Dutcher Crossing Winery has been voted Best Sauvignon Blanc in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
“I think Sauvignon Blanc is one of the great varieties for Dry Creek Valley,” says winemaker Kerry Damskey. “Sauvignon Blanc loves it here,” he smiles. And NorthBay biz readers love Dutcher Crossing’s Sauvignon Blanc, having voted it the Best three times out of the last four years (last year they voted the winery’s Zinfandels into the top spot).
“It’s the popular go-to wine for Dutcher Crossing,” says owner Debra Mathy. “It’s the first wine people taste when they get here. Even people who don’t love white wine like it,” she says. Damskey adds that it’s long been the winery’s signature offering.
“We originally sourced all of the grapes from Lou Preston’s vineyard,” says Damskey. “His is always a standout. But we wanted to do something different. So we added Viognier for its floral and honeysuckle tones, Rousanne for a hint of its earthy spice and texture, and Semillon for mouthfeel. We wanted to add weight and texture to the wine without losing its Sauvignon Blanc core.”
Today, the winery produces between 700 and 1,000 cases of Sauvignon Blanc, depending on the year (8,000 cases total). And with the addition of grapes from Dutcher Crossing’s own Sauvignon Blanc vineyard beginning last year, that production will increase slightly over time.
“It’s a nice blend of the two vineyards,” says Mathy. The 2010 will officially be released this May, which is a little earlier than normal because the 2009 is already sold out. It’s a blend of 83 percent Sauvignon Blanc, 1 percent Rousanne, 9 percent Viognier and 7 percent Semillon. About 8 percent of the grapes are aged in tightly grained French oak barrels. “The key is to bottle early, when it’s young and fresh,” says Damskey.
When Mathy purchased her 35-acre property in 2007, there were 10 acres of vineyards planted. Since then, she’s worked with Damskey to plant an additional 14. Today, you can find a wide variety of Rhone varietals (some of which are used in the Sauvignon Blanc) and, of course, Sauvignon Blanc.
This year, it’s offering some really fun ways to enjoy a visit. An avid cyclist, Mathy leads visitors on a casual ride on the last Friday morning of each month (April through October). Start at the winery and tour its surrounding vineyards for an up-close view of what makes the vineyards it sources from unique.
If you aren’t into cycling, you can join in for picnics in the vineyard (check the winery’s website for dates and details in June and July). “We’re bridging the gap between hearing about and seeing the vineyards,” says Mathy. On July 17, Mathy will host a farm-to-table wine brunch. “Some of our growers are organic food producers too,” she says. “We’ll have a local cheesemonger and some honey from one of the growers. It’ll be like a farmer’s market to show people what they can do with the food. .
“In August, we’re going to start offering cheese and also sweets from Healdsburg Toffee Company to go with each of our wines, for traditional and atypical pairings,” she adds. “We want to open people’s minds to what goes with wine.” The winery will also have three custom-made flavors of ice cream or sorbet available that same month—each paired with a particular wine. You see, a visit to Dutcher Crossing will always hold a surprise.
“Thank you to everyone who voted for us,” says Mathy. “We’re thrilled! This is our end-of-day wine, we’re happy everyone likes it and we hope to continue make it the way everyone enjoys.”
