Greetings beloved supporters,
Each time we prepare a shipment, I feel a deep sense of gratitude for your trust and enjoyment of the wines we craft. This fall is no exception, as we send these bottles out during the busy hum of harvest — fermentations bubbling in the cellar while the 2025 vintage takes shape. It’s a good reminder that every season has its own story, and I’m thrilled to share a few chapters with you now.
This release highlights the contrast between two memorable years. The 2021s carry the energy and concentration of a cool, measured season, offering vibrancy without sacrificing depth. The 2022 white wines, by contrast, reflect a warmer, more challenging year but finish with poise, delivering ripe fruit expressions that feel generous and inviting but still grounded. Together, they capture the range of what our vineyards can express.
For our Executive and Collector members, we’ve also included library selections that are drinking beautifully today. I’m often asked when to open a bottle, and while my favorite answer is “whenever it pleases you most,” I generally find Pinot Noir and Chardonnay show their best between 5–7 years, and Cabernet Sauvignon between 10–15. With that in mind, the 2015 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon and 2019 Dierberg Drum Canyon Chardonnay should offer both youthful character and the layered nuance that time in bottle provides.
May these wines bring joy and discovery to your table this season. Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey.
Tyler Thomas, Winemaker
Star Lane & Dierberg Vineyards
Your Fall Allocation Includes:
(2) 2022 Star Lane Chenin Blanc, Star Lane Vineyard
The same terroir-driven qualities that define Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon also shine in our Chenin Blanc. Thriving on slopes and elevation—much like in Savennières—this variety finds harmony in our serpentine soils and exposures. Grapes are pressed using a gentle “Champagne cycle” to protect purity, then settled and moved into a mix of stainless steel and neutral oak. Stainless preserves the lifted floral notes, while oak lends balance and roundness. Instead of leaving residual sugar, we soften the natural acidity through partial malolactic fermentation, with about 60% completing the process. A year of lees aging adds texture and depth before bottling.
(1) 2021 Star Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Lane Vineyard
The steep hillsides and serpentine soils of Star Lane Vineyard shape Cabernet Sauvignon that balances power with freshness. Much like in Bordeaux, elevation and aspect play a defining role here, slowing ripening and layering nuance into the fruit. Grapes are destemmed and gently fermented in small lots before aging in French oak barrels, with a careful balance of new and neutral wood. This approach preserves Cabernet’s natural structure and depth while allowing the vineyard’s cool-climate freshness to shine through. The result is a wine that is simultaneously bold and elegant—layered dark fruit framed by fine tannins, energy, and a long mineral finish.
(1) 2022 Star Lane Nebbiolo, Star Lane Vineyard
Nebbiolo at Star Lane marries the variety’s Old World austerity with our valley’s light and energy. Grown on elevated slopes with rocky, serpentine soils, the fruit develops slowly, gaining aromatic lift and fine tannic grip. Grapes are destemmed and fermented in small lots, then aged in large neutral oak to preserve transparency of flavor. The result is a wine marked by red cherry, rose, and subtle spice, carried on a frame of freshness and firm structure—classic Nebbiolo with a distinctly California accent.
If something doesn’t seem quite right with your wines, please reach out—
we’ll be glad to make it right. wineclub@dierbergvineyard.com