We have been coming here for years, either before or after our annual trip to Orr Hot Springs. We always enjoy the kind hospitality and the delicious cabs grown on the estate. Today we had excellent service from Nicolas who welcomed us into the cheerful holiday ambiance even though we arrived at 4:30pm, not long before the 5pm closing time. Nicolas did not rush us, gave us a bonus pour of sparkling to start off our Red Lovers tasting ($20), and allowed us to sample the chocolate made with cab. Today our favorite was the petit verdot. Thanks for the warm welcome, Nicolas! read more

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I didn't realize Nelson Family Vineyards was offering a historical reenactment experience, because the moment I walked in, it felt like I had accidentally stepped into a time period this country should've retired decades ago. The energy was very much "hospitality from a bygone era," and not in the quaint, charming way, more like the dusty, uncomfortable chapter no one should be proud of. While certain customers were treated like visiting dignitaries, I was met with the kind of selective service that made me wonder if I missed a sign on the door explaining what unspoken criteria you have to meet to get acknowledged. It's almost impressive how obviously the staff following the tone set by Tyler and Chris Nelson can divide the room without saying a single word. And the wine? Let's just say if you're going to run your service like it's stuck in a different century, at least make the wine good enough to distract people. Instead, the wines taste as tired as the attitude,flat, uninspired, and definitely not worth the emotional archaeology required to survive the vibe here. Meanwhile, others were getting the deluxe treatment while I stood around wondering if I needed to dust myself off to prove I wasn't part of the furniture. The whole experience felt like an unintentional social experiment in favoritism. Do yourself a favor and skip the time-travel tour. Dancing Crow down the road exists firmly in the present day,friendly staff, actual hospitality, and wine that tastes like it was made in this century, not the last three. Nelson Family Vineyards? If you like outdated attitudes and underwhelming wine, sure. Otherwise, keep driving. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards was one of Nicole's recommendations from Jaxon Keys. The bf and I drove over to squeeze in a complimentary wine tasting. The vineyard is so beautiful, we can imagine it looks more breathtaking during the summer. Our sommelier was super nice! I forgot her name, but she was telling us about upcoming events that all the surrounding vineyards are part of. It happens throughout January to February. We'd love to check out one of the events, it's a crab cake cook off and wine tasting. In the tasting room, they sell some merch as well as other goodies like red wine balsamic reduction. As far as the tasting went, the bf and I did share a tasting. It was an all reds tasting. The last one which was a mix of brandy and wine, I actually didn't like that one. I had to use the spit bucket for the first time hahah! The bf enjoyed it though! I'd love to come back to do an olive oil tasting. Nelson Family grows their own olives to make olive oils, so I'm excited to try that next time. read more

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Wine tasting amongst the most beautiful Redwoods; it's something that you have to experience at least once. Nelson Family Vineyards has a dreamy estate that is set right in the middle of a charming Redwood forest. It combines two of my most favorite things; wine and Redwood trees! How can anyone say no to that?! Not I! I visited Nelson Family Vineyards during a wine tasting event, and I have to admit that their estate was the most beautiful out of the wineries that I visited that day. I have been driving past their huge sign on the 101 for years. Little did I know that this stunning little gem was tucked away here. The lovely drive in exposes you to their vibrant vineyards. The actual tasting room is small but cozy. But their grounds are astounding! It was actually raining off and on during the time that I was there, but it was nice to be able to taste their wine outside during the rain breaks. The staff was friendly and inviting! Rachel and Sharon were super sweet and accommodating. Despite how lovely their grounds were, I was shocked that so little people were tasting there during the event. The weather wasn't the greatest and their winery was a bit further than the others, so maybe this is why. But, I'm not complaining because I was able to enjoy so many great moments without any crowds while I was there. I loved being able to lay out on one of their Adirondack chairs whilst watching the rain fall on the Redwoods. Their indoor tasting room is like a covered patio with excellent views of their estate and vineyards. As far as the wine is concerned, it was hit and miss for me. Their Chardonnay was the real winner as it embodied the light butter and crispness that I crave from an unoaked Chard. Just super easy drinking. Also enjoyed their Pinot Noir and Zinfandel although I've tasted better in this region. They also produce olive oil and conduct olive oil tastings. Their olive oil was really tasty! Although I wasn't blown away by the wine, I really enjoyed the unique tasting experience that is offered here. It's calm, peaceful, and super serene. Tasting in a majestic Redwood grove with beautiful views of the vineyards and ranch is worth a visit here. Plus, it's a family owned vineyard which I always love to see and support. I would love to visit again during the late spring or summertime when the weather is warm and enjoyable. read more

