Dry Creek Valley Wines and Vineyards Provide 9 Noteworthy Finds

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Dry Creek Valley Wines and Vineyards Provide 9 Noteworthy F...
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Dry Creek Valley Wines and Vineyards Provide 9 Noteworthy Finds
Posted on: October 11th, 2013 by Jameson
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I just returned from visiting wineries and
vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, California. It’s a region within Sonoma County that will surprise you like it
did me. Here are a few things I found remarkable about the region during a trip sponsored by the
Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley.
1) Dry Creek? Not dry. Visual proof to your left. The construction of a dam has obscured its original name
and state.
2) Huge temperature swings*. I arrived in Dry Creek Valley mid-afternoon and it was probably 85 and
sunny. Which means, as a resident of Seattle, I was wilting and melting. But by the time the sun went down,
I was grateful I had a sweater with me. And a light jacket. The temperature can drop by 40+ degrees in a
night. The first day I was there I heard it was 34 degrees in parts of the appellation. So Dry Creek Valley is
not a 24-hour kiln, baking grapes to death. (*You can drop diurnal shift if you really want to get all Mr.
Wizard.)
3) There is wide range of styles of Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley’s signature red grape, and Sauvignon
Blanc, the region’s white grape counterpart. Zin-wise, you’ll find the elegant, low alcohol wines of Nalle
Winery to more peppery versions to full-throttle bruisers. And Quivira Vineyard and Winery makes a
Sauvignon Blanc (Fig Tree Vineyard) that spends time in Acacia wood barrels.
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The Zin is strong with these ones.
4) Zinfandel is age-worthy. Probably not for decades, but a lineup of Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs
including a 2005 and 2007 as well as a 2004 and 2009 Rockpile Zinfandel from Mauritson Wines shows
that when the right sites and winemaking align, your patience will be rewarded.
5) “Zinfandel needs friends.” No, not human friends. Zin has plenty of those. But rather grape friends, in
the guise of a small percentage of others to pal around with in the bottle. The quote comes from Dutcher
Crossing Winemaker Kerry Damskey, who noted that Carignan adds acidity and brightness, Mourvedre
additional texture, and Petite Sirah some color to what ends up in your glass of Zin. This sentiment was
echoed by conversations I had with winemakers at Ridge Vineyards and Nalle.
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Father and son amidst the Zinfandel.
6) Family is all around. One theme running through the wineries I visited was a strong family presence. I
was charmed by the interaction and father/son dynamic between Doug and Andrew Nalle, respectively. They
also have a great sense of humor. When you’re at the winery looking at a sheet listing the available wines, at
the bottom it says “Andrew Nalle: Winemaker Son. Doug Nalle: Still Hanging Around.”
The history of families and vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, like those behind Mauritson and Pedroncelli
Winery, runs deep. The Mauritson’s have been growing grapes since the 19th Century. And at Pedroncelli,
the fourth generation is now working at the winery. There’s also a family atmosphere characterizing the
relationships between wineries. As Julie Pedroncelli told me, a “spirit of working together” unites the region.
Even a more recent arrival to the area, Debra Mathey, owner of Dutcher Crossing, spoke of the intimacy of
Dry Creek Valley.
7) Organic and Biodynamic agriculture are present. Check out what Quivira and Preston Vineyards are
doing. The former is certified biodynamic and the later engages in many of the practices that are the
hallmark of biodynamics.
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Elaine of Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews and Lou Preston. Chillin’ on the porch.
8) Three hours only scratches the surface of the pleasure of the company of Elaine from Hawk
Wakawaka Wine Reviews and Lou Preston. (Read Elaine’s overview of our time together in Dry Creek
Valley.) Lou, while Elaine and I were at his eponymous winery, took the two of us on a leisurely golf cart
tour of his grape vines, olive trees, and substantial gardens. Plus we saw the many animals there. It’s a
winery meets a farm, as Lou realized around the millennium that he wanted to scale back the wine
production and focus on a diversity of agricultural activities on his property. He thought, “I want to be a land
steward. I want to be a farmer.”
Please peruse Elaine’s extended thoughts on Preston.
9) Dry Creek Valley is totally scenic. Here’s a view from the Comstock Family Vineyard, where I stayed.
Next year they’ll not just be grape growers but have their own wine when their first release (a Zinfandel)
debuts. Look out for a winery from them as well.
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And the scenery is not just in the flats. There are lots of dramatic hills and hillside vineyards, like at
Pedroncelli.
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As I drove towards San Francisco to catch a flight back to Seattle, I thought about how easy it was to slip
into the rhythm of Dry Creek Valley, appreciating the variety of wines, scenery, and people. You absorb the
uniqueness and warmth that is both calming as the sun goes down and inspiring as you watch it rise over the
vineyards in their morning glow.
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Tags: dry creek valley, dry creek valley sauvignon blanc, dry creek valley wineries, dry creek valley
zinfandel
7 Responses
1. Baked Pasta Makes You Smart | Il Corvo Pasta says:
October 11, 2013 at 10:11 am
[...] Happy Friday; it’s Jameson Fink at the Il Corvo blog controls. You’re looking at the “family
crest” of Nalle Winery in California’s Dry Creek Valley. It’s a tongue-in-cheek response to the
stuffiness of some wineries. The Latin motto roughly translates to “Wine Makes You Smart”. (To
read more about my recent trip to the region, including age-worthy Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc in
Acacia wood barrels, and some lovely vineyard views, please peruse my blog post.) [...]
Reply
2. Zinfandel: Why Wait? -or- Slaughter Your Darlings, Or Not? -or- Faster, Faster, Zin Cat! « 4488: A
Ridge Blog says:
October 14, 2013 at 4:06 pm
[...] But if you’d rather just let Jameson Fink tell it to you in his deliciously Without Worry Way, then
just click here: Wine Without Worry [...]
Reply
3. Terroirist: A Daily Wine Blog » Daily Wine News: Lesser Vintages says:
October 15, 2013 at 5:01 am
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1/10/14 12:58 PM
[...] Fink makes “nine noteworthy finds” in the Dry Creek [...]
Reply
4.
J says:
Regarding #4, Lytton Springs zinfandels age brilliantly for at least a couple of decades. I’ve been
lucky enough to taste a handful ranging from 10-25 years old. All were excellent (good luck me).
Reply
Jameson says:
J,
Your luck is truly excellent. I also got to taste a 97 Monte Bello while at Lytton Springs and
though not a Dry Creek Valley wine, Ridge has quite the track record for age-worthy wines
regardless of the grapes and/or location. Thanks for your comment.
Best,
Jameson
Reply
5.
Jerry LaRocca says:
Next trip, fly Alaska in and out of Santa Rosa. Tiny little airport, but you can take home a case of
wine at no charge from there. (Tri-Cities and Walla Walla, too)
Reply
Jameson says:
Jerry,
Definitely planning on Santa Rosa next time and you bet I’ll be bringing a case on Alaska!
Best,
Jameson
Reply
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Dry Creek Valley Wines and Vineyards Provide 9 Noteworthy Finds

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