Wine has roots? | Kim Stare Wallace | Barrels and Roots

In this episode of Barrels and Roots, I sit down with Kim Stare Wallace, president and second generation owner of Dry Creek Vineyard, to explore what it takes to keep a family winery independent for more than five decades. Kim shares how her parents founded the winery in Sonoma County, why she returned after pursuing fashion, and how a temporary role became a 40 year career in wine.

We talk about the character of Dry Creek Valley, the influence of fog, soil, and topography, and why the region is known for Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Bordeaux style blends. Kim also explains why Chenin Blanc has remained central to the winery’s identity, how thoughtful wine labeling builds trust, and why wine should feel welcoming rather than intimidating.

This conversation is about legacy, terroir, family business, transparency, and creating memorable moments around the table. Whether you are new to wine or already passionate about it, Kim offers a refreshing reminder that great wine does not need to be complicated or pretentious.

What makes a winery or bottle of wine feel truly special to you?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

I I don't understand that. I mean, it's a it's smooshed up fermented grapes, right? I mean, and yes, there are wines that are, you know, extremely expensive, very valuable, very rare, and they're amazing. I I also think though that, you know, there's no the the some of the pomp and circumstance that you used to see around wine and wine occasions really is, I mean, it it sort of smacks in the face of everything I believe in, which is one of the reasons why I think Dry Creek Vineyard has, you know, developed this really strong loyal following, because A, you know, we're a really approachable, friendly winery. We have the most amazing hospitality team that are will start somebody, whether they're, you know, whether somebody just turned 21 and has never had a glass of wine to somebody who's 85 and has a cellar, right? Um, we produce wines from our dry Chen and Blanc, which is, you know, uh an amaz, it's like about a $15 bottle of wine on up to a very expensive single vineyard Cabernet called the Endeavor Cabernet, but the majority of our wines are in the $15 to $35, $40 price point. Um, and you know, I think that the fact that they're, you know, they're they're they're affordable, affordable luxury, if you will. And the quality is off the charts and they overdeliver. I think that's how we get people over the hump of thinking they have to pay maybe buy something super, super, super, super rare or super, super, super expensive. You know, we we um are I I just I think I think oftentimes, you know, wineries reflect, they reflect ownership. They reflect the culture of the company. And, you know, everybody here is treated like family, and everybody that steps on the property, I consider them family. I mean, that's just who we're all about. And I feel like there should be more of that in the wine industry. And certainly there are. There are lots of wineries that are maybe similar in that style, but there's also a lot of wineries that, you know, uh are just a little snobby, to be honest.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Welcome everybody back to the Barrels and Roots Podcast. I'm your host, Sean Trace, and I have an awesome guest with me today. Can you tell people who you are and a little bit about what you do?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

My name is Kim Stair Wallace, and I'm the president and second generation owner of our family winery, Dry Creek Vineyard.

SPEAKER_02 2:20

Now, talk to me a little bit about, you know, wine and all things related to wine. How did you get going down this path? And what is it that is, you know, so special for you about wine?

SPEAKER_00 2:33

Where do I begin? Um well, how I got started, I guess, really just in wine, is um my parents started a winery when I was nine years old. Um, so my parents moved to Healdsburg, California, so in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County. And my dad was the first winemaker after Prohibition to start a winery here and first to grow grapes and is really one of the early pioneers of the California wine industry. So I grew up around wine. I my parents loved wine. I grew up at literally at the winery as a child. Um, then I ended up working here as a teenager a lot. I didn't like, I didn't like it at one bit. I spent a lot of time on the bottling line and, you know, doing various things. But eventually, after pursuing a career um actually in the fashion industry, and I also was really interested in French. So I have actually a degree in design and merchandising and French language. But after about five years pursuing that out of college, I realized, you know, I wasn't really, I wasn't really um enamored with the garment industry. And I knew I'd have to move to New York, to be honest, to be successful. And I was basically a country girl and I grew up here in Dry Creek Valley. And long story short, I my father convinced me to come back to work for the winery. It was supposed to be a temporary gig, and that was 40 years ago. I just had my 40th work anniversary. So wine has always been a part of my life. You know, I I don't, I I just feel like wine is a part of, I mean, it just creates a it adds such magic to a life, right? It doesn't have to be super fancy or expensive wine. It just has to be tasty and good wine. And it enhances whether it's just a simple meal or an occasion with friends or a, you know, an evening out with your spouse or your partner, or just a boring old Wednesday night at home. It just makes all things just a little bit nicer and a little bit more memorable. And I think that's why I've been enamored with wine ever since I started drinking it.

