March 2011 Archives

In the cellar, we've spent a boat load (pun intended!) making improvements on barrels, equipment and the like, so having a fancy schmancy production area is just not a necessity.  Offering extraordinary wines at exceptional prices is. Hence, no hand dug caves, no antique wine libraries, no brass trimmed hoses.  That will be up to the next generation. But having an attractive, fresh, and updated tasting room is top priority, especially with so much competition right around the block.

So, for the first time since our tasting room was originally built we are remodeling. New counters, new lights, new paint, and a whole new look await the Dry Creek Vineyard tasting room guest. We are all very excited about the change and can't wait to share it with you. After all, there's something about a new look that signals a new day. Which is exactly what you'll experience on your next visit to the winery!  Note: we've set up a temporary tasting room in our cellar which is a unique experience in and of itself.

Now that I have been Interim Winemaker at Dry Creek Vineyard, working under the direction of Bill Knuttel Executive Winemaker, for six months I thought it was time to introduce myself. 

I grew up in Denver until age 13 and then moved to Massachusetts.  I got my Bachelor's degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Travel Administration at the University of Massachusetts, followed immediately by an Associates Degree at the Culinary Institute of America.  I cooked professionally for a total of 14 years including opening One Market and Boulevard Restaurants in San Francisco.

For the past 12 years I have been working in the wine business in various wineries including some larger: Gallo of Sonoma and Sterling Vineyards, as well as some smaller including Corison Winery, Schramsberg Vineyards, Louis M Martini, Yering Station, and Flowers Vineyard and Winery. This entrance into the wine business started with my studying at UC Davis for a Masters Degree in Enology.

I came into work at Dry Creek Vineyard the day after Labor Day and 2 days later the grapes started coming in.  There were lots of challenges this past harvest including a lot of disease pressure due to the cool summer, a heat spike that surprised most of us, starting harvest about three weeks late and then the Reds came in early.  Talk about starting things off with a bang.  They never said winemaking was going to be simple.  But, during all of this I have been welcomed into the Dry Creek Vineyard family and I appreciate all of the support.

Someone asked me today what is going on in the cellar?  We actually have lots of things going on in the winery.  We are starting to bottle the 2010 Fumé Blanc tomorrow.  So, today we are making sure the wine is ready to be bottled including checking on the temperature of the wine.   Last week we blended some of the 2009 wines including the Mariner, the Endeavour and the Merlot.  Happily those folks who came to the Barrel Tasting weekend got to taste the new Mariner blend and it looks like it will be a crowd pleaser. By next week we should have the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Meritage blended, too.  We are about mid way through the malo-lactic fermentations in the winery, so the 2010 wines are either being topped or being racked.  2010 was not an easy vintage with the late start and early finish due to the rain, but it looks like the wines are going to be delicious.  I look forward to getting to show you the new wines at Dry Creek Vineyard.

Julie Schreiber, Winemaker

Sometimes making and selling wine for a living feels well...a little bit mundane. Like it's not really contributing to anything significant in the world. Oh sure, it provides a pleasurable product for thirsty wine lovers everywhere to enjoy. And, it provides a good living for several dozen people and their families who work at our winery. But, it's not like finding a cure for cancer or helping the homeless, if you know what I mean.

These kinds of thoughts usually cross my mind when I'm particularly tired, crabby or just itching to do something new and different after a lifetime spent in wine--or should I say whine?!

And then, more often than not, I'm either directly or indirectly involved in something that makes me feel really good about being in the wine business and the contributions we make as a family/company/industry to the well being of people on this earth.

I actually can take no credit for this story. The credit goes 100% to my teenage daughter Taylor and several of her friends who chose building a house in New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity as their senior service project. (Our daughter's high school requires each graduating senior to complete a service project of their choosing.)

First order of business was fundraising. The kids held several fundraisers at local restaurants in addition to toy drives at Healdsburg area schools. But they needed more. That's when The Husband got on board to lend a helping hand as did our longtime distributor in New Orleans, Wines Unlimited. General Manager, David Gladden, and Chief Operations Officer, Howard Brown partnered with us to develop a special sales incentive to help raise money. For every bottle of Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon and Fumé Blanc sold during the months of October-December, money was donated for this important project.

Last week, Taylor and her friends, along with The Husband and two other parents headed to the 9^th ward, one of the hardest struck areas by Hurricane Katrina. For four days, they dug ditches and helped lay the foundation for a new home. Some of the kids had never left California, let alone dig trenches in the blazing sun! Instead of resting in the evening, the group took a break from their shovels to tell their story and share a glass of Dry Creek wine with customers of Martin Wine Cellars, the fine wine shop owned by Wines Unlimited. The event was a sell-out, raising even more money for the kid's project.

Taylor shares, "What really shocked me was the state of the 9^th ward. It was horrible and so much more work needs to be done.  When the homeowners came to see our work, their reaction really touched me. We realized that it must be truly difficult for these people to live in such hard conditions."

Usually, our kids see the winery as an intrusion on their lives. It's what makes Mom and Dad tired, grumpy, and pre-occupied. In this case, Taylor was able to experience firsthand how small businesses can partner with a cause to do something good for the world. The fact that it involved selling wine was just the icing on the cake.