom sailboat model, as well as case wraps, stickers, shelf talkers, burgee, flags and corkscrews.

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2015 Year in Review - Looking Ahead to 2016

If we were writing a book about 2015 at Dry Creek Vineyard, the title might read: No Compromises: Raising the Bar of Excellence. This mantra has permeated every facet of our family winery culture. This vision begins at the top with President and second generation owner, Kim Stare Wallace. In her hundreds of presentations this year a singular message has risen to the top. Dry Creek Vineyard is producing world-class wines that rival the best in California and a new bar has been set for winemaking excellence with a “no compromises philosophy.”

The list and range of accolades received in 2015 is impressive:
Top 100 Winery of 2015 – Wine & Spirits Magazine
2014 Chenin Blanc – 90 points, #19 Top 100 Best Buys for 2015 – Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2014 Sauvignon Blanc – 90 points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2013 Estate Block 10 Chardonnay, 90 points, Wine Spectator
2013 Heritage Vines Zinfandel, 90 points, Wine Spectator
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, 91 points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2012 Mariner, 92 points, Cellar Selection, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2012 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, 90 points, Wine Spectator

Some other notable activity in 2015 included the hiring of John Doxon as our Global Sales Director. John brings a wealth of knowledge and fine wine skill to the position. He is a welcome addition to our senior leadership team! Our 2015 Wine for Sailors campaign was a huge hit once again this summer with many excellent displays built across the country. New packaging, Sustainability Certification, Trip Advisor Awards and much more created a lot of energy and buzz around the property.

2016 brings forward many exciting opportunities. To start the year, Dry Creek Vineyard will be one of the featured wineries for the Sonoma County tent in the Super Bowl 50 fan village in San Francisco. During the first week of February, on five of the eight days, Dry Creek Vineyard wines will be poured in the fan village exposing our brand to an expected audience of well over 1 million people! Later this year, we are looking forward to the possibility of having Dry Creek Vineyard wines poured at America’s Cup World Series events in Chicago and New York. We look forward to yet another exciting year for Dry Creek Vineyard wines!

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Mariner Club Incentive

The 2015 Mariner Club incentive is in the home stretch. For participating markets, the Mariner Club is a unique incentive that gives winners the opportunity to be a part of our Mariner Wine Club for 2016. A wine club membership at Dry Creek Vineyard provides many special wines including our single vineyard selections made available only to wine club members. In addition to the opportunity to win a Coravin Wine Preservation System and a DCV Mariner Club membership, we have also put together a Grand Prize incentive for selected markets.

The top performer will earn an all expenses paid trip to California to experience our first ever Mariner Club Winners Circle. Scheduled for the first weekend of March 2016, The Mariner Winners Circle includes a phenomenal line up of sailing, dinners, an Iron Chef competition and sight seeing in both Healdsburg and San Francisco. Please inquire with John Doxon, Global Sales Director about Mariner Incentive specifics in your market johnd@drycreekvineyard.com.

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Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery for 2015

Team DCV has been putting in the work! From our vineyards to the cellar, we have meticulously gone through every aspect of our operation with a singular goal: Craft world-class wines that are true to the varietal and define their appellation. This hard work is finally getting acknowledged by our peers.

This past October, we were thrilled to learn that Dry Creek Vineyard was awarded one of Wine & Spirits Magazine’s Top 100 Wineries in the World for 2015!

For more than 40 years, we have dedicated ourselves to producing wines of superior quality – focused on the incredible diversity that comprise our 185 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. Everyone at our family winery can feel proud in sharing this award. We believe it takes a village to craft outstanding wines of distinction. From our vineyard and winemaking crew to our incredible hospitality team, we raise a glass and say thank you to everyone who continues to share in our success.

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Harvest 2015

The obvious question people want to know is – how is the drought affecting the grapes? For us, we are quite fortunate. Our wells and irrigation ponds have kept us in good shape throughout the growing season. Most of our vineyards are dry-farmed. We practice deficit irrigation, watering only when probes in the soil tell us it’s absolutely necessary. It’s just one more way in which we practice sustainable winegrowing. The growing season has been warm and glorious with several heat spikes. The grapes have ripened evenly and flavor and development are right where we want them to be. That being said, yields appear to be down from the previous few years. This is not surprising after three huge harvests in a row – the vines appear to be saying “we’re tired”. Quality is still extremely high and hope rings eternal for a smooth harvest season. Weather pundits continue to predict an El Niño event on par with ‘97-‘98 which would certainly help to recharge the ground water and empty reservoirs. That remains to be seen, but all fingers and toes are crossed for a very wet winter – after harvest season of course (and just to be prepared, we are in the middle of re-roofing the entire winery)!

