Dry Creek Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma County California 2021

The story of Dry Creek Vineyard and the Stare Wallace family isn’t one of fairy tales. There is no corporate mogul writing checks every month, or a day job in a lucrative industry to fund the winery. Our story is this: one dedicated family working day and night for five decades to turn what many considered an idealistic pipedream, into a reality that revolutionized the California wine industry.

Founder David S. Stare always had a dream to live overseas, so after he completed his degree in Civil Engineering at MIT and his MBA at Northwestern, he moved to Germany. While living there, he visited many of the wineries and started to develop an interest in wine. He returned to Boston in the spring of 1969 firmly bitten by the wine bug and enrolled in a wine appreciation class. In June of 1970, Dave and his family spent two weeks in France, where he fell in love with French wines, specifically the wines of the Loire Valley and Bordeaux.

He purchased the orchard and began planting the region’s first vines since Prohibition. Captivated by his memories of the wines of the Loire Valley, Dave was determined to plant Sauvignon Blanc. However, several famed vineyard specialists advised him against planting the varietal, which they deemed “inappropriate” for the region. Always looking to push the envelope, Dave planted the varietal anyway and the rest is history. This bold and pioneering step triggered a viticultural reawakening in northern Sonoma County.

2021 Dry Creek Old Vine Zinfandel presents alluring aromatics of boysenberry, blueberry and blackberry with notes of white pepper, cardamom, toffee and marzipan. On the palate, layers of black cherry and plum come forward with nuances of coriander, mocha, allspice and violet. The wine is complex, with vibrancy and impeccable balance. The tannins are fine, lending to an elegant texture and mouthfeel.