SPEAKER_02 4:31

That's that's I'm with you as well. I think that one of the things for me about wine is like it was something that allowed me to understand time and place better than anything else. Like I was able to enjoy there's been so many times that I've had a bottle that was a great wine, but that became a phenomenal wine because of the people that I was with, because of the place that I was at, and because of all of the little things that went into that experience, you know? And I think that that's one of the things that is is a real differentiator for me is the ability to just have be able to enjoy it with people and friends, you know?

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Yeah. It's a it's sort of like it creates just a little moment of celebration. And I don't, I'm not talking about a big party. I'm just talking about a moment where we just stop and pause and you know, you just are filled with appreciation for life. And wine helps, I don't know, it helps, it helps create those moments when we do that. And I think that's a huge part of what you know, why wine's been around for I think 8,000 years now. And and uh I I I love that. I love that about wine.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

That's awesome. Well, I want to ask you uh this question because you know, your family has been part of Dry Creek Valley for decades. What's the biggest change you've seen in the wine industry over the last 40 years?

SPEAKER_00 5:57

You know, I've been thinking about that, Sean. Um it's a really hard question to answer because so many changes have happened over the last 40 years. Um I think, I mean, the most obvious is that there's just so much more, so many more wineries, right? Just so much more competition in the wine industry compared to 40 years ago. Um, you know, I think just from a almost from a, if I think sort of more uh holistically, you know, 40 years ago, the United States wasn't really known as a wine-producing nation, nor was it a wine-drinking population. You know, we were coming off the era of the, you know, Coca-Cola and, you know, sweet tea and all that. And I remember back in the, you know, 80s and 90s, a huge part of our efforts in the industry were just to try to get people to open up to the idea of drinking wine and that the wines from California and the wines from, you know, Drake Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Napa Valley, wherever, you know, were worthy of drinking. And so, you know, you think about today, 40 years later, I don't think there's anybody that questions the quality and caliber of wines made in in these regions. Um, you know, so that's a huge change. Uh gosh, there's so there's so many changes. I could go on and on. And, you know, some of them are not necessarily good. I mean, another change I think has been um, you know, we are, we have so is particularly where we live here in, you know, the North Bay and in wine country, but really all over the country, food and wine is is so much more commonplace. Like people really seek out good meals, good food, healthy food. And and, you know, I mean, like I remember when I was growing up here in Healthburg, we had maybe one decent restaurant, maybe. And now there are, you know, dozens, dozens, right? And you could say that about any city or any probably any suburban town in America. There's a lot of great little restaurants, right? So just the kind of the the con the notion of food and wine and the how lovely and how important that is to a good lifestyle, kind of like the French have known for centuries. I feel like that is a difference today than opposed to 40 years ago. Um, boy, I don't know, all kinds of changes.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

That's so interesting. You know, it's interesting too because I'm curious about the region too, because what has allowed Dry Creek Vineyard to stay family owned when so many wineries have been sold or consolidated, you know?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

Oh boy, yes. Oh no, it's true. We're kind of a unique entity, uh definitely a dying breed. I think um sheer grit, determination, passion. Um, and and and you know, one thing which sound might sound a little strange, but I think it's really true is having a small family. So my family, I was very fortunate. I my I have a younger sister. Um she was never interested in the winery. So I was kind of like the oldest son. And my husband um eventually joined the company as well. But we didn't have a big family, which means we didn't have a lot of different people with different ideas, or maybe we perhaps family members that were involved and not involved in the business that were resentful that there was a family business. I've seen a lot of family wineries, you know, go through transactions and sell as a result of family squabbling, you know, family issues. That has not been the case here, thank goodness. I'm very proud to say I've been married for 44 years to the same guy. And half that time we work side by side. So that's kind of a miracle. Um, but I think really, you know, it can the one of the ways that we've remained 100% independent is that we aren't answering to, we don't have to show, you know, we're how do I say this the right way? We control our own destiny. And we're not, you know, we are doing this because we love, I do this because I love it. I love the business. I love what my father created, I love what my husband and I took and and elevated. And I, you know, I love it. I'm still passionate about it. I'm not motivated to try to make shareholders happy or, you know, kind of that short-term thinking. It's a very long-term approach when you have a family business and when you have the the freedom and the authority and the and the flexibility to make the decisions, even if you're making, you know, even if you make mistakes, because we all do, you know, you you own it. And I think that that has helped us stay independent. I mean, we are fiercely independent. Literally, there are very few mid-sized, iconic legacy brands that are still 100% family-owned, certainly not from the class of 1972, which is, you know, my our era. I mean, next year will be our 55th anniversary, and it's kind of hard to believe.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