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Super Bowl 50 and Sonoma County

It’s a historic, once-in-a-generation partnership. Sonoma County is proud to be the Official Destination Partner for the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee. The 50th Anniversary of the Super Bowl is descending on the San Francisco Bay Area in February 2016. The NFL is billing Super Bowl 50 as the biggest sporting event in human history – an event on the grandest scale with the entire world watching. And Sonoma County wines will be right in the middle of this incredible event. Our wines will certainly play a role in this historic occasion. For now, let’s raise a glass and celebrate Sonoma County and Super Bowl 50!

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Wine for Sailors 2015

Now in its third year, our summer Wine for Sailors campaign has grown in its scope and size. The feedback from the marketplace has been tremendous with displays going up across the country featuring our beautiful sailboats and point-of-sale materials. Below is a small snapshot of just some of the striking displays our partners have sent us.

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Dry Creek Vineyard: A Certified California Sustainable Vineyard & Winery

In our ever growing commitment to a sustainable business model, we are excited to announce that all 185 acres of our estate vineyards have now been Certified Sustainable. This news comes on the heels of the winery receiving the same certification in the Fall of 2014. It’s great news for DCV. As a leader in the sustainable movement for more than 25 years, it has been Don Wallace’s ongoing vision for the winery as well as for the wine industry as a whole. The good news is that being Certified Sustainable for both our Winery and Vineyard operations doesn’t end our commitment – in fact, this is just the beginning. Part of having a sustainable business mindset is that we are constantly looking for ways to lower our footprint and improve the overall health and well-being of our employees, community and the world at large. We love and appreciate this holistic approach to life.

We look forward to sharing future updates with our continued improvements in this journey.

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New 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Packaging

Authenticity is one of the key pillars to our brand story. As Kim Stare Wallace says, “We are the real deal. Our story is not fabricated – we live our story every day”. With competition at an all time high in our industry, being true to our wines, our vineyards and the terrior of our region is even more important than ever before. To that end, we are excited to launch two newly designed packages for our Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

You will notice that we have gone to a more technical look and feel on the front label. This is important for several reasons. First, these wines are handcrafted and express a sense of place. We put tremendous time and energy into every aspect of the wine – from the vineyard through to the bottle. Second, including this information gives wine buyers a chance to see and read exactly how the wine is made. We want our constituents to know that we are not hiding anything and that we are being true and authentic to the quality of wine we are putting in the bottle. And finally, these new labels tell a great story about Dry Creek Vineyard. We have worked tirelessly for more than a decade to refine and enhance our wine quality. All aspects of our process of have been meticulously looked at and reviewed. These new labels capture that level of refinement and detail.

We hope you enjoy these wines and that they will resonate with your customers in the marketplace.

Happy selling!

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Wine for Sailors Summer Promotion

When you think of Dry Creek Vineyard, it’s hard not to first think about our iconic sailboat labels. Since we debuted a sailboat on our wine label in 1982, our labels have captured the imagination of sailors and landlubbers alike. After all, we are the ONLY winery with a sailboat on our wine label. Historically, our roots run deep in the sailing community. We have sponsored countless regattas, supported an “Around Alone” 37,000 mile solo circumnavigation campaign and developed a line of wines in the early 2000s to celebrate the America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. Our commitment to the sailing community is as authentic as our wines.

We are excited to launch our 2015 Wine for Sailors campaign. We’ve had great buy-in from our distributor partners around the country. The point-of-sale materials have been updated this year with a new design and color scheme. The very popular sailboat models continue to be in high demand. They make stunning display pieces as evidenced by the incredible displays we saw last year:

We look forward to another successful 2015 Wine for Sailors campaign. If you need additional materials or have questions, please feel free to reach out for the winery by emailing Amber in the Marketing department at amberc@drycreekvineyard.com.

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2014 Harvest Update

With harvest now over but with plenty left to do, we caught up with Winemaker, Tim Bell in the cellar. Tim gave us his thoughts on the 2014 harvest. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation.

