Dry Creek Vineyard

Dry Creek Vineyard unwittingly found itself in the middle of a Sauvignon Blanc debate in October 2008. Writing on Jancis Robinson's website, Richard Hemming was so dismissive of Sauvignon Blanc as a grape that Decanter's Linda Murphy used her column to set out an impassioned defence, based on a recent vertical tasting of Dry Creek's Sauvignons going back to 1973. She praised their freshness, complexity and vivacity. "The 1977 stole the show with its spectacular complexity, with fresh lemons, baked apple, pear, ginger, green olive and capsicum notes." So battle lines firmly drawn! Dry Creek succeeds brilliantly with this grape because of warm days, cool nights, ideally ripe grapes and sensitive handling in the cellar. We can thank owner David Stare's lifelong obsession with the Loire Valley for this success and for the brilliant Chenin Blanc as well.

But the fun doesn't end there because Dry Creek Vineyard has also become a watchword for terroir driven, old vine Zinfandel - the kind that you all too often don't get from the States. As Wine Enthusiast Magazine suggested "When Dry Creek gets it right, few wineries anywhere can beat their Zins." The Heritage, Old Vine and Somers Ranch versions all offer something unique and approachable; subtlety and elegance rather than fruit bombs. Blackberries, cocoa and liquorice with acidity that really makes you sit up and take notice. Such is their passion for the grape that they have just planted an experimental 4.3 acre vineyard in front of the winery, home to three unique clonal selections of Zinfandel grafted onto St. George rootstock. Even more exciting things to come...