I had um a ball the other day that was just phenomenal. It was not from a big producer in in uh the Napa-Sonoma region, but yet it was a a family-owned wine. And when I drank it, it just hit different. And I think that there is a vision that goes into some of these. And how do you balance honoring your father's vision while still making the winery your own and continue to make phenomenal wine? Because I've had your wine before. It is great wine.

SPEAKER_00 11:14

Thank you. Thank you. Um, well, you know, how do we honor my so when my father started the winery, he he was very much inspired by the white wines of the Loire Valley. Hence, that's why we make beautiful Sauvian Blancs, you know, our fume blanc, and our beautiful dry Chen Blanc. Um that has not changed. So we have maintained the same general style, if you will, of what my father started, which is really bright, refreshing, fruit forward, vibrant acidity, white wines and beautifully balanced, elegant, moderate alcohol, you know, red wines, primarily Zinfandel and Bordeaux blends and you know, Cabernet and Bordeaux blends. Um, those are the those are the varieties that we excel at because those are the varieties that excel here in Dry Creek Valley. And so while we've tweaked and changed many things and of course added different, you know, wines and products, et cetera, we've never veered away from the style that my father started and really what the foundation of the winery is built upon. We are, you know, even I'm looking out my window right now, and you know, the winery is kind of patterned after a small Loire Valley chateau with, you know, ivy on the stone walls and you know, fairly traditional, fairly, I would say almost, you know, kind of an old world feel. So that whole style in terms of the way our wines taste and the aromatic profile has not changed. Um what we've what we have changed quite dramatically from when my father was actively running the business and he retired uh 20 years ago, actually in 2006. But we shifted really back to the roots of the winery and really with a strong emphasis on being Dry Creek Valley focused. My my father, of course, started here in Dry Creek Valley and and you know, made wines from Dry Creek Valley, but over the years he had expanded quite a bit and had vineyards throughout Sonoma County. And one of the transitions from the first to the second generation was a switch back to a, you know, of a Dry Creek Valley appellation focus. Um, and that I think that was the right move. It's helped us differentiate ourselves, not only in the marketplace, but you know, just it it's really helped us continue to craft wines that taste of a sense of place and really reflect the unique terroir um of the Dry Creek Valley, which is unlike anywhere else in the world.

SPEAKER_02 13:38

That's so beautiful and so cool because one of the things that people that are not wine people don't understand is that regions are so different and so specific and so special. And that's where I wanted to ask like, what makes the Dry Creek region so special? What is it about the the ground, the the land and the air and all of that other stuff?

