Small, family run business. Very nice wines, especially their Zinfandels. We were enthusiastically met by the owner and seated at the tasting bar. Small production, focused on wines that are meant for food. We very much enjoyed our tasting. Thank you very much, Andrew, for describing your families passion for the wine business. I know that this will be passed on to your children. read more

Very unpretentious with a focus on the wines. Though best known for their outstanding Zinfandels, we really liked the Pinot Noirs (light but with a nice fruit body) and the Chardonnay (not so creamy and with a lower alcohol content) as well. A wonderful tasting experience. read more

Randomly found this place upon driving towards where the juicy grapes in the vineyards led us. This was a lovely vineyard with amazing service. My friend and I chose to do wine tasting and they served us 4 different reds that they had to offer. The weather and vibes were so nice that we didn't want to leave. Highly recommend if you're looking for a nice and peaceful vibe. read more

One of the first things you notice about this winery is the living roof of rosemary. The entrance is around the back and you get to walk along the vines until you come to a small picnic area. This is a small family-owned winery and if you are looking for a slick, tasting room, this isn't the place for you. This was a bit of an odd visit. We enjoyed some of the wines and bought a few, but despite that they are willing to ship, the man in the tasting room didn't want to ship them for us. He insisted it would be much cheaper for us to ship them ourselves. While he was probably right, I was then forced to lug four bottles around in the heat and it was a bit irritating. It's not a bad place to visit, but realize you may get some push back if you want to ship wine home. ETA - Within a few hours of me posting this the owner reached out apologizing for my experience. I appreciate an owner being concerned when someone walks away with a less than perfect experience and I am adding a star to my rating. I'm guessing my shipping issue will no longer be an problem if you visit. Go here, relax and enjoy some Zinfandel. read more

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It was a lovely day. I was the designated driver and didn't drink but I loved the view. read more

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Best family winery I have visited in many, many years. You step on the property and feel the labor of love put into a life's work, and this really shines through in the character of the wines. The friendly, unpretentious atmosphere and the ambiance of the cellar nestled among the vines make it easy to drink the wine and yearn for the next visit. Until next time, squirrel family... read more

"Really great wine" - Two Major Wine Snobs I've been waiting to try this place! I work weekends and their limited hours didn't always line up but after trying a Pinot and a Zin from Nalle at a local restaurant, I decided I needed to make more of an effort to get to the winery. We arrived to the small facility and remarked at the easy parking, quiet day, and how cute the living roof is (rosemary grows on top of the building) very cool! There was a large group enjoying bottles at a nice big table outside and that seems like a nice place to bring a picnic and taste outside. We chose to go inside and had the small no-frills bar to ourselves. When I say "no-frills" it's not a bad thing. You're tasting in the cellar and you get to see where all the magic happens. THIS IS A SMALL FAMILY STYLE PLACE. This is not an outrageous facility with fountains and statues; their modesty is actually quite refreshing. You also see that modesty reflected I their reasonable price point. I hate feeling like I'm paying for those fountains and statues in the bottle price. Lol We were greeted by a full staff of very friendly, casual folks. Our host, who's name escapes me was knowledgeable and made us feel right at home. The winemaker, Andrew was also there and made a point to come chat with us as well. I can't tell you how many places I go where the winery owners brush past you and barely say hello. We got a lot more, we learned about the wines, the history, and felt well cared for the entire experience. We loved the pinot, zin, cab, and the not-at-all-sweet late harvest. I was on a mission for Pinot and so we took home a vertical flight: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. I don't think the 15 was even technically available to the public but we left with it. All in all it was a great, casual, family style experience. I love supporting small wineries and I'll definitely be sending more people their way. 5 stars. read more

Nalle Winery - Super excited to bring these babies home. - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Healdsburg, California

Andrew continues to make wonderful wines. His quality is consistent, the wine food friendly, and he will occasionally try to do something new. So there's some fun too (sparkling). The site is so pleasant, the people have always been great. Our server today, Nick, continued that knowledgeable friendly service. read more

Beautiful fairy tale vines which is what caught my attention to begin with and a very homey, country setting with a beautiful view of vineyards. I just felt like the experience could have been a little better from our server. However, the owner came around and was very nice and welcoming. Had she been our server, the experience would have been way better. read more

Great little hidden gem on Dry Creek Road. Some of the best Zinfandel's you'll ever taste. Tasting Room is in the middle of the vineyard and it's just a very relaxed place to sit on a warm afternoon and drink some wonderful wines. The people there are just so very friendly and accommodating. You do need a reservation and they are only open a few days a week but it's definitely worth going to. read more