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We visited the Nelson Fam Vineyards when we randomly turned off the highway. The wife, family, and I just needed a place to chill out on a Wednesday during our week-long road trip, and Ronnie(?) was there to greet us. We were the only ones there to enjoy the ambience of the vineyard with some redwoods, and Ronnie was a great hostess. Cheers to her for making it memorable and relaxing! read more

Our first stay over at a Harvest Host venue and it did not disappoint! First stop the tasting room. Clean, bright and everyone is happy. My kinda tasting! We picked three reds and each was better than the next. Final decision was Top Row Reserve Cabernet. Excellent choice. I must admit, we enjoyed the entire bottle that night while we sat outside our RV watching deer and the beautiful birds. Great Vineyard and our deep appreciation for opening it up to Harvest Host! Not a stop we would have made, but so glad we did! read more

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A relaxing tasting in lovely surroundings. The hostess was great and after she described the wines (we did the red lovers tasting) we took our flights outside to sit and taste under the redwoods (it was a tough choice--there were also some enticing chairs in the shade overlooking the flowers in the front) We loved all the wines we tasted, but finally settled on just two to buy--the Barn Blend and the Cab. We'll be back next time we come through the area. read more

You know, there are places where you go and everything just comes together to create a magical experience. That was Nelson's for us. We went on a warm Sunday afternoon with no reservation. We had 2 small dogs and 5 people, one being underage. They had charcuterie options as well as sparkling waters that she could enjoy while the rest of us did the wine tastings. The front garden had beautiful flowers, cool shade, and comfortable chairs. The lady behind the counter was welcoming and accommodating, and we had a thoroughly wonderful time. Unfortunately we forgot one dog's leash as we left. When we came back the next day it was still there, and impossibly the new lady behind the counter was even more wonderful and welcoming. Everyone we encountered was happy to be there and made us feel so comfortable. I highly recommend dropping by Nelson's if you're in the area. read more

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Nelson Family Vineyards was fantastic. Some of the best wine we have had - served by the friendliest tasting room hosts(Robin and Theresa) we have ever encountered. Sitting in the shade of some 30 redwood trees was lovely, too. Cheese, crackers, good wine, and a gentle breeze with the sun coming down on you - what's not to like? We stayed on the property through our Harvest Host membership. The stars and the quiet were great. We're looking forward to returning someday. Whenever it is, it will be worth the drive. Highly recommended. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - Nelson Family Winery. Sitting in the Redwoods, south of Ukiah, CA. - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

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We were driving down from the redwoods up north and wanted to stop by a winery. This gem was perfect - really quick detour off the 101, beautiful grounds. The wine was lovely (disclaimer: I'm no connoisseur and I'm not very picky about my wines). The weather was hot as hell but there was some nice shade under their redwood groves. The whites and reds were both great. I loved the sauv Blanc and Pinot grigio (both perfect in the hot weather), and also really liked the top row cab sauv reserve. Our toddler had fun running around in the trees while we enjoyed a quick tasting. Loved this place! Great vibe, good times. read more

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First of all, my family and I visited Nelson Family Vineyards on a rainy day, and it wasn't disappointing. We were greeted by a wonderful lady in the tasting room. There are two options for tasting; we chose the all-red tasting. It turned out that we love their Top Row Reserve Cabernet and, surprisingly, the Port. After the tasting, we didn't hesitate to join the wine club. This reflects how much we enjoyed the event, even though the weather wasn't nice. I've heard good things about their sparkling wine and definitely want to go back to experience more at NFV. Just imagine tasting wine in an outstanding outdoor redwood tree space on a beautiful day--how nice! read more