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Yeah. Well, it it's a magical place. I mean, it it I've it is so lovely. I've I've been lucky, you know, to travel a lot of wine regions in the world. And every time I come home, I just pinch myself. I just feel like the luckiest person in the world because the Dry Creek Valley, first of all, it's very small. It's only 16 miles long and about a mile, I think about a mile and a half, maybe two miles at the very widest. So it's a long, narrow, skinny valley. And we have several things going for it. First of all, we're only 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. So it's, you know, very much influenced by the marine layer and by the fog. So while our region can is considered uh, I think a little bit of a warmer, not hot, but a warmer climate, certainly warmer than Russian River Valley. Um, but it's very much moderated by the fog. So it we get that fog layer like today was a perfect example. It was cold and foggy until, you know, noontime. And then it will heat up and you know, we'll get a 30-degree shift in in the temperatures on a daily basis in the summertime, particularly. So, of course, grapes love that long, you know, slow ripening time period. So fog for sure. Um, I think the varied topography. So we have the valley floor, which is along what we call dry creek, which is no longer dry and is no longer a creek. It's a year-round flowing river, but the valley floor is where we have this very sandy, well-drained soils. And that is just where my dad completely lucked out and leapt out and planted Sauvignon Blanc. And of course, now that's the region's premier white variety, and of course, the best Sauvignon Blanc grows along, kind of along the creek. So you have that, you have that, and then going on the west side of the valley, you have these very steep, rugged hillsides, um, you know, quite mountainous actually. And on the eastern side, you have the eastern bench. And then again, on either side of the valley, the west side, we have a different soil profile. We have much higher iron content in the soil. So the soil is sort of bright red and rocky, and that's where our better or the best cabernets and boardover idols, we think, grow. And then on the eastern bench of the valley, it's a little bit more of a decomposing sedimentary rock, which is kind of a fluffy, you know, brown soil, not doesn't have the iron content. And we grow boardover idols there as well, but also Zinfandel. So I guess to summarize, you know, there's three things. It's the fog, it's the very topography, and it's the soils.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

That's interesting. Well, and it's interesting too because you talked about some of the varietals you were planting. And I wanted to know about like what makes Chenon Blanc such an important part of Dry Keek's vineyard story.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Oh my gosh. Well, first, we have made, I can't even believe this. We have made 54 consecutive vinages of a dry style Sinn and Blanc. And my dad was the first one, you know, he released a Shinon Blanc in 1972. Again, because he loved the white wines of the Loire Valley. Um so one of the things that makes it special is that we've continued with it year after year, and we always took it seriously, Sean. We never thought of it as sort of a, you know, a like the an inexpensive white grape or the ugly stepsister of maybe something else. It was always treated with the most, you know, respect and and we and we love shinnin. We've always loved it. So we've always made our shinnin in a in a very classic, sort of dry style that pairs well with food. And that's particularly important because I don't know if you're aware, but back in the 80s, 70s and 80s, maybe even the early 90s, there was a lot of shinnin blanc grown in California, but nearly all of it, not here at Dry Creek Vineyard, but nearly all of it, was made into very sweet, kind of cloying, you know, kind of inexpensive white wine. And they're made, there probably were some good ones made, but the vast majority of the shinnin blanc in the market back then was, you know, kind of jug wine sort of stuff. And I can tell you so many times, we would we, I mean, I don't I've sat in so many sales meetings years ago, being told, you know, you shouldn't make Shinnin. It's a dumb variety, it's not a good variety. And of course, we didn't listen. We continued to make our beautiful dry-style shinnin. And in fact, now what's cool is Shinnan Blanc is having kind of a moment, right? It's sort of become the cool kids grape. And, you know, we've been doing it all along, and we've been doing it in the style that we pioneered all along. And not only is it an amazing bottle of wine, it's an incredible value, but it got picked in the wine spectator top 100, uh, number 24 on the list, which, you know, kind of was really exciting for us because there was a time where Shinnin wasn't very well respected in California. And yet here at our family winery, it's always been, you know, highly respected and one of our most beloved wines, to be honest. We actually a couple years ago, we started making a uh sparkling shinnin block too for our 50th anniversary, which um we just loved so much we decided to bring it back. So now we make a small amount of sparkling shinnin on an annual basis, too.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

That's awesome. Well, uh it leads me to to ask like, why do you think consumers are becoming more interested in aromatic whites and sparkling wines? Why is that?

SPEAKER_00 19:05

It's a really good question. I I think a lot of it has to do with the types of foods that and the cuisine that we're eating today. Right. You know, in general, I think people are eating lighter, a little healthier. Um, and that, you know, that lean leans it lends itself towards, you know, aromatic white wines. I think there may also be a connection between the perception that red wines need to have aging or be held longer before they're going to be drinkable. And, you know, we are an instant gratification uh people today. We want to buy something, take it home, drink it at night, and enjoy it, right? Nobody wants to sit on a bottle for, you know, 10 or 20 years. So it it doesn't surprise me that the category that's growing are aromatic white wines. I'm just really happy that that's a category that we do really well.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

Yeah. That's awesome. Well, you know, it's awesome too.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Yeah, you know, everything swings around. We'll see. Like, what are we gonna be drinking in 10 years?

