Thursday Virtual Happy Hour: The Dry Creek AVA in Sonoma County
Details
We are starting a four-week exploration of various AVAs within Sonoma County. The idea is to find a bottle of wine made from grapes grown within the AVA. You can choose any varietal or blend that you want. If you can't find something within your budget, try something within Sonoma County in general.
Dry Creek Valley is an AVA in Sonoma County, covering land just northwest of Healdsburg. It is considered to be one of the best terroirs in California for the Zinfandel grape variety, which is planted along the hillsides above the eponymous creek. Dry Creek Valley is also notable for its wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, although a wealth of other grape varieties occupy the vineyards as well.
Wine has been made in Dry Creek Valley since the mid-19th Century, when Italian settlers began to populate the valley following the California Gold Rush. By the early 1900s, the Dry Creek wine industry was thriving. The introduction of Prohibition in 1919 dealt a blow to winemakers in the valley, and winegrowing was all but forgotten until the revival of the Californian vineyard in the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, there are over 60 wineries based in the Dry Creek AVA. These include A. Rafanelli and Dry Creek Vineyards, as well as the headquarters of Californian wine giant Gallo.
We have a choice of videos to watch including:
- https://youtu.be/QCIlFmgIQ_M?si=qt3GO8LolOtmqB9A - Exploring the AVAs of Sonoma County - Sonoma County Vintners (5:33)
- https://youtu.be/pqWrVvSjBQI?si=9AfdkhATOuzuTpvM - Soaring Over Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County - Best Wineries (1:49)
- https://youtu.be/phsz6KroM4w?si=k58GLxAIer9DIP_K - Food & Wine Pairings at Passport to Dry Creek Valley - drycreekvalleywine (2:29)
- https://youtu.be/T07ifTT6ufs?si=dTXOwvF7WudmFYen - DRY CREEK VALLEY DAY TRIP - California Wayfaring (6:56)
So, pick up a bottle and watch a couple of videos. Let us know what you’re drinking and eating, and, if possible, the region from which your wine comes. Do you have any comments (positive or negative) about the videos? And, as always, tell us what’s going on in your life - what's happening with you, how you're feeling about things, updates, successes, challenges - as much or as little as you’re willing to disclose. We are in this together. And - thank goodness - we have wine!
Cheers!!