Dierberg & Star Lane Vineyards - Santa Ynez Valley, CA

I have a soft spot for the owner Jim Dierberg because he’s from Missouri (my home state), grew up on a farm and entered pig competitions at country fairs – just like my dad. Jim, his wife Mary, and winemaker Nick de Luca are also making some of the best wines in the entire valley.

When the Dierbergs bought their vineyard in 1996, everyone told them the land was too warm. So like most smart winemakers, they planted grape varietals that were best suited for the climate – and that meant Cabernet Sauvignon. Lucky for Jim because this was the grape varietal he had always dreamed of making. It only took 10 years until his first bottling.

We strolled into the Dierberg tasting room around 11am – fresh from a 2 1/2 hour car ride. We’ve been here before and knew we needed to hit this winery early – not at the tail end of a day full of drinking (when our taste buds are shot and everything tastes great). The wines are all bright with fruit, flowerful noses, and lingering finishes – all with their own unique personalities.

Every time a new wine was poured, we immediately declared it our favorite until the grand finale – the ’05 Star Lane “Astral.” It’s a pretty powerful Cabernet and it no doubt ranks up there with the best we’ve tasted from Napa. The wine had a nice silky texture on the palatte and the taste was laced with red berries, vanilla and just the right amount of earthy tones.

I’m a pretty impatient person, but if I were the wine maker responsible for the Astral ($80), I’d say it was worth the 10 years of waiting.

We also enjoyed spending time with Amy – the woman pouring our wine. Not just because she was responsible for giving us the Astral, but because she noticed Taylor’s Little Barrel Purse Tote the moment we walked through the door. Her enthusiasm caught the attention of the entire room and we found ourselves talking up our company.

It’s definitely a blessing and a curse to start our day with such incredible wine.

-Andrew