About Us

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Get To Know Our Vineyard In Napa Valley

Through Dyer Vineyard and Dyer Straits Wine Co., Bill and Dawnine Dyer bring the rich history and intense flavors of Diamond Mountain Cabernet to life. The Napa Valley winery in the Diamond Mountain District combines their expertise and experience in one wine- Dyer Vineyard, Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon– a celebration of California’s storied wine-making history.Bill and Dawnine’s unique perspective and knowledge of wine derives from decades of winemaking, both in the prestigious Napa Valley and around the world. Together they represent more than 80 years of experience in the wine industry. In 1996, they planted Dyer Vineyard and started Dyer Straits Wine Co with the goal of bringing focus on the exceptional terroir and extraordinary wines of Napa Valley’s “jewel” on Diamond Mountain.

Find out more about wine masters Bill and Dawnine Dyer, and delve into the history that gives Dyer Straits Wine Co. its original character. Browse the newest selections and order your own bottle for a taste of real Napa Valley wine.

Bill Dyer

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Bill spent 20 years, from 1976 to 1996, with Sterling Vineyards. He started as Cellarmaster and became Winemaker in 1985. Recognizing the importance of the vineyards, he was responsible for developing their single-vineyard wines, including a Cabernet from Diamond Mountain that garnered a great deal of attention and praise in the early 1980s. Since 1996, Bill has brought his considerable talents to consulting. Miramar Torres Estate in the Russian River Valley, Sodaro Winery and Frogs’ Leap Winery in Napa Valley, as well as Church & State Winery and Burrowing Owl Vineyards in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley all have benefited from his insight and experience — as does Dyer Vineyard. In 2005 Bill and Dawnine formed a partnership with Meteor Vineyard owners, Barry and Tracy Schuler making Cabernet from their vineyard. Both vineyards are singular expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon in the best areas of Napa Valley.

Dawnine Dyer

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Dawnine spent 25 years as Winemaker at Domaine Chandon. A staunch Californian, and always a fan of the bubbly, her tenure at Chandon was marked by the introduction of many original sparkling wines and wine styles, taking the best of both a rich tradition and a promising appellation. She was instrumental in the construction of Sodaro Winery and made their first 8 vintages. Along with Bill, Dawnine is a partner in the award winning Meteor Vineyard. She is active in the Napa Valley Vintner’s Association — and most importantly, works on Dyer Vineyard. Now both can frequently be found working in the vineyard, topping barrels and finally packing orders of Dyer Cab for shipment. Between the two they hold degrees in Philosophy, Biology, and Enology — all three come in handy from time to time.

Our Label

Diamond Mountain

Our label is inspired by a mural we saw while traveling in Tibet in 1998. After a long journey by four-wheel drive vehicle we arrived at Tsurphu Monastery, then the home of the Karmapa, who has since joined the Dalai Lama in exile in India. It was a wild and wonderful site, surrounded by high peaks and hanging glaciers. When we inquired about a painting of a powerful mountain scene, we were told it depicted the Diamond Mountains featured in the Diamond Sutra, one of the Buddhist scriptures. San Francisco Illustrator John Mattos produced the artwork for our label from a photo of the painting.

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The Diamond Mountains at Tsurphu Monastery