Star Lane Vineyard

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805-693-0744 PO Box 1882
Santa Ynez, CA 93460
United States View map

wineinfo@dierbergvineyard.com
www.dierbergvineyard.com

Jim Dierberg, When he has a passion for something, he acts quickly and decisively. Just ask his wife, Mary, to whom he proposed on their first date! It was love at first sight, yet again, when they laid eyes on the Star Lane Ranch, now planted to some 230 acres of vines. "We had looked around Napa and Bordeaux for a property early on," Jim recalls. But Napa and the Old World were getting a little crowded. "We wanted open space and big sky." They found it during a business trip not far from Santa Barbara in a beautiful valley called Happy Canyon. Bankers by profession, Jim and Mary are no newcomers to wine. They've owned one of America's oldest wineries, Hermannhof, since 1974. It's located in their home state of Missouri, where Jim was raised in a farming tradition. (At age 11, he won the St. Louis County Fair with his champion pig, Buster.) An initial passion for wine developed during the couple's early trips to Germany during the 1960s. Back home in Missouri, they discovered an old winery in Hermann - founded in 1852 - was for sale, and they bought it. "Hermann seemed just like Germany in many ways," Mary says. "But it was only an hour from St. Louis." The wines at Hermannhof are good, but the Missouri climate is not conducive to growing the European varietals that have made France and California famous. It was only a matter of time before the couple would seek out a new winemaking perspective. They purchased Star Lane in 1996. "All the local farmers knew this was one of the warmest spots in the area," Jim recalls. After consultation with renowned Central Coast grower Dale Hampton and soil scientist Paul Skinner, the Dierbergs realized that the land was best suited to growing Cabernet and its related varietals. They started with 100 acres. Later in 1996, they bought a cooler vineyard site better suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay a bit farther north in Santa Maria. And in January of 2004, they added a new property in the Santa Rita Hills, also suitable for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These two vineyards are called, fittingly, Dierberg. Currently, the winemaking couple are constructing their dream winery on the Star Lane property. It's dug into the hillside for efficient use of energy and will host some 26,000 square feet of caves for barrel aging. "We're excited about having a facility that will allow us to do justice to the terroir, which has already proved to be capable of producing wines of great distinction," Jim notes with pride. – Description from Dragac (hide)

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Star Lane Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc Star Lane (2006)

Winery:	Star Lane Vineyard
Region:	USA » California » Santa Barbara County » Santa Ynez Valley
Varietal:	Sauvignon Blanc
Type:	Table Wines

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Gregory Dal Piaz

Ever so slightly grassy, more herbal and very yellow fruited on the nose with ,a big wild flower note and soft aromas of grape, peach and a hint of banana - fresh entry with nice body, a bit soft but nice mineral tones back up the soft, ripe yellow fr...

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Popular wines by Star Lane Vineyard

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Varietals Produced by Star Lane Vineyard View all

Cabernet Sauvignon

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

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

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

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

People getting updates on Star Lane Vineyard

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Star Lane Vineyard on Snooth

December 2015

Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Happy Canyon 2012

Snoothrank:

No written review

Wine review by 1928866Snoother 1928866 1928866
December 2015

Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Happy Canyon 2012

Snoothrank:

Love this wine. Read More

Wine review by 1928866Snoother 1928866 1928866
August 2014

I haven't tasted a Zinfandel in many years and would like to get reacquainted. Any recommendations for a fruit-forward one around $25? Read More

Forum post in the topic Zinfandel for a Beginner
June 2014

After graduating from medical school and before beginning indentured service as a resident physician, my wife and I decided we should make a trip out to California wine country and Yosemite. So, a week after moving to my new residency location, we pawned off the two year old on the grandparents and headed for the hills of California.We arrived i... Read More

Forum post in the topic Trip report from Lodi and RRV
February 2014

I've posted some notes on this producers wines in the Whatcha drinking thread but figured he deserved his own thread. Robin Akhurst is the winemaker for Envy Wines in Calistoga and asst to Mike Smith of Myraid. I met Robin a couple years ago through Mike and really like him and his approach to winemaking. Nice guy, humble, passionate, hard worki... Read More

Forum post in the topic Producer alert - Apsara Cellars
November 2013

So, do you have your wine planned out yet for the Thanksgiving meal? I'm going a bit off course this year as I am smoking my turkey so I'm probably going to go heavy on Syrah rather than Pinot Noir. But that could change based on input from the guests.First off I'll likely pop a 2010 Copain Baker Ranch Syrah as it shows quite Pinot-like and I ha... Read More

Forum post in the topic The Thanksgiving thread
August 2013

We had a plan, get in early, get out early. It seems like a lot of people had the get in early plan. In years past we would show up around 11:15, park close and hit the tent before the crowd built. Well not this year. The front parking lot filled up as we approached so we parked across the road and hoofed it in. The place was a zoo from the mom... Read More

Forum post in the topic It's Sonoma County Wine...
August 2013

I'll be at Taste of Sonoma on Saturday at MacMurray Ranch. Napagirl, you've been quiet on this event. Are you staying home this year? This is the event of the year around here. Over 200 wineries pouring 700+ wines paired with food from over 60 chefs from the best restaurants in the County.Wine served under huge tents labeled by appellation, RRV,... Read More

Forum post in the topic It's Sonoma County Wine...
May 2013

While traveling through Napa Valley last month I noticed that all the Vineyards I visited had roses planted around their crops. They're planted and watched closely for any early signs of infestation on the land. They monitor the Roses closely and upon early signs of problems, protective measures are taken to make sure the grape vines receive a s... Read More

Forum post in the topic Roses and Winery's
February 2013

Bonaccorsi Syrah Santa Ynez Valley Star Lane Vineyard NV

Snoothrank:

Nice body, medium tannin levels Read More

Wine review by malaparte
Jul 11, 2010

The Dierberg & Star Lane tasting room is NOT in Carpenteria. It is located off HWY 246 in Lompoc (near Buellton) at 1280 Drum Canyon Road. If you need further instructions please visit the website at starlanevineyard.com or dierbergvineyard.com

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Oct 16, 2009

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