I popped open a bottle of Nalle's 2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel tonight and realized that I had never Yelped Nalle. Doug Nalle is one of the pioneers of Zinfandel and his winery is very low key and only open to the public on Saturdays. It is a family affair at Nalle which is refreshing given the corporate atmosphere at some wineries. Their approach to Zinfandel is a bit different than most these days. More often than not, you find giant Zins north of 15 & 16% alcohol. At Nalle, they keep it below 14%. The wine I had tonight is 13.8% and lighter in body than most of today's Zin. It is more akin to Pinot Noir or a light bodied Grenache. But, it isn't short on taste --- very smooth with strawberry notes a bit of toast on the finish giving way to a hint of spice. If you're in the area on a Saturday stop in for a bit of history and something a little different. read more

It's not many times can you drive up to a winery for a scheduled tasting and find the owner out back standing there with a hose spraying down the dirt. But there was Doug Nalle. We had a great chat with him as we waited for his son Andrew, who is now the winemaker, who was going to do the tasting with us. You know your tasting is going tom fully lack pretention when the winemaker shows up in a tee shirt, gym shorts and a ball cap. By far, the best tasting experience my fiancé and I ever had. Andrew grabbed a few wines and the three of us sat down at a picnic table under and arbor to have some wine just feet from some of the oldest Zinfandel wines they have. Andrew is young and humble, quiet and reserved and incredibly passionate about what he does. We learned a lot in the hour or so we spent there. We talked about the history of the vines, how land and vine leasing works and even had an interesting talk about the Volstad Act's effect on winemaking. We tasted five wines while Lyla, Andrew's sweet little pit, literally curled up on Brent's feet. Their wines are not made to go off like firecrackers but to be more subtley appreciated. We loved them all and left with a Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir and a Zin. We plan on going back every time we're Napa/Sonoma. I have more respect for the Nalle's for staying true to their vision than I do for most people. Just amazing. read more

This may be one of the best hidden gems in all of Dry Creek. Though it's hardly a kept secret- Nalle is long known for being one of the best Zinfandel makers in California even with a minuscule production. Andrew, the son of the original wine maker has taken the reigns and oh man is he continuing the sterling legacy of Nalle Zins. Situated on their own 88 year old vineyard, with a green roof, the tasting room is their barrel room. If you are really lucky, you may see Andrew Nalle buzzing around while his wife and their newborn baby (a ringer for her dad) pour you their estate wines. Folks, it doesn't get more homegrown than this. Do not miss Nalle. Make a reservation for a tasting and thank me later. It's the triptych of great wine tasting experiences- Locally authentic, Family Run, and absolutely Delicious wines! read more

Nicest folks, best wine.. however if you like fruit or oak bombs or over ripe alcohol bombs this is not for you. These wines are for the lover of a more classical earlier picked style of wine like; the Cali wines from 25 years ago before certain wine critics.. If you love old school european wines, these are the wines for you. Doug is wonderful as well as the whole crew. read more

My wife, Sister-In-Law, Brother, and I visited Nalle in our Passport to Dry Creek weekend. We were well in to the weekend when we came by Nalle and were pleased with the accommodations. We purchased half a case of wine,now that we have had the chance to enjoy the wine following the event, are even more pleased with the product we purchased. My personal fav is the 2014 Pinot Noir, Bummed we are already on our last bottle but have high intentions of returning for more. Cheers, O read more

Very small family-run vineyard. The Nalles built the tasting room themselves (so cute!) and their doggy is featured in the Sonoma Vineyard Dogs Coffee table Book! Awwww. Their tasting room isn't open everyday, so we were lucky to venture there on a super sunny Saturday when they were. Highly recommend for a visit. Both husband and wife are very friendly. read more

Didn't care for the wine and the black mold (yes that's the toxic type) growing all over the interior of the garage-like area where they do the tasting freaked me out! read more

If you are a true Zinfandel lover, you will be enamored with Nalle. The Zin is one of the best in the Dry Creek, (considered one of America's premiere Zinfandel growing regions). The winery is a true family affair, with the Nalles filling pretty much every roll from cellar rat to tasting room manager. It is very likely that you'll meet one of the family if you make the effort to stop by. But be sure to check their hours before you make the trip. Although the mom and pop aspect is part of the charm, it limits the frequency with which the tasting room is open. read more

If you're looking for that ultra personal, small family-owned winery feel, Nalle is perfect. You won't be greeted by a slick tasting room with the cookie cutter paintings of wine country landscapes and the grape-themed knick knacks that you find at all the other wineries. Instead, Doug and Lee will be warmly greeting you from behind a folding table inside their hangar-like storage room stacked with barrels. It's not very often that you have a chance to find such authenticity - these folks have made making wine their life, they built their business (including their house, etc) from scratch and have no corporate ambitions beyond making good wine and enjoying life while they do it. We could have hung out with them all day. They even designed their house and storage room to be environmentally friendly before being green was cool (the roof of the storage room/makeshift cave is made up of rosemary bushes for built-in cooling.) The wines are lighter than some of the other bold reds you find in the area. Most of the wines share a signature tartness. The 2005 Cuisine Cinque was my favorite. The only thing holding me back from a full 5 stars is that I didn't LOVE all the wine, but they were all good. read more

Wonderful people, wonderful wine, wonderful winery. The best wine club I've ever joined, thank you!