“Overall, I am very pleased with the quality of 2014 wines so far. The weather cooperated nicely for the most part. Harvest kicked off on August 12, making this one of the earliest starts in quite some time. I would say we were 7-10 days ahead of where we usually are, and reached a steady flow of fruit into the winery much earlier than normal. In fact, we expected to start harvest even earlier, but the fact that ripening in Sauvignon Blanc proceeded more slowly than expected in this early season was a clue that crop size was going to be larger than normal. Pre-harvest expectations had been that the drought might lower yields. We did not see this come true in Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc or the Bordeaux red varieties. Only Zinfandel crop size was lower than normal this year. Two interesting observations I made were that flavors in Sauvignon Blanc seemed to be peaking earlier than normal this year, relative to sugar ripening. The other interesting observation was that Cabernet Sauvignon wines took longer in the fermenters to develop the desired depth of body and color this year. I was concerned early on about the quality of Cab, but it turned out that I just needed to be more patient, and to continue working the cap longer into fermentations this year to achieve good color and structure. Harvest came to a close on October 11. This was 7-8 days earlier than the previous two harvests. It was a fast and furious pace and the crew worked hard to keep up. I’m proud of what we did this year!”

Thanks Tim!

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90 Point Rock Stars

Our lineup of fantastic Zinfandels has certainly been on a roll of late in the wine press. The scores, especially from the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, are impressive. Even more exciting is the track record vintage after vintage. We continue our passionate pursuit to produce delicious wines that define the varietal and speak to our home appellation. It’s gratifying to receive this tremendous acknowledgement of the hard work we have put into our vineyards and cellar.

Heritage Vines Zinfandel:
2010 Heritage Vines Zinfandel – 90 points, Wine Spectator
2011 Heritage Vines Zinfandel, 92 points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast
2012 Heritage Vines Zinfandel, 90 points, Wine Spectator

Old Vine Zinfandel
2009 Old Vine Zinfandel – 91 points, Wine Enthusiast
2011 Old Vine Zinfandel – 90 points, Robert Parker
2012 Old Vine Zinfandel – 91 points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast

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Sustainable Farming

Growing in Harmony with Nature by Don Wallace, Partner

These days, sustainability is a common buzzword in the Dry Creek Valley and beyond. For growers and consumers alike, it’s a good thing that living a sustainable life is a part of our daily lexicon. By adopting more environmentally responsible farming and business practices, we up the odds of survival for our irreplaceable Planet Earth.

Now that Dry Creek Vineyard has officially been recognized as a Certified California Sustainable Winery, it’s important that we educate both consumers and the trade on what it means to be sustainable. At its core, the 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. To put it another way, sustainability is not the destination, sustainability is the journey. Dry Creek Vineyard offers a microcosmic example of this theory. Because we are vitally concerned that our children, Taylor and Spencer, have the choice of following in our footsteps here, we must focus on the long term health of our winery and vineyards and help raise community awareness about the concept of sustainability.

An all encompassing ideal, having a sustainable business is reflected in all aspects of our winery including:
• Cover crops
• Raptor perches
• Deficit irrigation
• Hi-tech pest control using a computerized monitoring station
• Riparian habitat management
• Bat houses
• Barn owl habitat
• Solar power
• Insectary garden and educational vineyard walk
• Fish habitat restoration project

As a result of our commitment to environmental issues, we are deeply involved in determining future sustainable farming policies. Along with other wine industry leaders, we are working to develop clear and realistic guidelines to help our growers embrace the principles of sustainable agriculture. All of us at Dry Creek Vineyard believe it’s important to be good stewards of the land. Our upfront commitment to sustainable farming may be costly and time consuming. But in the long term, it is what’s good for the land and all humankind.

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Dry Creek Vineyard Achieves Certified California Sustainable Winery Designation

Building upon a foundation first established by winery partner Don Wallace in the 1980s, Dry Creek Vineyard has received official recognition as a Certified California Sustainable Winery.

“Dry Creek Vineyard has long been one of Sonoma County’s pioneering wineries,” said Karissa Kruse, President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers.  “Sonoma County’s winegrowers and vintners put a bold stake in the ground to become the nation’s first 100% sustainable wine region by 2019 and we’re proud that one of our storied, nationally-recognized wineries is leading by example.”

