Hermannhof Wines, Hermann Missouri - Dierberg Vineyards, Santa Barbara
Continuing our Missouri Wine Experience, traveling across the State of Missouri visiting different winesites, we ventured to Hermann, Missouri along the Missouri River, home to more than a dozen wine producers.
With the area's history and rich German heritage dating back to its founding in 1837, the town of Hermann and its setting on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River is often referred to as the Missouri Rhineland because of its resemblance to Germany’s Rhine River Valley, A visit to Hermann would not be complete without a visit to G. Hussman Wine Company, Hermannhof Winery and Cellars, namesake to much of the town including the winery, distillery, a couple hotels and inns, the lumber yard, and a couple of butcher meat market restaurants with locally-made German sausages. Hermannhof's stone cellars and brick structure are among 100 early Hermann buildings placed on the National Register of Historic places by the Federal government.
In 1974, Jim and Mary Dierberg of St Louis purchased the historic Hermannhof Winery
in Hermann, Missouri. Established in 1852 as a brewery and winery, it is one of the oldest operating wineries in the US, even pre-dating
the oldest wineries in California, including the historic Buena
Vista in Sonoma, established in 1857.
Construction of the initial building, used as a brewery and winery, was
built from 1848 through 1852 in the French section of the early
settlement of Hermann. Hermannhof's wine making was initially a small
part of the highly successful brewery.
By 1904, the Hermann area
produced 3 million gallons of wine, mostly by small wine
grower/producers, many of whom utilized the facilities of Hermannhof
until prohibition forced the vineyards to be uprooted and the equipment
destroyed or sold to Europeans.
The Dierberg, originally bankers by profession, spent the next several decades renovating and enhancing the Hermann property. Over time, while learning
the craft growing grapes and making wine in the midwest, they began looking
outside of Missouri for a place to plant traditional European varietal grapes.
In 1996, after a long search throughout France and California, the Dierbergs discovered the California central coast and Santa Barbara’s cool coastal valleys where they purchased a 4,000-acre property in Happy Canyon.
They planted two estates
- their namesake Dierberg Vineyard, and Drum Canyon Vineyard, from which they produced wines under the Dierberg label. They then developed a
warm climate site, planting the Star Lane Vineyard, also in Santa Barbara County which they developed under that brand.
In addition to their Hermann vineyards and facilities, the Dierbergs now own and operate two thousand acres of vineyards in and around Santa Barbara County. They have vineyards in the Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez, Santa Maria and Saint Rita Hills wine region AVA's where they produce 15000 cases of premium wine annually.
These California wines are featured in a tasting room in historic building adjacent to the Hermannhof winery and distillery campus in Hermann.
When we stepped in to the Hermannhof winery tasting room, they explained that "the Missouri wines are offered here, and the California wines are next door". While we were originally intent of exploring the Missouri wines, having already visited several Missouri producers, we were intrigued and went next door to explore what quality California wines were on offer.
We learned that Dierburg produce estate wines sourced from their two thousand acres of Southern California Santa Barbara County vineyards. They market and distribute under the Dierberg, Starlane and Three Saints brands.They grow Bordeaux varietals Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Burgundy varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, as well as Syrah.
The Dierberg Vineyard, is thirteen miles from the Pacific Ocean in
one of the cooler winegrowing corners of Santa Barbara County, on the western edge of the Santa Maria Valley appellation. It was planted in 1997 to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along the south bank of the Santa Maria River. It’s the oldest of three vineyards owned by the Dierberg
family in Santa Barbara County. The vineyard boasts 161 acres of rolling
hills with mostly sandy loam soils, about 2/3 of which is planted to
Pinot Noir. They also operate a tasting room there on the Santa Maria Valley property.
They planted the Drum Canyon Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills between
the towns of Lompoc and Buellton in Santa Barbara County in 2003. There, the terroir with
persistent, steady winds rolling through the canyon is an
ideal environment for producing California Pinot Noir with the intensity and signature acidity of the well known notable Santa Rita
Hills AVA.
Their third vineyard site is Star Lane Vineyard in the Happy Canyon AVA. This vineyard is in the hills and canyons of their vast estate, rising from 750 feet to 1,550. The vineyard consists
of numerous, diverse blocks, at the lower elevations, plantings are on
flat ground with relatively little wind. Further up in the hills, the
vines lie on slopes of up to 45 degrees, and, at the highest elevations,
winds can be extremely strong and eventually shreds the wind-blocking
material which hangs around the perimeter. Depending on altitude, facing
and the vagaries of particular days, diurnal shift during the growing
season can be 30 to 50 degrees.
The vineyard’s shallow and well drained soils are also varied from sandy, graveled to rocky topped
clay-loam. The Star Lane Vineyard is planted in Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and
Sauvignon Blanc as well as Syrah.
Today, the entire Dierberg family including their grown children and their spouses
are involved in the day-to-day operations of the vineyards and
winery.
Dierbergs brought in Tyler Thomas who joined Dierberg and Star Lane Vineyards in 2013 as winemaker. After earning degrees at Colorado State, he received a masters in
Viticulture and Enology at U.C. Davis. Today he is responsible for all day-to-day details of winemaking, from harvest to
the final blending of the wines as president and winemaker of Dierberg and Star Lane Vineyards.
The Dierberg Hermann tasting room offers the broad portfolio of California Santa Barbara County estate grown wines. We tasted the following wines:
Dierberg Santa Maria Valley Dierberg Vineyard Chardonnay 2016
This was was rated 94 points
by Wine Enthusiast,
92 points
by
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 91 points by
Wine Spectator, Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous. It was aged 15 months in 30% new
oak.
