DRY CREEK VINEYARD CHENIN BLANC 2008

In this business you taste a bazillion wines and while you would like to carry them all, there is always the large, overbearing factor of limited shelf space you have to consider. One winery that I’ve always liked, but I have never been able to find the room for them in this store is Dry Creek Vineyard from California. The founding winery that bears the name of this distinguished California AVA has always been a constant figure on restaurant wine lists, yet for one reason or another, I just haven’t gotten around to putting them in our stores.

Good friend Matt McCormack, the regional sales rep for Dry Creek Vineyard, came around this past week, and once again, pitched the wines. And after clueing me in that the new winemaking team at DCV is the former duo of Chalk Hill Winery’s team – Bill Knuttel and Lisa Bishop-Forbes, along with assistant winemaker Nova Perrill, formerly of Mount Eden Vineyards. The result is the wines in general are neck-and-shoulders above what they were when I had the Fume Blanc and Heritage Zinfandel on the wine list at Café Boulevard of Dayton, OH 12 years ago.

The Dry Creek Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2008 is one of California’s most consistent white wines, and has seemingly gotten better and better with each vintage. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, completely tank fermented, this dry white wine possesses the kind of peach essence that makes you think of a Sunday drive through the Georgia Mountains. It's crisp, clean, and vibrant with all the fruit and liveliness you need.

Matt, with our former co-assistant wine buyer Jesse (now with SWS/Crane) chauffeuring him around, reminded me the quality and the natural accoutrement to food this wine is, and after years of prodding, the Chenin Blanc, along with its brethren, have found a home here at LD.
Cheers!