SPEAKER_02 20:02

Right. And I think that that's a thing is like, I think for people that are getting into wine, I would try to tell them to keep an open mind. You know, I used to think that I was I only like reds, but then man, I had a couple of years ago, I had this this white wine, uh Sauvignon Blanc, that was just knock my socks off. And I was just like, I'd never had that. And I was just like, okay, I guess I like whites now, you know, and it was interesting because it the obviously I hadn't had every white. I hadn't tried whites, I hadn't given myself the chance to have that experience. But as I did start getting into that world, I was like, you know what, there's a lot that I love, but it takes the time to experience that. And you know, how do you think people can better be more open to drinking different types of wine or learning new wines that might be the thing that they will love?

SPEAKER_00 20:53

How do I think they can be more open? Well, I think it's important to experiment and try things and buy things. I I'm uh a firm believer that it's important to buy wine from an independent family-owned winery. I think it's really important that, you know, there there's there unfortunately, I think there's a lot of wine in the market that's pretty mediocre. You know, they were once great brands and they've sold out and they're now owned by a big corporation. And, you know, they've shifted the appellation from their home appellation to maybe the North Coast, or now you're seeing the California Appalachian, or gosh, you know, you're even seeing the American Appalachian. But I think so. The first thing for consumers who maybe don't drink wine on a regular basis is to try things, experiment. And maybe, you know, I think when you have a a wine shop with a good wine steward or a sommelier or just somebody in the store that has a little bit of knowledge and can direct you, that's so helpful. What's completely overwhelming when you go to the grocery store and you see, you know, hundreds of wines and all you're looking at is labels. It's very hard. That's often very common. But it's hard. I I think the other thing people can do is um this is actually something it's sort of a personal, I don't know, it's like my own soapbox here, but is when they're looking at wines, especially if they're shopping in a big, you know, like a big grocery store, pick up the bottle and and you know, read the label. Hopefully it tells you some information about the wine, where it's grown, who made it, what the style is, maybe what it tastes like. But look at the back label because it really should say produced and bottled by so-and-so. Because that means somebody actually grew the grapes and made the wine at their winery and they controlled the entire process. And today, with so many of the companies, you know, buying out wineries and just sort of the consolidation that we've seen happen in our industry, a lot of, you know, there are a lot of labels on the market that are not produced in bottled by. They say vintage and bottled by or something else. And um, I just feel that that if I were advising, I mean, I tell my kids this, right? They're they they are prime drinking age, wine drinking age, you know, millennials. And um, sometimes they'll call me at this and my daughter lives in in in Tennessee, Nashville, and she'll call and she'll say, I'm at such and such, and they don't have any dry creek mom, but they have this, this, and this. And so I'll have her look at the label and you know, I'll I'll try to help tell her what to look for. Um but I think to just bottom line is experiment, try things. You know, everybody's mouth and everybody's nose is different. Like that's the main thing to remember. Our palates are all different, and there's no, you know, it's it's not all we don't all like the same things. Um but I kind of think that fine wine wine wine drinking is a little bit, I've always thought this is sort of funny, but do you remember? And maybe you're unique, but do you remember when you first had French cheese? Like stinky French cheese.

SPEAKER_02 23:51

Yeah, I do. I remember I remember going there, like, what is this and why does it stink so much and why does it taste so good?

SPEAKER_00 24:01

So I had the same, you know, the same experience when I was young. And, you know, in the beginning, I I did like French cheese. My parents had a lot of stinky French cheese around the house, and I always thought it was kind of smelly. But once you taste it and you experience it with, you know, you become hooked. And then you just want to taste all these different types of cheeses. And I feel like wine is a little bit that way that, you know, that once you sort of start to experiment and dabble, it's just like opens up this whole world in your olofactory senses, just like they just expand. Um, so I think that's I don't know if I've answered your question, Sean, but I think really just tasting and trying and never be intimidated and never be afraid to say you don't like something or spit it out. You know, and unf unfortunately, you know, and hopefully you can find bottles of wine, or the consumer can find good bottles of wine that are affordable that they can do that with.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

And that leads to a question, like too, like many people think wine has become expensive and intimidating. How how do you make wine feel approachable and like accessible for people? Like, you know, there's maybe I want to try something, but I don't know where to start. How do we get people through that door?

