Dry Creek Vineyard 2014

An as it comes to pass each and every year at this time, the latest wine vintages are being released to the public. This does not mean that wines from 2013 or 2014 are on dealer’s shelves right now. There are many varieties, especially the reds that need some time to age and mellow. The first red wine from France is the 2015 Beaujolais Nouveau, which is released to the public at 12:01 AM on the third Thursday in November. Why on that date and time, we haven’t got the foggiest idea but that is the way it has been done for years, so why change it.
Among the major American wineries and a producer of exceptional wine is Dry Creek Vineyards who have just released their 2014 white wines and they are, as one would expect, outstanding. They have also released some of their aged reds, one of which we were privileged to sample.

Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc ($12). Chenin Blanc, for some reason, is not often seen in stores and restaurants. Personally, we enjoy the variety and are disappointed that it is not more popular. This wine displays a whole series of fruit aromas centering on preach, cantaloupe, and lavender. On the palate the taste resonates with tropical fruits and a noticeable mineral under flavor. This wine is the perfect aperitif and can also accompany all of the foods associated with the other white wines. This Chenin Blanc is an impressive alternative to the other whites on the market.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Sonoma County Fume Blanc ($14). This wine can best be described as a museum piece Savignon Blanc. It has been carefully crafted from specially selected grapes and subject to intense care and supervision during every step of its manufacture. The wine was carefully fermented and then set aside to age in new French oak barrels. New barrels impart the most oak flavor to a wine, so it stands to reason that there is plenty of oak in this wine. The Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Sonoma County Fume Blanc presents a big floral and citrus aroma and the rather obvious flavor of peaches along with, as you must expect by now, oak and plenty of it. This is a truly exceptional wine, big, bold, and very enjoyable. For those who are looking for a replacement for Chardonnay, this is the wine for you.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc ($18). Sauvignon Blanc grapes can produce wines in the California style, with a melon and citrus flavor as well as wines in the classical European style, which features a prominent herbaceous (grassy) flavor. The Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc lives in both worlds. It has the classical grassy component but it is held in check so that the fruity California style can predominate. This effect allows this wine to be served with a wider spectrum of foods and will nicely accompany poultry and the lighter meats as well as seafood.

Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Sonoma County Cabernet Savignon ($25). This is the type of Cabernet Sauvignon that has made the Dry Creek Vineyard famous; big, chewy, deep in color and full of flavor. This Cabernet Sauvignon has been crafted in the classical Bordeaux tradition. Along with the Cabernet Sauvignon, small amounts of Merlot, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec has been blended in to accentuate the fruit flavors and add additional depth. What resulted is a wine with a flavor shift toward the classical style of a Cabernet Sauvignon while maintaining the big fruit attributes derived from its California birthplace. The flavor and aroma emphasizes licorice, cherries, violets, and tobacco, which are accompanied by notes of black currant, dried herbs, toasted oak, and cocoa. This is a wine for current drinking or one that is also perfect for laying down for several years to allow it to gain a softer, smoother, more mellow countenance, providing you can keep your hands off of it for that long