Nalle is quite the hidden gem in dry creek valley. If you are not familiar with Sonoma county wine country it can be over whelming, even for us locals. There are so many famous names out there & gigantic fortress to draw the crowds. All are beautiful, but if you want excellent wine and a true wine country experience you need to hit the smaller wineries. Nalle will give you a personal experience you really can't get anywhere else. In their intimate tasting room you will most likely find Ned or April, they are both salt of the earth kind of people. They have always been kind, welcoming and accommodating. The grounds are simple, beautiful vines. Now what is most important is their quality of wines. This will be one of the best Pinot, if not THE best Pinot you will ever have. Their cab and their red zins are amazing. They have a great Sav blanc & just started producing sparking rose. I joined their wine club after having a glass of their Pinot at one of Sonoma counties top restaurants. I was immediately hooked! That night I took a photo of the restaurants wine menu, later googled them and made the drive out to visit them and discovered everything in their production was top notch. You're welcome for this recommendation, you will not regret it! Cheers! read more

This winery is the epitome of a Family-owned winery in California. They take immense care and put so much love into the work that they do. Unbelievable six-generation history of being in Dry Creek Valley. Second-generation winemaking and making wine, especially Zinfandel, that doesn't follow the popular opinion but focuses on quality. Their benchland winery is an above ground cave covered in rosemary with beautiful views looking out into their vineyards. April and Andrew, along with Lee and Doug, are phenomenal hosts and you feel like one of the family when you visit. read more

Amazing winery, the best hospitality and you can't beat the conversation. We showed up to Nalle about 5:15 on a Saturday night hoping that they may still be around. The winemaker, Andrew, was just closing up shop and was happy to stay open and share some stories with us. Not only did we leave with great insight but we also left with a lot of wine...and two free bottles. Andrew pulled out a bottle of their second press Zin, unlabeled, and told us to enjoy and provide some feedback. Truly the most remarkable experience we've had in our three years making trips to Napa and Sonoma. Way to go Nalle! read more

I recently took my first trip to wine country and I had the distinct pleasure of happening upon Nalle Winery. As it's one of the small family-run vineyards, they don't seem to get the notariety of the larger vineyards, which is absolutely to my liking. I got lucky on a Friday afternoon, when they weren't even open. Andrew and his girlfriend, Stephanie, were out in the field pruning trees and they took time out to spend time with us. Andrew is very passionate about the style of their wine and We LOVED their Zinfandel, amongst the finest around. This is old school Zin at it's finest. I highly recommend their wine, and do stop by if you get the chance, the family is wonderful, the wine is wonderful and the scenery is outstanding! read more

One of the best tasting experiences in Sonoma. They are only open for public tastings on Saturdays but will open up during the week if you schedule an appointment. You are basically in their large garage/earthen hut (complete with basketball hoop). It's a really refreshing stop after all of the overdone and opulent tasting rooms. The Nalle family couldn't be nicer. And they love to talk about wine and everything else under the sun. They aren't trying to sell you something. They just explain what they do and what they do well. Honestly, if you go there and don't give it at least four stars, there's something wrong with you. It isn't the wine--because their product is incredible and the experience is amazing. read more

You must visit this winery if you like family run businesses where the owner actually interacts with the group and may drink a little with you. My husband and I came here in January and did a birthday winery crawl with friends and this was by the far our favorite one. Great atmosphere and they have a shop dog that was super cute. I recommend this winery for the personal attention that you will get but even better wine than you could imagine. Can't wait to visit again. Thank you!! read more

Though we've spent a fair amount of time in Sonoma, my fiance and I only recently discovered Nalle winery (after a recommendation from Merry Edwards). The company is small, family-owned and very welcoming. If you are in Dry Creek on a day when they are tasting, I would highly, highly recommend stopping by. His zins are real, old-fashioned Dry Creek zins made from ancient vines. They have a lot of character. He is also a big proponent of aging zinfandel, and after hearing his arguments as to why and tasting some of his results, I think I am inclined to agree with him. He makes great wines without pretension--I was even charmed by the zinot noir. read more

Walked in to see first crush! The owners are incredibly gracious folks and I simply can't wait for the 2012 Pinot Noir to release!

