Kim Stare Wallace was born into the wine business, but when in college, first pursued fashion.
Her design expertise led to creating Dry Creek Vineyard’s iconic nautical labels when she joined as marketing director. Now president and second-generation owner, she serves on multiple Sonoma County boards, including Sonoma County Vintners and Santa Rosa Junior College Shone Farm Foundation.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Kim Stare Wallace: I was literally raised among the vines in the Dry Creek Valley. My childhood was filled with watching my dad, David Stare, pioneer Dry Creek Vineyard as the first new winery to be built in the region following Prohibition. I worked when I was a teenager in the office, the cellar and on the bottling line …
Did you ever have an “aha” moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
Growing up in the wine industry, I was lucky to be exposed to some amazing wines at a young age. But one of the most memorable was a 1937 Saviennières from Domaine Baumard that I tasted in the Loire Valley with Jean Baumard, who was a dear friend of my father.
We were visiting their home, tasting a bunch of wines at the dining room table, while Jean told stories of how his father hid their wines from the Nazis during WWII.
Hearing this story, while tasting a white wine (chenin blanc, no less) that had aged so beautifully made me fall in love with not only that varietal, but the power that wine has to capture moments in time, preserve history and communicate stories. That is one of the reasons I decided to join the family business.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
This is very hard to answer, but the wines I tend to drink the most of are either our Fumé Blanc or Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc, or our Heritage Vines Zinfandel. When I’m not drinking wine, I’m usually sipping tea.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
For a glass of wine or a cold beer, the Bar at the Dry Creek General Store can’t be beat. I love that I still run into people that I rode the school bus with, growers, old friends, etc. And, if I’m really feeling festive, Barn Diva has a Champagne cocktail called “Bitches of the Seizième” that reminds me of Paris, one of my favorite cities.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?
Absolutely no question: a really good, expressive sauvignon blanc.Dry Creek Vineyard, 3770 Lambert Bridge Rd., Healdsburg, 707.433.1000. drycreekvineyard.com.