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Well, I think I think I think it's sort of the the wines that are intimidating or wines that are, you know, re looked upon as untouchable. I I don't understand that. I mean, it's uh it's smooshed up fermented grapes, right? I mean, and yes, there are wines that are, you know, extremely expensive, very valuable, very rare, and they're amazing. I I also think though that, you know, there's no the the some of the pomp and circumstance that you used to see around wine and wine occasions really is, I mean, it it sort of smacks in the face of everything I believe in, which is one of the reasons why I think Dry Creek Vineyard has, you know, developed this really strong loyal following, because A, you know, we're a really approachable, friendly winery. We have the most amazing hospitality team that are will start somebody, whether they're, you know, whether somebody just turned 21 and has never had a glass of wine to somebody who's 85 and has a cellar, right? Um, we produce wines from our dry Chen and Blanc, which is, you know, uh an amaz, it's like about a $15 bottle of wine on up to a very expensive single vineyard Cabernet called the Endeavor Cabernet, but the majority of our wines are in the $15 to $35, $40 price point. Um, and you know, I think that the fact that they're, you know, they're they're they're affordable, affordable luxury, if you will. And the quality is off the charts and they overdeliver. I think that's how we get people over the hump of thinking they have to pay maybe buy something super, super, super, super rare or super, super, super expensive. You know, we we um are I I just I think I think oftentimes, you know, wineries reflect, they reflect ownership. They reflect the culture of the company. And, you know, everybody here is treated like family, and everybody that steps on the property, I consider them family. I mean, that's just who we're all about. And I feel like there should be more of that in the wine industry. And certainly there are. There are lots of wineries that are maybe similar in that style, but there's also a lot of wineries that, you know, uh are just a little snobby, to be honest. I I um yeah, I don't know if I've answered your question the right way, but I feel like the intimidation factor is is there's just it's it's there's no room for it. It's just not we don't need to be snooty, you know?

SPEAKER_02 27:41

I think that the the the one of the things that I remember um from some of my best tastings are that I looked around the room and everyone looked different. And the people at the winery were just treating everyone the same. And it didn't matter who you were or where you were from, let's help you understand wine, let's help you um be a like a new lover of this wonderful thing. And it was interesting too because so many times, like it's just the most laughter, fun, and enjoyable experience I've had was going to different tastings, especially with people that I went with my mom once. And my mom loves wine, but she's not a uh not a connoisseur, she doesn't have a refined palate, but she she knows what she likes and she knows what she doesn't. And when she turned and we were going to wine tasting and she was like trying different things, and she's like, I like that one. And I don't know why I like it. And it was really great because the person was like, Well, let's figure out why you like this wine, because that will help you better be prepared. And so they started asking her these questions and then she answered it, and she got like they helped her get an understanding of like she liked things that were a tiny bit sweet, but not too sweet. She liked whites versus reds. She didn't like things that were too tannic, she liked them more um, you know, light and citrusy. And when she was able to do that, the person was like, these are the different wines that you should probably try. And then after that time, she had a more informed place that she could operate from and buy better wines.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

Yeah. Well, and and I think what happened there is the host, the person who did this with your mom, did it with a warm, generous, open heart, right? There was no snobbery or pretense. And that is so critical. Uh especially, you know, as we look to the future and trying to, you know, get more and more people interested in wine. I mean, one of the I got a bit of news, Sean, just literally before, you know, we hopped on, or I hopped on with you, which kind of reinforces what we're talking about. And it just brings me such pride because it speaks to how incredible our team here is with guests and just kind of what we stand for basically at Dry Creek Vineyard. And the news that I got was that we have been selected by San Francisco Best of the Gay or North of Yeah, best of the Bay Area. Um, we've been selected best winery, like best winery. And this is just an it is it it is awesome. It's a just an incredible, it's an incredible honor. And, you know, it I think it it it it it completely speaks to the fact that everybody that comes to Dry Creek Vineyard is treated like their family. And they are, you know, that they are given the best customer service, the best time, the best experience in the most beautiful setting with the beautiful gardens and this lovely building and the vineyards surrounding them. I mean, it's just glorious. And and there's, you know, there's and everybody here has a big warm smile on their face. And so to me, that's what that's how we reach those people who may feel a little bit intimidated by wine in general.

