Dry Creek Valley Wine

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The Carneros AVA straddles between both Napa and Sonoma Valleys, with distinct climates. The Napa side is warmer, more suited to varietals such as Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot, while the Sonoma side is cooler, where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can thrive.

The history of wine-making in Carneros dates back to the 1840s, when California was still under Mexican control and General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who was also the Director of Colonization of the Northern Frontier, secured a land grant to settle and cultivate Rincon de los Carneros and surrounding territories. This section was managed by his son-in-law, Jacob P. Leese. Grape cultivation began with Leese and as the US gained control over California, more settlers became attracted to the fertile land in Sonoma and Napa Valleys and planted their own vineyards. By the 1870s, William H. Winter purchased 1,200 acres from Leese and cultivated what became the area’s first commercial vineyard, Winter Winery.

In 1881, Winter Read more »

In 1881, Winter Winery was sold to James Simonton, who renamed it Talcoa Vineyards. By this time, the Phylloxera epidemic that devastated most of Europe had taken hold in California. Simonton, with aid from Missouri oenologist George Husmann, was the first to experiment in grafting Phylloxera-resistant rootstock. By the late 1880s, the Stanly Ranch winery in Carneros was winning awards at viticultural fairs.

The Prohibition halted most of the grape production in the region between 1920 to 1933. But soon after, wineries such as Beaulieu, Bouchaine and Louis M. Martini came into prominence, with others on their heels. By the 1940s, wine-makers were discovering that varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were well suited to the cool climate region on the Sonoma side, heralding the modern era of local wine-making in Carneros. ~Amanda Schuster

– Description from Amanda Schuster (hide)

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Fire up the barbecue. Zin is in.

In 1991 the popularity of Zinfandel wasn’t a speck of what it is today. Wine lovers either didn’t know what it was or didn’t understand the grape. Therefore, in 1991, a passionate group of true believers formed ZAP, Zinfandel Advocates and Producers. T...

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Varietals Produced in Dry Creek Valley View all

Syrah

The irony here is that Syrah’s origins could give Carmen Sandiego a run for her international wallet. Syrah’s deepest...
Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is widely grown in California -- at over 15,000 acres, it’s now the third most planted variety -- and...
Zinfandel

Parentage of the grape: Crljenak to Austria to America. In the 1970s, claims surfaced that the Italian Primitivo is l...
Merlot

The Occitanian word “merlot” translates to “young blackbird.” An accurate description for this popular, early-budding...
Cabernet Sauvignon

“King of the Red Wine Grapes.” The colonizer of the vineyards, pushing native wine grapes into its shadows. The Caber...
Chardonnay

British wine writer and critic, Jancis Robinson, once noted that throughout the 80’s and 90’s in the United States, C...

Popular Wineries in Dry Creek Valley View all

A. Rafanelli

The Rafanelli family is now in its fourth generation of growing grapes and making wine in the Dry...
Thumbprint Cellars

Hand-crafted, small lot, micro-wines are created using the highest quality grapes from Sonoma Cou...
Christopher Cameron

Our family takes care of every step from vineyard to bottle, including grape growing, winemaking,...
Terlato Family Vineyards

After 50 years in the wine industry, wine is still an inspiration for me. Every vintage brings an...
Pezzi King Vineyards & Winery

James P. Rowe, Sr., is passionate about his Italian heritage. His love of agriculture is rooted i...
Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate

The estate was founded in 1979 and named Domaine Michel by Jean-Jacques Michel. A native of Switz...

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Page 214 of 253
Dry Creek Valley on Snooth

August 2008

Artezin Zinfandel Mendocino County 2004

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by pvaughn
August 2008

Ridge Syrah Dry Creek Valley Lytton West Vineyard 2002

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by jsilveira
August 2008

Quivira Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch 2005

Snoothrank:

Incredible dark fruit and spice with a bit of oak interplaying. Really nice PS. Read More

Wine review by Derek67
August 2008

Quivira Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch 2005

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by Derek67
August 2008

Mia's Playground Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2003

Snoothrank:

great inexpensive zin. First had at Moresi's Read More

Wine review by katiek
August 2008

Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Stefani Vineyard 2004

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by n8beme
August 2008

Roshambo Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley the Reverend 2005

Snoothrank:

An outstanding zin, great aroma and an outstanding flavor. I would stock up on this wine if you can still find it. Read More

Wine review by Jon of Sonoma
August 2008

Artezin Zinfandel Mendocino County 2005

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by jperezish
July 2008

Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc Clarksburg Dry Chenin Blanc 2006

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by drift75
July 2008

Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Reserve 2003

Snoothrank:

This wine tasted like I would expect a Zinfandel to taste. Very fruity and spicy. Big flavor.My wife (not a huge Zinfandel fan) thought it was very "peppery" and didn't like it as much as I did. I would definitely drink this again. Read More

Wine review by 73673WJTronoski 73673

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