Paris, France — Dry Creek Vineyard made it to Paris all the way from Sonoma and The Gourmet Gazette was glad it did. It is rare to be able to taste California wines in Paris, especially with the family that produces those very fine wines. But we did at a sleek wine shop in the chic 7th arrondissement, the Comptoir des Elixirs, over at 90 Rue du Bac. The whites were outstanding but the surprise of the day came from the heady reds, we throughly enjoyed them, something we don’t always do. But before we journey into the wines themselves, a word or two is in order about this exceptional, family-owned  winery.

Dry Creek Vineyard was established in 1972 by David S. Stare, a leading and innovative figure in the California wine industry, and it is the Dry Creek Valley’s flagship winery, the first new winery in the Dry Creek Valley since prohibition that is located in the heart of Sonoma County, California. This premier, family-owned winery is celebrating over 50 years of winemaking and is led by the second generation of the family, Dave’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace along with her husband Don Wallace, a leader in the field of sustainable viticulture. The house has 185 acres of sustainably-farmed vineyards. 

The winery, which is one of the last private family-owned wineries in Sonoma, produces appellation-focused wines. And their Sauvignons, Chenin Blancs and Cabernets clearly hold up to the best the world of wine has to offer.  Dave Stare purchased a rundown 55-acre prune orchard over five decades ago in Sonoma County and began planting the first wines in the Dry Creek Valley since prohibition. He planted Sauvignon Blanc, the first in the region to do so, and the results to this day continue to be astonishing. Meanwhile daughter Kim, who literally grew up in the vineyards, is now at the helm working hard to develop varietals and has done an astonishing job with the house’s unique red wines. 

A small and refined selection of  Dry Creek Vineyard wines. Photo courtesy Dry Creek Vineyard. Handout via The Gourmet Gazette

Among the superb whites we tasted was the 2022 Fumé Blanc of Sonoma County. The family has been producing this signature wine since 1972. Made solely with Sauvignon Blanc grapes, it is modeled after the classic wines found in the Loire Valley in France. This elegant, highly drinkable white wine remains utterly refreshing, aromatic and deeply dry.  Also on the agenda was a 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley. This lovely wine is crafted from distinct vineyard sites and is made with two Sauvignon Blanc clones, the Sauvignon Musqué and Sauvignon Gris along with the Sauvignon Blanc. This delicious wine spends the last four months of its aging stage in chestnut, acacia and neutral French oak casks.  We were immediately thinking of wine pairings and the usual shellfish came to mind, Coquilles Saint Jacques (sea scallops), but just browned in butter, served sauceless. Or the tried and true favorite of the Sauvignon Blanc wines, a raw bar filled with oysters and clams of all kinds and sizes. 

The sumptuous reds included a Dry Creek Valley Old Vine Zinfandel. The winery defines old vines as being 50 years or older, but the 2021 bottling included vines that were on the average more than 100 years old. It was a deeply aromatic wine bursting with that unique flavor that only Zinfandel can claim.   We decided it would be great with game. Located in the Lytton Springs district of Dry Creek Valley, the winery’s estate, Endeavor Vineyard, is where Kim Stare Wallace has been, well, endeavoring to produce some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon that California has to offer. The Endeavour Vineyard contains its own sustainable eco-system replete with a natural pond to collect rain water. The 2019 Endeavor Cabernet Sauvignon proved to be berry filled and spicy, rich and unctuous. The wine is predominately made with Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot, a late-maturing grape variety that hails from Bordeaux and which imparts a deep color and rich flavor to the wine.

The family have been avid sailors for over 50 years as well and a beautifully drawn boat is featured on their wine labels. And over the past three decades, they have sponsored numerous regattas, teams and yacht clubs. Last June the California State Fair honored Sonoma County wine pioneer David S. Stare with its Wine Lifetime Achievement Award underscoring his pioneering legacy which includes initiating the appellation status for the Dry Creek Valley in 1983 and championing Zinfandel among world-class vinifera. Dry Creek Valley was named a Top 100 Winery by Wine & Spirits Magazine and a Top 10 Tasting Room by USA TODAY, the winery is also 100% Certified Sustainable.  Dry Creek Vineyard with its scenic vineyards offers tours and tastings as well. Check the website for times and prices. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette.  Dry Creek Valley Vineyard, 3770 Lambert Bridge Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448, United States, tel:  +1 707-433-1000. https://www.drycreekvineyard.com/