SPEAKER_02 30:57

I love that. And I think that, you know, you that's awesome. That's awesome. Like such an amazing award. It's so great. And to be like, it shows that you're doing something right and that you're treating people with care and respect and making their experiences amazing. And like that's one of the things to me is I think that wine should be an experience, it should bring joy, it should be just so awesome because it's like I remember um going out to this one restaurant with my wife, and the food was good, the wine was great, but the fact that we had this date night after a really tough time, and we were just sitting there together, and I'm a wine drinker, she loves her cocktails, but she had her cocktail, I had my wine, and we were able to share that moment together. That wine and that experience together paired to create like this superpower, you know. And I I love it because you know, if you're you're bringing that, it brings people to the table automatically. But I wanted to ask you something else because you mentioned something earlier about labeling, and you've been a leader in transparency around labeling and winemaking. Why do you think consumers are asking more questions about what's in their wine? And this is something that I got really um confused by because internationally, I was trying to find some international wines because living in Southeast Asia part of the year, I look at different regions and they have different labeling requirements as well. And so it's can be very confusing to sit there and go, what am I even drinking? You know?

SPEAKER_00 32:33

Right, right. Well, I think the reason why people are asking for it is because they care about what they put in their body, right? We care about where our food comes from. We care about, you know, what what where things are grown. We care about, you know, gosh, you, you know, what kinds of, if you if you wear, you know, what kinds of products you put on your skin, right? We we I think more than ever we care about that. And so it makes perfect sense to me that people are interested in knowing about what goes, you know, how what's made, how their wine is made, what goes into it. And I will be very honest, I mentioned my kids before, but about 10 years ago, I was having a conversation with my daughter, who then was probably in her early 20s, 21 or 22. And I was lamenting the fact that there's this, you know, there were a lot of wineries selling, right? And then the consumer doesn't know that it's not the same winery, the same brand. And she was very encouraged and said, Mom, you need to put all the geeky, like all the the stuff that's like so the geeky wine, I call it the geeky winemaking information, but what it really is, is it's the information that I we feel, you know, consumers need to know about our wines. And we just, I completely redesigned the labels and I put it all out there because to be honest, we have nothing to hide. And and so we we've basically created, you know, we've always had these sailboats on the label because our family is passionate about sailing. So we kept the whole nautical theme, but we added, you know, a tremendous amount of information that, you know, helps the consumer to understand what is in the wine. And, you know, I it it it's it's it's been kind of one of our hallmarks. And in fact, I've and I've been really pleased to see that others are starting to follow suit. I think it's really important. You know, we're probably eventually going to end up with some kind of mandatory labeling, um, you know, um, transparent labeling thing, which I don't think is necessarily a bad thing. The only, the one I will say the one caveat to that is, you know, if we have to add all the like the calories and all that, the nutritional information, protein, whatever, fat, carbohydrates, it will be very costly for wineries because they're gonna have to completely redesign their labels. And I think what it will also do is you'll start to see some of the storytelling that we we put on our labels, like on the back labels. There won't be room for that. You know what I mean? It'll be just sort of this generic back label with just the the mandatory um labeling information, which I I would think that's kind of a shame. But in any event, you to answer your question, the reason why people are asking is because they care. They care about what's in their bodies, they care about how how people treat, you know, the community, how they show up, how they treat their employees, how we, you know, just all of that. And I think it's good. You know, I think it's really good.

SPEAKER_02 35:13

I agree. And I think it's I think that, you know, for me, um, I had this wine the other day that I drank, and then afterwards I felt great. Like it was an amazing experience. And the next day I felt great. And I started looking a little bit more. I was like, what was in that wine and what's in other wines that, you know, I might have one wine and feel destroyed the next day. And then, but this wine, and I looked and I did some research, and they were very transparent about what they were putting in the wine. It was very, you know, much a wine that was a winery that was very committed to keeping things really natural. Yeah, keep and being honest about what was in there. And I was just like, there's something to be said for that, you know. But I wanted to ask too about um, you know, if you were introducing someone to Dry Creek Valley for the very first time, which uh what would you want them to understand? And also what wine would you want them to try?

