Bordeaux Varieties from Dry Creek Vineyard



By Kori ~ May 18th, 2011.

Dry Creek Vineyard, founded in 1972 by David Stare, is located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley just outside of Healdsburg, California. Well-known for their Fumé Blancs and Zinfandels, Dry Creek Vineyard also produces a number of other good wines. Today, Dry Creek Vineyard is run by David’s daughter Kim Stare Wallace and her husband Don.

We recently had the opportunity to taste three wines from Dry Creek Vineyard in a blind samples tasting, the 2006 Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Meritage, and the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. All three wines were good, but we especially enjoyed the Endeavour Cab. While primarily known for Zinfandel, the Dry Creek Valley actually has more Cabernet Sauvignon planted than any other variety. The fruit for the Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Dry Creek Vineyard’s Endeavour Estate Vineyard. Located in the Lytton Springs area of Dry Creek Valley, Endeavour is a sustainably farmed vineyard.

All three of these wines are worth a try if you see them on the shelf at your local wine shop. And if you are visiting Sonoma County, I highly encourage you to visit Dry Creek Vineyard.

2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Endeavour Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, California): 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red. Beautiful nose with chocolate and black fruit aromas. The palate explodes with chocolate and black fruits. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $60

2007 Dry Creek Valley Meritage (Sonoma County, California): 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 11% Malbec, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep ruby red in color. Aromatic with red fruits, floral notes, red pepper, and spice on the nose. Red and black fruits as well as spice and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, dry tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $28; Available elsewhere, $21 to $27

2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek Valley, California): 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with licorice, spice, and black fruits on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $18 to $28


Filed under: American Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wine, Red Wine, Wines Over $25

Reader's Comments

  1. TheGourmetCoffeeGuy | May 22nd, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    Great wine recommendation, Dry Creek wines are definitely excellent!
    Some trivia that you may find interesting: the vineyard manager at Dry Creek Vineyard, Duff Bevil, if I recall correctly, has been working these vineyards for many years. This management tenure greatly contributes to long term consistency in viticultural practices that ensure great wine. Locals respect Duff very much for his ability to oversee and recognize subtle distinctions between a dozen vineyards, including more than a handful of individual estate properties. I remember reading an interesting article about him after he won a nomination by the Sonoma Grape County Wine Association not too long ago.
    Kori, thank you for your great post.

  2. Kori | May 24th, 2011 at 1:48 pm

    CoffeeGuy,
    Thanks for sharing the info about DCV’s vineyard manager. It’s always great to learn more about the people behind the wines (and vines). Cheers!