On August 24, exactly 50 years ago, Dry Creek Vineyard founder and California wine pioneer David S. Stare received the necessary permits to build the first new winery in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, following Prohibition. Founded in 1972, Dry Creek Vineyard paved the way for a renaissance of winemaking and viticulture in the Dry Creek Valley. The history of the multigenerational family winery is full of notable firsts within the industry, including being the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley, the first to label a wine as Fumé Blanc in Sonoma County (among other varietal firsts), the first to pioneer Dry Creek Valley’s American Viticultural Area status and the first to receive a U.S. patent for the design of printed sustainable sourcing information on a cork. Stare’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace, currently leads the company as its president.