SPEAKER_00 36:11

To Dry Creek Valley or introducing them to Dry Creek Vineyard?

SPEAKER_02 36:14

Uh let's go to Dry Creek Vineyard, because we talked about the Appalachia already. I want to know about the vineyard and what wine would you send them to?

SPEAKER_00 36:22

Oh my gosh. Well, this is this is very hard to answer because we are not a one-trick pony. We don't just make one varietal.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

So three glasses. Let's try three glasses.

SPEAKER_00 36:34

Okay. I okay, well, then that's easy. I three glasses, I would probably have them try our Sauve, one of our Sauvignon Blancs. I would probably have them try, you know, our fume blanc, which is kind of our flagship benchmark. It's 100% stainless steel, Sauvignon Blanc, you know, really minimal intervention, just classic Sauvignon Blanc. But we'd also make three or four other styles. So a Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Vineyard, because we're just so, you know, we're so committed to that varietal. And I would absolutely have them try our Zinfandel, probably the Heritage Vine Zinfandel, but any of our Zinfandels, because, first of all, Dry Creek Valley is really the epicenter for world-class Zinfandels. Um, but our particular winery, our style is very elegant. We have nice acidity, there's nice lift. It's not a heavy, high-alcohol, overripe, jammy style, like you know, some that are grown in warmer climates in California, like the Lodi area, for example. So I definitely would want to try have them try Zinfandel. Um and then for sure, it would either have to be our Cabernet or the Mariner, which is a Bordeaux blend. It's a it's a classic Meritage. And the reason why is because with our approach to our Cabernet program and our Bordeaux program, it's always a blend of all five Bordeaux varietals. So our our signature Cabernet is 80% Cabernet with a little Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Rideau, and Malbec. And it's also 100% Dry Creek Valley. So you really get the sort of the unique attributes of our region, which in my opinion is sort of really bright cherry tones, some really lovely, um uh kind of earthy for sometimes my whinemaker Tim will call it forest floor, you know, kind of savory herbs, and then really nice sort of dried floral, dried rose petal, you know, characteristics. They're very multidimensional, our Cabernets here in Dry Creek Valley. So I would want them to try, you know, our Cabernet or or the Mariner, which is um, I think the current vintage is 60, 64 or 66% Cabernet, but with the other uh four Bordeaux Isols. And I think between those three wines, not only would they learn what we excel at, but they would really get a taste of the region because that's what this region does best. And, you know, I'm I'm proud because my family and and and you know, our winery and and my father in the early days were were very much a part of establishing what grew best here. I mean, he, you know, he tried all kinds of things. You know, he actually also in 1972 planted Chardonnay. Well, it took a while, but we figured out a long time ago it's it's not the right region for Chardonnay, so we don't grow it here.

SPEAKER_01 39:17

That's so interesting.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

But um I think those would be my three choices. And then if I got a fourth one, I would definitely want them to try the dry chin and blanc.

SPEAKER_02 39:24

I love it. I love it. Well, where can people go to learn more about you and also Dry Creek Vineyard?

SPEAKER_00 39:30

Well, they can certainly go to our website, which of course is www.drycreekvineyard.com, and there's no s at the end of the vineyard. I never quite knew why my father didn't put an S at the end because everybody wants to say Dry Creek Vineyards. Um, but I think they would also they can find us here right in the middle of the Dry Creek Valley. We're right off the highway 101. We even have an exit called Dry Creek Road, and just uh hang a left and go for about three and a half miles and we're on the left. And and you know, the other thing I would want them to know just about Dry Creek Valley is it's it's a beautiful valley where I with with the I mean, I should I should probably not have said this, but there's one winery that has sold. Everyone else is still independent. So it's very much a family-owned, independent region. You know, you see more trucks than you do, you know, Porsche's here, which I think makes it part of the part of the charm. And I think the authenticity that people find when they come to Dry Creek Vineyard is mirrored here in the valley at many wonderful wineries.