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TL:DR - The wine is good but not necessarily memorable. What makes this place great is the super friendly staff and amazing grounds. On site, they had a patch of about 6-10 redwoods creating a super beautiful outdoor space with shade and gorgeous scenery. Paired with a nice glass of wine, our time there could not have been better. ------------------------------------------------------------- Turned in here purely based on a road sign and needing a place to eat. Note, this place doesn't have food food (they do have a few meats and cheeses though). Even after not finding any food food, we loved our time here. Coming in on a weekday around noon time, we were the only people there, but even then, as soon as I walked in, we were greeted by the friendliest woman who seemed genuinely happy to see me and was ready to help pick a wine out for us. It was a hot weekday so I went with something light. It was either the pinot grigio or the chardonnay, I can't remember, but the wine was good, nothing spectacular. What really made this place awesome was the redwood patch. It's a super shaded space with gorgeous tall redwoods right outside their tasting room. Under it are picnic tables for people to enjoy. We say right on the edge between the covered outdoor seating area and on the edge of the patch where they had great plastic reclining chairs to enjoy a small snack and glass of wine. The open air outdoor seating area is also pretty nice. There have a few tables made out of old barrels and you sit on top of what is an old filled in swimming pool that still has it's old wooden diving board and railing to help you get out. While the wine wasn't super memorable to me, the super friendly staff, and amazing grounds made this a super great experience. read more

After adventuring in the mountains, I decided to explore Nelson Family Vineyards and I'm glad I did! I love the wine along this valley compared to Napa/Sonoma--it's so chill. It was a beautiful, sunny day and I had a lovely tasting. Tried rose, some whites, and took home a zinfandel which was delicious! I also took home a barn blend which is made yearly from a competition where they try different combinations of grapes and a winner gets their wine bottled and it is sold throughout the year. This was a wonderful delight! The scenery is beautiful and my overall experience here was really nice--slow paced and I got to enjoy the wonderful varieties. I believe the tasting fee is waived if bottles of wine are purchased. Loved it here and would come again! read more

The hubby and I stopped in for a mid-day wine tasting on our family vacay. We were promptly greeted, tasting explained and offered to pick a place to sit. We sat outside to enjoy the warm weather and peaceful scenery. We are fans of reds, so not much input on the whites offered, other than crisp and fragrant. However, we truly enjoyed the reds. No burn, or high acidity, but round, full-bodied, jammy and delightful. We bought three bottles, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Verdot. A great place to stop by and enjoy!! read more

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The wine here is a favorite of my friends. We stopped by late one afternoon and enjoyed sitting in the indoor/outdoor patio cooling our heels and looking at the little grove of Redwood trees next to the house and the vines growing in the field beyond. It was cool outside, but the modern space heaters on the patio made it very cozy. I had just a "sip," but one of my friends had a couple of glasses and she was very happy. The xeric landscaping around the tasting room/house is beautiful. And as you enter their vineyard road from the main highway, do not - repeat: do not - miss the strawberry stand on the corner. I have never seen such gorgeous strawberries. Delicious. Thanks, all. read more

Amazing calm winery! We loved this casual winery tucked just off the 101. They are known for their cab and it was great! We also loved their sparkling and dessert wine. We visited during Covid on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn't too busy. Everyone was well spaced outdoors and we felt safe. Heads up they don't have food right now so bring your own snacks if you are planning on staying for a while. The grounds are beautiful. We sat and overlooked the vineyards, but the seats in the redwood grove also looked really peaceful. The service was great and the staff was so kind! This is definitely a hidden gem. We look forward to returning! Until then we'll enjoy the bottles we took home with us. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - View from the redwood grove - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

Beautiful wine yard with nice wines. We have an overnight camping in hillside beside the wine yard (Harvest Host member). Such a great experience! read more

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Gorgeous space. Lots of sitting options wine was solid. Very interesting property and history

My fiancé, Tyrone and I Denise has a great time this past weekend. I will never forget the experience that we had with the young lady and I forgot her name but we're from the bay area and I want to tell you that I had a great time. Thank you so much. read more

Had a great night camping and enjoyed the tasting. Will definitely come here again! Easy access, quiet and beautiful views read more

Five stars in the service alone. Sharon is an outstanding host and a wonderful person. The wine was very tasty and a lot of varietals to choose from. Especially liked the Pinot and the Zin. Both were excellent They have a great little variety of things to buy they we also enjoyed. Homemade balsamic, white wine reduction and a cab reduction sauce. Delicious jams as well. The grounds are amazing. You can taste inside or several places outside including an amazing redwood grove. We will definitely be back and bring more people. A must stop for wine and fun loving people. read more

We went there in 2021 for wine taste and we became fan of their sparkly wine. We enjoyed every moment we spent there. They make sure you enjoy their wine and environment. Since we don't drink much so we tried light sparkly wine and we love it. We ended bought several bottles but I don't remember we spent big $$$ for the purchase and taste fee was waived. It's treasure winey place if you head to north CA like Redwood national or south to SFO... Great stop by place to take a break and enjoy... We reordered the sparkly wine after several months also we plan to visit again in Memorial long weekend... Looking forward to revisit... read more