Light golden colored, medium bodied, golden apple, white peach and almonds with notes of citrus and crème fraîche with lively acidity and a long,
nutty finish.
RM 91 points.
Winemaker's Notes: "This is Dierberg
Vineyard classic. For those familiar with the vineyard’s Chardonnay,
there will be plenty to like in this wine.
Its purity of fruit is deep but quiet, leaning on stone fruit and citrus
expressions with only a hint of tropical notes in the
background. The palate has a wonderful broad feel that connotes
California, but never strays away from its backbone of
refreshing acidity. Fermented in 400L French oak puncheons, 20% new, 50%
malo."
Dierberg Santa Maria Valley Dierberg Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
This was rated 93 points
by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 92 points by Vinous
Ruby colored, medium bodied, complex, tangy dark berry and black cherry fruits, earth, tobacco, smoke and incense.
Winemaker notes: "The 2016 Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard was aged 14 months
in 35% new French oak. It's medium ruby with wonderful, layered
perfume: dried rose petals, crushed herbs, woodsmoke, cranberry sauce,
warm earth, red cherry preserves and hints of raspberries and orange
peel.'
|
"Deep garnet in
color from the rim to its core. The nose begins with the sweet dampness
of freshly opened potting soil followed by layers of black current,
blackberries, caramilized blueberries, with fresh rose petals and
violets. The palate showcases black cherry and black plum. Hints of
cocoa and allspice weave between the nose as well as the flavor
profile. Soft, youthful tannin will mature into silk over time."
Dierberg Santa Rita Hills Drum Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
This was awarded 93 points by Wine Enthusiast, 92 by Wine Advocate, and 88 points by Wine Spectator.
This was dark garnet colored with medium body with black berry and black cherry and cranberry fruits with earth, bramble, smoke, pain grille and leather and hints of pepper and spice with fine grained tannins on a long finish.
The 2016 Pinot Noir Drum Canyon Vineyard was made with 25% whole cluster and aged 16 months in 35% new French oak, 700 cases were produced.
Winemaker notes: "2016 was a straightforward
vintage with moderate yields and a good pace to ripening. Unlike 2015,
the wines were not as obviously dense and masculine, and therefore we
leaned a bit more on stem inclusion to ensure we built a structure that
was supple and extended with firm tannins. All in all, we had about 25%
whole cluster in the final blend. The wines were aged in about 35% new
oak to add a bit of mid-palate texture before being bottled the
following December."
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3115465
Dierberg Santa Barbara County Happy Canyon Star Lane Vineyard Syrah 2017
When Tyler Thomas joined Dierberg as winemaker, he brought a wealth of experience
with Syrah from earlier work at Donelan Family Wines. There he produced numerous
vineyard-designated labels from top sites ranging from cool to warm throughout Sonoma
County. This prepared him for various Dierberg sites in Santa Barbara with Syrah planter in cooler Santa Maria Valley and the appreciably warmer Happy Canyon.
Tyler Thomas strives to produce Syrahs that “rather have the
textural effect of oak than the aromatic.” To achieve this, he uses very
little new oak and a large percentage of large 400-liter barrels with less oak surface area.
This was dark inky garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with black berry and black cherry and plum fruits with notes of dark spices, hints of pepper, licorice, expresso and leather.
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3770346
Dierberg Star Lane Vineyard of Santa Barbara Happy Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Winemaker notes: 2017 was an excellent growing season with moderate temperatures and
healthy winter rain. However, the vintage will likely be remembered for
its heat during harvest, which impacted our coastal vineyards more than
Star Lane. The fruit from Star Lane did see more heat than recent
vintages and early impressions suggested fruit would be forward. As a
result we were careful with how tannin developed in the wine, and used a
bit less new oak. Cabernet Franc (5%), Petite Verdot (5%), Merlot
(4%), and Malbec (1%) all contributed in 2017, used sparingly to add
pleasure through increased complexity and balance of texture.
Winemaker Tasting Notes:
In
my time at Star Lane this may be the most fruit forward and open
Cabernet Sauvignon since 2012. The wine shows the exposure to a warmer
ripening season with bright red fruits a bit more forward than the usual
blueberry notes of previous vintages. All of this is achieved without
compromising the “Star Lane-ness,” cool coastal sage notes that add
complexity. Texture is sneaky: initial softness gives way to ample (but
not overwhelming) tannin on the 2nd and 3rd sip.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3569046
Dierberg Star Lane Vineyard "Astral" Santa Barbara Happy Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
This is the ultra-premium flagship label of Star Lane Vineyard. It is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. It was aged twenty months in 100% new French Oak. It was on offer for $125 per bottle.
Winemaker Notes: "In 2005 we arrived at the concept of Astral after recognizing the exceptional quality of the hillside plantings near the top of the Star Lane Vineyard. These hillside blocks produce very low yields which create wines of considerable intensity and structure. Astral is comprised of the most extraordinary components from the vineyard in each vintage."
Astral Winemaker Notes: While a cool year the depth of flavor is reminescent of 2008 but with the structure of 2009. Rich fruit permitted extended time on skins with exceptional Cabernet from our hillside and own-rooted blocks. We only added a touch of Cabernet Franc for an extra layer. The 2010 vintage was unseasonably cool from March to June setting up a delayed and cool ripening season. The cool early season weather was followed by moderate temperatures that promoted full maturity. The extended hang time in 2010 combined with cool temperatures promoted wines of freshness of flavor.
Winemaker Tasting Notes: Black-fruits and sweet floral (almost sage-like) emerge from the aromatics.
This wine continues to change as it sits in the glass. A rich core of fruit holds the structured tannins in check. We expect this wine to age well.
https://dierbergvineyard.com/
http://starlanevineyard.com/
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