Doug Nalle and his family have been producing Zinfandel and other varietals his way for years. Or maybe I should say the French way. Harvest a little earlier... a little less sugar/brix... a little less alcohol in the resulting wines. Pretty cool. Nalle Zins can age well, and wine lovers should lay one down next to a claret of the same vintage from anywhere and just see what happens when they are opened at the same time. read more

Love the Nalle wine, love the Nalle family, the Squirrel Club. Doug, Andrew, everyone is super welcoming, knowledgeable, everything you could ask for on a Saturday in the best part of Sonoma County! read more

We loved our experience at Nalle. It was definitely one of the friendliest wineries we've been to and they were welcoming to our dog trixie (although make sure to ask before you bring your dog as they do sometimes have dogs on the property). The wine was absolutely delicious and we loved hearing Doug's stories about the industry. Gave it 4 stars instead of 5 due to the fact that some people might want more of a pretty location and the wine is priced on the higher side. read more

"Have you been to Nalle?" When describing my tastes to wineries across the Dry Creek Valley I was asked this on several occasions. My answer was consistently, "Nope! But it's on my list." It was Passport 2014. Day 1, I went all out, tasted a lot and bought a lot. Day 2, I was purposely more selective. I planned to spend a long time at my favorites, namely Family Wineries and Mazzacco. I have a lot of this wine at home and Day 2 was seeking 1) new surprises I could buy and 2) consistently delicious wine I could sip to amazing views. But again, this Nalle kept coming up so I figured, ok, I'll head over there and see what all the fuss is about. I pull up, excited as all get out. There's no parking in front of the house, so I park alongside the vineyards. And that's where everything crumbled. A man came up to my car, I role down the window to check the parking situation, and am immediately berated as disrespecting his precious vines. At first I think this is a joke, some Passport humor. But as the man answers my "are you being serious?" question by yelling at me that I'm going to take out his vine and do I know how worthy it is? I realize he's serious. And as I've been well parked--side and rear view mirrors and backup camera well utilized--for a good while at this point I'm hoping we can have a "Haha, relax! Of course I realize how valuable your wines are, I'm not at Gallo, am I?" moment. But no. When we have several more words and I realize he's serious (and discern he's the owner) and realized he's good and sized me up as a young, no taste, quantity rather than quality seeking Passporter, I know it's time to go. So I drove my vine destroying car right out of there. Next time I'm asked, "have you been to Nalle?" I'll say "well I tried..." And go into the story of the horrid owner. I get it. You're by appointment only usually. Passport brings all kinds of riff-raff to your neck of the woods. You want to weed out non potential clientele. Understandable. But word of advice, learn a different means of doing so. I was so looking forward to you, and I've never been more insulted in my life. And you likely missed out in a big sale. (I was saving my first review for an out of this world experience. I always assumed it would be positive. Nope. Although negative, I've never felt more compelled to write a review in my life). read more

LA Magazine suggested this little gem, and I'm so glad they did. The family opened up the vineyard on a weekday since our group was so large. Their zinfandels were a lovely surprise, and the Zinot Noir was a treat. They are very small, and the place is quaint, but their zins pack a punch. Check them out! read more

For those who appreciate and love wonderfully crafted wines Nalle is a must. It is the definition of a small family owned winery that produces some amazing wines. I'm impressed and I'll be back! read more

Nalle makes some of the very very best Zins available. Beautiful structure, lower alcohol than the over the top jammy zins the experts write up. The have a little higher acidity with a nice long finish. The chardonnays are classic old world style. This is a small boutique winery run by real artisans that is too good to miss. read more

Be careful when you go to Nalle. We drove up with our little dog clipped in his seat. I didn't know if they were pet friendly, so I was going to fill his water dish, and leave him in the car. Then the owner's son's dog jumped into my car and attacked my dog. It got pretty scary, and the guy pulled his dog off my dog. Other than badly shaken, my dog was ok, but it could have been really bad. There was some yelling after that and we we told to leave the property. We got no apology, only that the dogs were young and untrained. They should be under control or left inside. I will never go back, and I do hope that you will be careful if you go with your dog, or your small children. I have been there before and liked the experience - not this time. read more

Please be careful when you go there. This was a few month's ago, & I always meant to write a review. I have liked the wines (and Doug's sense of humor in the past.) We went there on a whim, and the winemaker's dog jumped in our car and attacked my (very small & stapped into his seat) dog. The owner finally pulled it off,with lots of yelling going on, & when my friend kicked the dog, the owner got furious and yelled at us to get off the property. We never got an apology, & I burst into tears thinking that my dog may be really injured. We drove off to the end of the driveway, & I checked him, & thank goodness, no puncture wounds, just shaken. The only thing that was sort of an apolgy was from his wife, saying the dog was young & untrained. If it's untrained, train it or keep it tied up.Don't bring your dog there, and no, I won't be returning. read more