History of
Collier Falls Vineyards

Collier Falls Vineyard is a 100-acre hillside property, located in the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, California. The property was purchased in 1997 by Barry and Susan Collier from Don and Rhonda Carano of Ferrari-Carano Winery. Originally planted in 1982 as an eight-acre Zinfandel vineyard, Collier Falls expanded its vineyards in 1997 with eight more acres of Primitivo. In 1998, ten additional acres were planted, three to Zinfandel and seven to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot. A sixty-foot waterfall on the property gives this wine its name, but hillside vineyards tucked into the northwest corner of the valley provide its true character. Vines densely planted on terraces of rocky clay soil compete with each other for nutrients, giving the grapes complexity, while hot days and cool nights create the perfect microclimate for Dry Creek Zinfandel. Hand-harvested grapes, delicately crushed, give the winemaker juice concentrated with flavors of red berry and spice. Aging in both French and American oak barrels creates balance and distinctiveness. Collier Falls produces annual private reserve bottlings of 1500 cases of estate-bottled Zinfandel, 300 cases of an estate Primitivo, less than 1000 cases of the "Hillside-Estate" Cabernet Sauvignon and 100 cases of a "Hillside-Estate" Petite Sirah.