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    Founder

    David S. Stare

    Founder, Dry Creek Vineyard

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    Founder
    Portrait of David S. Stare

    Portrait of David S. Stare

    i. Biography

    David S. Stare is the founder of Dry Creek Vineyard, established in 1972 in Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, and is widely credited as a pioneer of the modern valley wine industry. He studied civil engineering at MIT, earned an MBA at Northwestern University, worked for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, then moved into winemaking through graduate study at UC Davis before founding the winery. His milestones include helping establish Dry Creek Valley appellation status, first labeling a wine with the Dry Creek Valley appellation, and early advocacy for Sauvignon Blanc, Fumé Blanc, Meritage, and old-vines Zinfandel.