Chateau Diana: A winery in dry creek valley

[MarkO01]

My wife and I love spending time in Northern California to visit Napa and Sonoma. Last weekend, during our stay at Solage in Calistoga, we decided to visit some smaller, less touristy wineries, and came across a recently opened tasting room at Chateau Diana – a true gem.

Taking the winding road through the Alexander Valley, we arrived in Healdsburg after a beautiful 30 minute drive. Passing Geyser Peak we turned left on Dry Creek Road and arrived at Chateau Diana after a short mile. We were welcomed by the tasting room director Teri like we were family, even though we had not made reservations.She told us about the history of the dry creek valley, of the property and of the Chateau Diana winery while we sampled several wines, paired with chocolates made locally in Healdsburg. Instead of a limited tasting with 3 or 5 wines, Teri asked us to choose from their daily selection. We asked her to pick for us. To start, Teri recommended the varietals of the Chateau Diana Black Oak brand as an approachable everyday table wine. We loved the next step up, the LeBaron Ranch “3 sisters” Zinfandel named after the property owners in the early 20th century. The 1221 Cabernet Cuvee was equally pleasing. The highlight was the Chateau Diana 707 Wine. We enjoyed the complex, full-bodied wine, while sitting on the patio overlooking the picturesque Dry Creek Valley.

If you are looking to have a personal experience off-the-beaten-path, combined with a broad wine selection while visiting Napa-Valley or Sonoma, you should take a quick drive to Chateau Diana winery and tasting room.

[Boswell]

I was wondering if this was the same Chateau Diana that is ubiquitous in New York delis and supermarkets---a 6% abv "wine product" that gets around NY laws forbidding wine sales in supermarkets. Judging from the website, it is the same company: http://www.chateaud.com/wine/Chateau_...

I've had to politely taste this stuff when non-wine drinkers have brought bottles to byob events. Just awful! But they do make real wine that's actually good?

[wineglas1]

I did a corporate training for a company bringing these wines into our market and as I am always honest with people on wine I said you need to find another brand to bring in. They did not listen and they had a short run in the wine market in our state.

[Bill Hunt]

No, you pour the "regular," for the masses, like Aunt Marge, and then hold the "ultimate" for personal consumption, with friends, who WILL appreciate the difference.

Same for wines.

Hunt

[Bill Hunt]

Thank you. I had never heard of them, but then it is almost impossible for a non-local to stay current. Heck, I spent 2 weeks up and down the Central Coast, and then returned six mos. later. There were probably 12 new wineries, that did not exist, or that I did not find, just half a year before.

Next trip out, will look for them.

Thank you,

Hunt

[zin1953]

Bill,

Chateau Diana was -- for years, going back into the 1970s -- a specialist in buying wine on the bulk market, sticking their label (or a customized label for the specific account) on the bottle and selling to Trader Joe's, Liquor Barn, Cost Plus, supermarkets, etc., etc. They were the $1.99 bottle long before 2BC, or selling for 3/$5.

Jason