The path toward sustainability at Dry Creek Vineyard began more than 20 years ago with winery partner Don Wallace.  Early on, Don recognized the need to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint through more earth friendly vineyard practices.  “I am proud of what we have accomplished at the winery,” says Don.  “From solar power for energy needs, to our comprehensive recycling programs and water reduction plans, this has been a true team effort by all of the winery employees.”

Commenting on the winery’s achievement, Allison Jordan, Executive Director for the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance says that sustainability is an ongoing process that is constantly evolving over time.  “Certification is a great achievement, requiring a company to not only conduct an annual evaluation of their operations and to meet prerequisites, but also to determine a set of goals based on their region, operation and other factors.  Therefore they can focus their resources on the practices that will make the most difference for their company, the environment and the community, while continually improving year after year.”

President Kim Stare Wallace has seen the results of the winery’s sustainable business practices firsthand. “As a lifelong resident of the Dry Creek Valley, it’s so gratifying to witness improved health and harmony of wildlife and plant life in our region. There’s definitely been a shift that we can attribute to our sustainable farming practices. Don and I have the same vision – leave the winery in a better place for our children and the next generation.”

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2014 Harvest Fair Selects David Stare for his Lifetime Contribution to the Sonoma County Wine Industry

The 2014 Harvest Fair will honor David Stare, founder and owner of Dry Creek Vineyard, for his Lifetime Contribution to the Sonoma County Wine Industry at a September Awards Ceremony. Few people have had as significant an impact on the quality and variety of the wines produced in Sonoma County as David Stare. And few have been as vocal and persistent in spreading the word about the wines being made in the county, putting the region on the global map for world-class wines.

“I was the first who started beating the bushes,” says Stare, “talking about how great Sonoma County wines are and raising awareness of our wines throughout the States and in Europe.” In many ways, Stare is a pioneer. He came west in the late 1960s with little more than a dream, a solid work ethic and determination. He graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and worked for the B&O Railroad for several years, but quickly realized that his true calling was in the wine industry. Inspired by his trips to the Loire Valley in France, Stare’s original plan was to move to France to build his own French chateau. However, after reading about the burgeoning wine industry in California, he knew that coming west to start his winery was the right move to make.

The annual awards ceremony and dinner will be held September 28 at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. The celebration will be open to the public with tickets available at harvestfair.org starting August 18.

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New Release - DCV Estate Block 10 Chardonnay

Chardonnay has had a circuitous route here at Dry Creek Vineyard. In the early days, Dave Stare produced just a small amount from the famed Robert Young vineyard. Then, as the winery grew, so did production. By the late 1990s, we were producing over 30,000 cases of Sonoma County Chardonnay. As the second generation took over the reins of the business, one program we knew needed attention was Chardonnay. In 2003, production was cut to a mere 7,500 cases with all of the grapes coming from the Russian River Valley. Then in 2008, we produced a single vineyard version called Foggy Oaks, dropping the production yet again to 3,500 cases.

With the release of the DCV Estate Block 10, we are now producing just 1,250 cases of Chardonnay from 30 vine rows at the far northeast corner of the vineyard. The 2012 DCV Estate Block 10 Chardonnay continues our aim of producing small lot wines, focused on vineyard and terroir and most importantly, of the highest quality possible. It has taken us almost 15 years to isolate this section of the vineyard which, year in and year out, represents our best Chardonnay. The well draining soils and lower fertility zones provide us fruit that is bright in acid with a well-rounded flavor profile. The rest of the grapes are sold to other well-known producers.

It’s an exciting time at Dry Creek Vineyard. We hope you enjoy this wine and recognize the hard work and effort that have gone into realizing this dream come true.

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New Crush Equipment

Christmas came early for the winemaking team.

This past summer, we made significant investments in our crush pad and crush equipment – all in the name of quality. It was no small task. Concrete was removed, drains and new lines were installed. There was a lot of sweat equity involved. Most recently, the fancy (and shiny) new equipment arrived to be installed. A new Puleo destemmer and must pump, along with a redesigned conveyor system, is up and running. These new tools will allow the winemaking team to do even more sorting prior to the fruit going into the press.

Ultimately, the entire system is going to raise the quality of our wines across the board. Yes, harvest is here. But new equipment makes it much easier to think about those long 12 hour days!

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