The News
Star - Find 'Hidden Gems' of Wine Country
Dry Creek
Vineyard Tasting Room & Gardens Featured
"For years this column has mentioned
the "hidden gems" that can be found
in the wonderful world of wine.
There are many great bargain wines
available to those that are willing
to take the time to seek them out
and keep an open mind in shopping
for new and exciting offerings.
The same holds true for those that
are touring the wine country of
California. There are many great
well-known wineries lining the roads
and lanes that wind through the
mountains and valleys of Napa.
Sonoma offers as
many — if not more — wineries to
visit, but the names are not as well
known. Instead of
driving past
strings
of wineries that sell
well-known,
well-respected wines as you
will do in Napa, the
adjacent county of Sonoma
will give you the
opportunity to find the
hidden gems of winery tours
and tasting rooms.
I have been fond
of the offerings created at Dry
Creek Vineyard for years. I first
tasted their wines in the mid-1980s.
By that time the creations at Dry
Creek Vineyard were in about their
10th year of release. I remember the
wines as being good back then, and I
have seen them get better and better
every vintage..."
We have a big selection
of gifts this year to satisfy even the most
discriminating wine lover on your list.
Each feature award-winning Dry
Creek Vineyard wines. We have elegant
Gift Boxes for the wine and you may also
include
Riedel crystal wine glasses, or a
Gourmet Gift Basket, or our special
Etched Hand Painted 3 Liter Bottles. Visit our
online store to view all our gift
selections!
Dry Creek Vineyard was founded by David S. Starein 1972.
Dave arrived in California with a dream to
build a winery modeled after a chateau from
the Loire Valley of France. As the first new
winery in Dry Creek Valley following
Prohibition, Dry Creek Vineyard paved the
way for a whole new era of winemaking in
Sonoma County.
Today, Kim Stare
Wallace(Dave’s daughter) and
husband, Don Wallace, run the day-to-day
business at Dry Creek Vineyard. With energy
and passion, this dynamic duo is wholly
committed to the quality of wines produced
at Dry Creek Vineyard. From winemaking and
viticulture, to sales and marketing, Kim and
Don are determined to build upon Dave’s
foundation to take their family winery to
even greater heights. With an emphasis on
appellation driven wines that reflect the
region’s unique terroir, Dry
Creek Vineyard continues to thrive on
Don and Kim
Wallace
the values
and principles put forth by
the family – hard work, dedication and
passion to make the best wine possible.
The family’s energy and passion also spills
over into their second love – sailing. Known
as the "wine
for sailors," each bottle of
Dry Creek Vineyard wine is adorned with a
unique sailboat label irrevocably tying the
family’s two passions together. Be it on the
high seas or at home making wine, the family
at Dry Creek Vineyard continues their
long-standing tradition of hard work,
integrity and perseverance.
Announcing: Private Tastings & Tours
By
reservation only: daily 10:30 a.m. and
1:00 p.m.
Come and visit "One
of the Top 10 Wineries in the U.S." on one
of our new tasting and tour options. We’re excited to
announce our new
tasting and tour
options: private
tastings for the public
(for groups of
eight or more),
and private tasting & tour for our wine club
members. For a behind the scenes look at our
winery, join us on one of these fun, interactive,
and educational programs.
Dry Creek
Vineyard
Participates in the
17th Annual Winter Wineland
January 17-18, 2009
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Dry Creek Vineyard is one of 100 wineries
and 50 lodgings participating in this
popular event, sponsored by
Russian River Wine Road.
This is a
great opportunity to meet
winemakers, taste limited
production wines, new
releases or library wines.
Some wineries will offer
food pairings and others
will have tours. Save the
dates, check back here for
more details in early
January.
Wine Tips
What is
Meritage?
In 1988, a group of American vintners formed the Meritage Association to create a classification that would identify hand-crafted Bordeaux style blends. No longer would a winemaker be confined to a percentage. The only limitations were that he or she must use two or more Bordeaux varieties in the final blend. With little restriction, a winemaker could now take the best grapes from a given vintage - a dash of Merlot here, a dollop of Cabernet Franc there, to make the best wine possible.
Proprietor Kim Stare Wallace has
recently taken the plunge into the
new millennium by launching
a
winery blog.
Her goal is to share her life as a
female vintner (in an ever shrinking world of
family-owned and operated wineries), while
also trying to
balance being a wife, mother, and
daughter. You can
visit
her new blog by clicking the
link in the top right hand corner
above, or click here to visit:
www.wilmaswineworld.com.
