Hubs scheduled a wine tour in Napa & Sonoma Valley for 02.15.25, and what a beautiful experience. The weather was cool, and brisk, the su was shining & the wine was phenomenal!!! I'd say this was a perfect day They put us in small groups, there were five in our group. I believe our wine aficionado was - Amy....please forgive me if the name is wrong. However, she was super engaging, very enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable. The winery is beautifully decorated with picturesque views from every corner....and the wines sampled were all delectable! read more

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Visited on Tuesday July 1 as part of a wine country tour. The countryside here is very beautiful and it kind of reminds me of wine country in Catalonia, Espana. Met the gracious owner and a woman who worked there. I hit it off with both of them right away. The woman, sorry I forgot your name, is originally from Indiana. The tasting room and outdoor patio areas are beautiful. Once you begin the tastings you become very comfortable. Some wine is a great way to break the ice with people you just met that day on the tour. How was the wine? Great, every single pouring was very good. If you are visiting Sonoma keep this small winery, making very good wine, in mind when choosing wineries to visit. Many have this idea that wine is only for pretentious people which is just not so. Wine is for everyone. This sort of mentality is much more apparent in other parts of the world. In Mediterranean counties wine is so common that it rivals the price of bottled water in the grocery store. Don't know much about wine? No, problem there are plenty of wineries and plenty of books that can educate you. Everyone has to start somewhere. People are not born with this innate wine wisdom. And even if you so happen to be on a tour with pretentious people don't worry because chances are you will probably never see them again. My group included people from Argentina and Columbia and the chance of ever running into them again are very slim; even in their own countries, unless you exchange information with them because you would like to see them again. The wine market around the world is currently experiencing a contracting demographic. Folks nothing goes better with pristine seafood or a wagu steak then a nice glass of wine. Wine is for everyone, get out there and start learning, the wine market needs you. read more

Very nice and good wines. We spent 2 hour enjoying wines and a good plate. Relax away from the crowds. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Have passed by this place so many times on a wine tasting trip. Finally got the chance to stop by and do a tasting. The Cab Sav was my favorite, followed by the Pinot noir cactus hill. Met the owner and learned the story of the winery, which made the experience extra special. Def recommend a visit! read more

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We came here during the rainy February season on our way from Napa to Glen Ellen. It was towards the end of the day, and Mike was kind enough to give us a last minute reservation. He told us about the winery's history and why it's called Nicholson Ranch. Hubby and I split one tasting of five wines for $50. The pours were generous and Mike was a great guy to talk to, plus nice scenery out the huge window, plenty of parking. read more

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Not much has changed except their menu has expanded. Deepak and the staff here are hands down amazing. So friendly and knowledgeable. Today we chatted about cactus hill and their most popular wines. I am a red wine fan but here, I quickly switch to Chardonnay. It's just hands down that good. The patio is nice, it's serene, it's quiet. You have 360 views of vineyards. Beautiful place. It's off the beaten path so you are not fighting to do a tasting. Instead you can kick back and actually enjoy your tasting. Say hi to the wine dog Cooper! read more

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The property is beautiful. The wine truly speaks for itself but having friendly knowledgeable staff really is what helps set this winery apart. You're not just another person, the time they take explaining the story and wine is very enjoyable. They also do cave tours by appointment which go more in depth about the process of making the wine and you see how and where its done while enjoying sips along the tour!! read more

Nicholson Ranch is a winery slightly "off the beaten" pass as you're coming or going from Sonoma to Napa that offers Chardonnay and Pinot noir grown on their estate. Their Cabernet, which is source from Napa and is labeled under the name of the new owner. The tasting flight consists of five wine and is $50. If you buy four bottles or more they wave for tasting fee. The flight includes one Chardonnay, two Pinot Noirs,, a red blend and a Cabernet. The pinots are a bit earthy, musty, and cost around $95/bottle. These are not baby Cabernets. These are very European "Old world" style red wine. The estate is beautiful. There is a Greek church up on the hilltop built by the Nicholson family a while they own some of the land they sold of the winery. The tasting room is beautiful with a big window overlooking the hilltop and they actually play music that gives you the right ambience to just relaxing and enjoy the wine. Mike is a fantastic host and runs a fun and very educational enjoyable wine like podcast. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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A fabulous last minute find. Having spent the weekend wine tasting in the Santa Rosa area, we were looking for one last tasting Sunday on our way out of town. Driving down Napa Road to Highway 12/121 we see a vineyard and tasting room perched on a hillside. We were able to snag an immediate reservation on the patio for a tasting. Mike seated us out back on the huge and lovely patio. Several comfy seating areas and umbrellas spread out for social distancing and sipping. There's also a grassy area with tables just off the patio. Mike explained how the winery came to be, the founder, winemaker and owner is Deepak Gulrajani. Deepak was born in India and came to California in 1988 for a job in computers. He started winemaking in his garage 1990s. He planted his first vines in 1995 on the 40 acre vineyard and he has been making wine for Nicholson Ranch since 2009. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are his favorites. Our Club Service Tasting was $40 for a flight of four with a bonus chardonnay. 2014 Estate Chardonnay, 2015 Spring Hill Chardonnay, 2014 Pinot Noir, 2014 Cactus Hill Pinot Noir, and 2014 Estate Syrah. With each pour Mike presented he described each wine and where on the property it was grown. Mike is a fantastic representative for the winery his knowledge and passion shows. Every wine sold here is an estate wine. They are grown, processed, barreled, and bottled on the ranch. You will not find their wines in any store or restaurant, so make an appointment, sit back and enjoy a delicious leisure tasting with a fantastic view and stories. read more