Robin is the hip, kind, and fabulous host you could ever wish for. Robin provided such an amazing experience for me and my partner. She's welcoming, generous, and hilarious! The wine selection is amazing, the views are to die for, and the history of this vineyard will inspire you. read more

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The most disrespectful and unprofessional place to have a family party. Everything was really beautiful and great to begin with, however to end the night the owner of the venue ran and crash their golf cart into the stage in an effort to end the party, which simultaneously cut the power to the stage. This nearly destroyed and took out the stage pushing a beam out of place which could have put attendees of the party in harms way. All of this in addition to calling the cops on a party that was contracted to end at 11 was cut short in the most unprofessional and disrespectful way imaginable . In no way would I recommend to anyone to do business with people with such unprofessionalism like that in which was displayed by the owners of The Oaks venue at the Nelson Family Ranch. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - The far back left beam of the stage tilted to an angle with golf cart seen below after the owners ran into the stage. - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

Rachel could not of elevated the experience more. Unbelievable wine and company. Looking forward to coming back!

Very nice farm. The owner Greg was just wonderful welcoming greeted us like ordinary people. Robin was wonderful in the tasting room. She's been there forever. You've got to go there and they even have an Airbnb. I go there again! read more

This place is SO dreamy! Family owned and operated. Grounds are so beautiful! Wine, olive oil, products are super delicious!! I couldn't take anything home by hand and they packed and shipped it all for me just perfectly. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

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Great vineyard and wine tasting! Easy access, beautiful landscape and wonderful people. We stopped to try some wine; pleasantly surprised with the fantastic wine. We loved the Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay! They were all great, but couldn't pack too many bottles. I enjoyed it more than Napa and Williamette Valley. Go out of way to try this place. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - Beautiful trees around the vineyard! - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

Nelson Family Vineyards, family owned since 1951, is hands down, absolutely my favorite winery in Ukiah. The grounds are so pretty. The wine is amazing. It made me question my direction in life and I was tempted to ask if they would mind very much if I just moved in. Sherrilynn was working the day we came in and she was absolutely delightful! The tasting room is small and cozy and Sherrilynn with all her "babys" and "darlins" made us feel right at home. Every single wine we tasted was amazingly good. Since it was my birthday, we started with the sparkling - delicious. We then moved on to the chardonnay which is stored in stainless steel and then blended with 20% chardonnay that was aged in French oak. That 20% blend really made a difference and it was so smooth. I definitely tasted the butterscotch notes. Pinot grigio - loved it. Viogner - so good. Riesling - amazing; the riesling is from sixty year old vines! Cabernet sauvigon - really good! Their "barn blend" was really drinkable and fun too. The orange muscat was amazing. The wine that really won me over was the ice riesling. WOW! It is so rare to like every single wine one tastes at a winery; usually there are at least a couple that leave one feeling indifferent. Not here though... as soon as I hit the big time, I'm joining their wine club. read more

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I pulled in for a quick tasting and some shade to cool off and I found treasure. I loved each varietal I tasted and took home a bottle of top row "dry farmed" cab sauv and I cannot wait to share this with a friend. I cooled off amidst their very own redwood grove on a lovely picnic table. My tasting hostess and I became fast friends as I enjoyed her history telling and gracious hospitality. Next time I do my roadtrip north, I'll stop in to say hello and purchase a few more bottles. You will love this spot. Special, very special. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards - Cabernet sauvignon vines just beyond the redwood grove - Wineries Near Me - Ukiah, California

Excellent reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Tastings are free if you buy a bottle. Friendly staff and beautiful grounds. There is an old growth redwood tree grove by the tasting room. Walk there and you will enjoy a quiet atmosphere and cooler temperatures in the summer and autumn. Most of the fruit produced by the vineyards is sold to other wine makers making this a less well known label and brand. Enjoy! read more

