Heard from Adam Lee that Bill Dyer has recently passed. I first met Bill when he was head winemaker at Sterling, where I had a close friend who was a cellar rat there. He went on to marry Dawnine and he eventually planted a Vnyd up on Diamond Mtn and made wine, mostly Cab, under his own label.
Two recollections of his Sterling days: They made a '70 Cabernet that was left in heavily toasted tank too long. It was widely panned because it smelled/tasted like BarBQue sauce. Actually, I kind of liked it, for its eccentricity.
He also made a heavily botrytis CheninBlanc '81 that was terrific. But it didn't sell and the last dozen cases of hlf btls was hauled off to the Napa dump.
I always liked Bill and sorry to hear of his passing.
Tom