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We had a wonderful time at this beautiful winery. We did their Club Service Tasting which was 4 flights of wine for $40 (though they gave us 5). It was a nice combination of reds and whites and I liked 4/5 wines we got, which was more than I usually do. Tasting fee is waived with purchase of 4 bottles. Currently they are open daily, and reservations are required. Our host was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and gave thorough explanations of each wine. The grounds itself are beautiful, and there's tons of outdoor lounge seating with umbrella coverings. It was very picturesque. You can walk over to parts of the vineyards, along with a small lake. Overall great location for beautiful photos! They are dog friendly, and it also ended up being a nice place for us to take our kids since there was plenty of room for them to run amok. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Lovely outdoor patio - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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We went to this beautiful winery with some family friends and had some amazing wine. Debbie was so welcoming and knowledgeable. Depak the owner of the winery also came by to say hi, which was very nice! Beautiful homey vibes. Also dog and family friendly! read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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So there are some great people working here. The wine is great. Kyle is an amazing guy who took his time with me and explained the process of doing the wine thing. Of all the wine tours I did in Napa or Sonoma, this was both mine and my wife's favorite. After spending the morning with Kyle, we happily joined the wine club. Once you join the club you can come back anytime for a free tasting. Well Tuesday we decided to come back. Debbie took care of us and she was very sweet. This Tuesday, it was very slow. There was only my wife and I there and another couple. The owner(I believe his name is Deepak) came out and walked right past us, didn't acknowledge us, didn't introduce himself or ask how our day was or how our wine was. It was as though we did not exist. It was unbelievable in my opinion. It takes 5 seconds on a quiet day to say "hello how is your visit?" or "hello, where are you guys visiting from?" Instead he sat down with this other couple,and chatted away about his health and other things and gifted them soon with a bottle of wine for thanksgiving". When we walked out and walked right past him, again, no "thanks for coming" or "have a nice day". Zero interest in us. It was that moment when we decided that no matter how much we enjoyed the wine or our time with Kyle, we will be cancelling our membership at the earliest opportunity. Because it only takes one bad grape to ruin a glass of wine, what would have been a 5 star review becomes a 2 star review based on my experience with one (really bad) owner. That being said, my first shipment came yesterday and it is fabulous. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Recently visited Nicholson Ranch, kind of a spur of the moment thing. The owner, Deepak, was so accommodating. He seated us, sorted us out regarding his wine. Mike took over as we enjoyed our tasting, he was a pleasure and great story teller. The setting was relaxed and comfortable. The wine was amazing! Highly recommend! read more

Came here with husband, we had a great time. They close at 6, very convenient (the other wineries in the area close 4:30 or 5). It's a family run operation, the owner and his son are nice. The owner did the the wine tasting, he is very knowledgeable about wine and how the different wine plots are growing different flavors. Make sure you ask him about the wine names, some are based on indian mythology, makes for an interesting wine tasting experience! This is one of the best wine tastings we had! read more

What a fantastic experience. Recommended by a friend, my wife and I had our tasting with Arthur and what a spectacular time we had. Great wines and joined the club. Made us feel so welcomed. The wines we tasted were fantastic. Worth going to this winery and run by true professionals who love what they do. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Tasting area outside - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

Had a terrific cave tour with Arthur. Whatever they are paying him, it isn't enough. Several high quality pinot and Chardonnay wines. read more

Cool family vineyard, met the owner, tasted the wines and learned how the soil impacts the final product and why. Fascinating stuff!