Nelson Family Vineyards is nestled off the highway, and you could easily pass it by if you weren't looking for it. We stumbled upon it on our way to Ukiah, and so glad we did! The vineyards are absolutely beautiful! The tasting room is a tad small, but clean, comfortable and welcoming. Very family/homey vibe. We tasted bubbles, reds, whites, blends, special reserves... no complaints. All very unique flavor profiles. I wish I could remember the name of the sweet lady who did our tasting--she was so friendly and sweet, it seemed like we were all old friends by the end of it. Love the redwood grove out in the front. We left here feeling super smiley and peaceful. Make sure to check this place out, you won't be disappointed :) read more

What a beautiful 1/2 mile drive off the highway! Very small family feel winery which have you that extra special warmth upon arriving. There is a redwood grove right outside the tasting room too! Lots of beautiful greenery and landscaping, picnic table and even some grass where the kiddos can play. From bubbly, whites, reds and special reserves it was all delicious!! They even have a cheese plate. I would definitely recommend this winery!!!! read more

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Stopped at Nelson Family Vineyards on the way back home to SoCal (spent a week in Humboldt). We wanted to catch a wine tasting that was not out of the way and this is right off the 101. So glad we stopped here! 2 of us were offered a sample of 10 wines and charged nothing when we ended up buying a bottle. If you do not purchase anything it is $5 a person. Wines we tried were mostly $20-$30, with the "top row" selection $45. The prices mean you can actually buy something you like without breaking the bank. After the tasting we pulled out a packed lunch we brought, and enjoyed it in the nice little grove near the tasting room. Overall, tasty, beautiful, and inexpensive. read more

A bit off of 101 back through the grapes. A free tasting for their range of wines. Several were good, including the Riesling. Prices were a bit more than some of the other places in the area, but were still reasonable. Looking at the map, for some reason it has it located on the wrong side of 101.. it should be on the west side of the highway. read more

I met Tyler years ago when I was a buyer of their wine for large retail. We had long discussions about the direction wine was going. He and then his fiancé (Congrats) ran all aspects. The product is amazing. Its one of those little family run jewels outside the Wine Country main Roads. Everything I taste there is amazing. And if you like fresh fruit, stop at the fruit stand as you enter the road and get some berries. Thanks for the hospitality Chris. read more

The winery offers overnight stays in a RV or Camper if you are with Harvest Host. This was our first Harvest Host stay and what a great way to start off using our membership. We had a peaceful night next to the Zin vines. Greg helped us get booked and was ever so nice (even after I had to revise my stay date)! The gals in the tasting room were so welcoming on this hot day. And most important, excellent wine and we loved the pear spread we got for our Brie cheese (made by one of the workers there). read more

This ranch/vinyard is a diamond in the not-so-rough. What a sweet spot to stop, have a picnic, taste some truly lovely wines, join the club (yes, do it!) and possibly go to a concert or have an event. If you're looking for a ranch-style wedding or summer concert, check out the calendar and see what Nelson Vineyards has on their agenda. The wines are TRULY fine. Chris has a good head on his shoulders for ranching and enology. The place reeks of "tradition meets younger son bringing in the new ideology". They go together well. We are major fans of the Cab (Top Row and Estate), Barn Blend, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio... If that's not enough there are many more wines to choose from. Come pick your favorites. There is a surprising, satisfying variety! Nelson Family Vineyards makes Ukiah a "must stop" on the map. read more

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My wife and I dropped in on a Monday afternoon after Nelson was recommended to us by another winery. They had a lovely garden area with a grove of redwoods near the tasting area. There is a small parking lot and a winding path leads up to the tasting room. The room itself has an old-world, Tuscan feel to it. We were served by a lovely, friendly woman and tasted a range of wines including: Cab Sauv, Zin, Pinot Noir, & Barn Blend. The wines were pretty good but nothing jumped out as a must-have. We walked out with an Estate Pinot Noir which was nice. At $20+ a bottle, the price vs enjoyability just wasn't there for me. This is a solid stop if you're traveling along 101. Lovely grounds, friendly service and some nice wines to try. read more

Nelson Family Vineyards is my favorite winery. I stop here every time I pass through Hopland, no exceptions. The wines are amazing, and served with no snobby attitude. The tasting room is very nice compared to nearby wineries, and you can take your wine into a redwood grove or enjoy the wine on the front lawn with a great view of the ranch. It's rare that I really like both the white and red wines at a winery, but NFV is an exception. My favorite white is the Riesling. It's an off-dry version. Delicious. My favorite red is the Top Row Cab. I leave with a couple bottles every time. I also have a soft spot for the Barn Blend, which is slightly different every year, but always delicious. I'm going to crack a bottle right now. read more