DRY CREEK VALLEY
Dry Creek Valley is considered by many as quintessential Sonoma County. It’s where warm days are tempered by morning fog from the Pacific and food friendly varieties like Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc are predominant.
Dry Creek Valley produces Zinfandel in a variety of styles ranging from the high-alcohol Amador style to more balanced, spicy wines. Originally planted by French immigrants in 1870, Italian pioneers soon discovered a geography that was reminiscent of their native Tuscany and Piedmont. They planted Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Carignane to produce hearty red wines. Today, the leading varieties, after Zinfandel, include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot.
The annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley held over one weekend every April has been a popular sell out event since its founding in 1990. Fifty wineries throughout the valley offer an exclusive pairing of exquisite wine, gourmet food and entertainment, including a jazz quartet in the vineyard. Intimate vineyard tours are offered, and samples of acclaimed Zinfandels and other exclusive vintages are poured by the vintners themselves. Tickets go on sale the first of February every year.
If you’re touring Dry Creek Valley, do visit Timber Crest Farms, a farm, manufacturing and wine collective, as it’s a goldmine of wine tasting opportunites. Within the property, there are 10 local wineries to taste. At Family Wineries, there are six wineries, including Collier Falls, a favorite of ours. Collier Falls is a 20-acre hillside winery producing Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In meeting several of the winemakers (they're often in their wine tasting rooms), I found them to be very gregarious personalities. They’ve either come to wine country after retiring and decided to follow their dream, or it’s the family business and they’re doing exactly what they love. Barry Collier embodies that archetype—a music mogul turned movie producer, he produced 51 made-for-TV movies and even cast Pamela Anderson in her first TV film. These are passionate people loaded with energy, and of course, they love wine!
Another very cool winery you can taste while at Timber Crest Farms is Amphora Winery—a hands-on winery crafting small handcrafted lots of Dry Creek Valley wines, including Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Syrah. I’m a big fan of their 2010 Amphora Barbera.
"Vines and wines are like people,” owner/winemaker Rick Hutchinson says. “Those with good balance live longer and age more gracefully. The total wine experience—the bouquet, the mouth feel, and the taste—should all be pleasing. Wines and people that are too extreme are begging to be misunderstood."
Hutchinson is a native of Sonoma County and has been involved in the wine business since he was 20. According to the winemaker, making wine is akin to being an artist; you carefully work with nature to craft a masterpiece with each vintage. For Hutchinson, art and wine are life, and he pursues each with fervor.
Likewise, another winery not to miss is Papapietro Perry Winery, known for its award winning Pinot Noirs and luscious Zinfandels. Originally started by two married couples (the Papapietros and the Perrys), it’s hard to believe it all began in a garage.
“When asked what style of wine we make, the response is always ‘great wines,’” Ben Papapietro says. “After almost thirty years of winemaking, we still firmly believe in a minimalist approach—allowing the wine to express itself and reflect the growing season through the nuances that appear from vintage to vintage. We don’t over-extract or over-oak our wines. We give the wines the fermentation and aging environments that allow them to become exceptional—so we can smell and taste what the fruit has to offer us.”
With advance notice, you can book a private tasting at Papapietro Perry, including a wine tasting paired with cheeses from The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg on their cozy outdoor deck with a spectacular view overlooking the valley. Our savory tasting included the 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley paired with a Dutch Honey Bee Gouda; 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Nunes Vineyard with Abbaye de Bellocq, Benedictine Monks at Abbey of Notre Dame, France; 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Leras Family Vineyard with Dry Jack, Vella Cheese Company, Sonoma; 2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Elsbree Vineyards with Humboldt Fog; 2009 Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Elsbree Vineyards with Challerhocker, Switzerland. Accompaniments included dried sweet cherries and Potter’s Crackers. My favorite pairing was the 2010 Pinot Noir with the Humboldt Fog. It was utterly phenomenal.
Your best bet is to make an afternoon of it at Timber Crest Farms. You can even do an olive oil tasting at the Dry Creek Olive Company & Trattore Wines and have lunch—they make pizzas with their brick oven. Wine taste galore and then really go decadent with the wine and cheese pairing and take in the breathtaking view. Now that’s what vacation is all about!
SONOMA WINE COUNTRY TRAVEL CONTINUED CLICK HERE