My first wine tasting ever!! My cousin is huge on wine and anted to explore Sonoma and we found ourselves at this winery. We were the only ones it in the patio on a Wednesday afternoon. The patio is beautifully setup to overlook the vineyard over the freeway. Luckily it isn't a super busy road so it's still quiet. I found myself at peace while sitting there. We did the six flight tasting, which were poured in great periods of time. The gentleman that was assisting us gave us a run down of each wine before pouring our glasses. I found thins helpful since I'm new to learning about wine. However, he was very scripted and a bit tense. We tasted a variation of wines from Chardonnays to a Merlot. I prefer sweeter wines so the Chardonnays quickly won me over. This winery is a bit pricey than others. The six flight tasting was $40 and we left with 2 bottles of wine, both of which were about $80 a piece. Thanks for my first tasting ever!! read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

This place doesn't need reservations which was nice as when we went to Domaine they didn't have room until later as you needed reservations. There's a cute dog that walks around as well. This review is less for the wine and more for how nice it was. It wasn't too crowded when we went and the day was beautiful, so we could sit and see the vineyard while sitting near the lake and enjoying all the different views. One thing to note is that there are two wine tastings, one for $20 with 4 wines, but you can't sit outside, and one for $40 with 6 wines, which does allow you to enjoy it outside. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

The winery is a top notch place to enjoy some sun and wine. A well established and seasoned winery, they offer a refined range of wine from the region from white to red. It really is worth a short drive out of town and would be a good venue for any special occasion. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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We stopped in last minute and it did not disappoint. Beautiful patio. We did the wine tasting which was a perfect pace and delicious wines. They shared lots of knowledge about the vineyard and process of wine making. It was quiet and intimate and a perfect stop. We would definitely recommend. Our favorite was the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Our server/ wine expert- was Mike. He was fantastic. Kind, knowledgeable, and has a podcast!! Lol Bonus: two dogs, Cooper and Pepper, roaming around. read more

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We arrived at 5:09 pm. Tasting room closes at 6pm. There were NO other customers there! COMPLETELY EMPTY PARKING LOT. But, we are on a girls trip and we're open to an adventure. When we arrived, a man unlocked the front door, popped his head out and said, "Sorry but the last tasting is at 4:30." He elaborated, "they take about an hour and a half because we talk a lot." Uh, I'm no stranger to wine or tastings... but can you say SUSPICIOUS!!! No one there, closing an hour early, no offer to step in for a glass of wine. Anyways, I should probably be thankful that we didn't enter. Who knows what would have happened! Creepy read more

I've enjoyed the wine, scenery and the staff at this particular winery. They also have tastings from their other winery Gulrajani which are also excellent. Family and dog friendly is also a plus for us! read more

We love this place so much. The views are amazing. The staff is beyond friendly. It's boutique and quaint and has such amazing wine (pinot noir and ask for the coastal cheddar cheese). Ask for Mike - he's knowledgeable, funny, and so accommodating. So friendly and loved having him as our host!!! read more

Nicholson Ranch is known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Tasting Room is open daily from 10am to 6pm, prices are decent, and tasting tour is also available. ::Wine Tasting:: There are different options for Wine Tasting. The price consist of: -Vintner's Tasting - four wines for $20 and for groups of six & less. -Lakeside Vintner's Tasting - four wines for $30, for seven to twenty people, and reservation is required. -Club Service Tasting - six wines for $40 and for groups of six & less. -Cave Tour and Tasting - six wines for $40, get a tour, for two to twenty people, and reservation is required. -Great Room Tasting - six wines for $50, for seven to twenty people, and reservation is required. We choose the Vinter's Tasting for $20. The wines were served in the tasting room. After we got our first round of wine, we walked around the property. We hung out by the lake, courtyard, and the rows of the vineyard. The scenery was relaxing, windy, and quiet. It was during the week so it wasn't busy; it was nice to have the entire place to ourselves. ::Customer Service:: The gentleman who helped us was very friendly. As he poured the wine into our glasses, he described the flavors. I asked questions about the old church on top of the hill and he provided information about it. He also recommended places to eat around the area. ::M's Notes:: -Parking Lot -Inside and Outside Seating read more

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[Updated review] I've visited Nicholson Ranch twice (once in 2011 and once in 2019) and had a great experience both times. Friendly staff and delicious Old World style wines. 1h 10min from SoMa (45 mi) No Reservations Needed Open Daily, 10am-6pm $20 / person tasting for 4 Estate wines in Tasting Room $40 / person tasting for 6 Estate and Reserve wins in the Courtyard $40 / person cave tour and 6 tastings (Reservation Required) $30 / person Lakeside tasting of four Estate wines with vineyard tour (Reso req'd) Pros: * Convenient location right off Highway 12 * Open later than most wineries (closes at 6pm) * The wines are very good, Old World-style wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay * Very friendly and knowledgeable servers * Beautiful views of the surrounding Carneros region * Picnic tables and a nice lake, perfect for packing a lunch and buying a bottle * Nice hike up to a chapel on a hill * Many tasting and tour options, including a cave tour Cons: * Prices have more than doubled since my last visit * The surrounding area was sadly damaged during the 2018 wildfires * Tasting room is a bit lackluster, but outside is nice * Convenient location also means views of the roadways read more

Loved this place! It's on top of a hill (slightly) and there are such beautiful views overlooking the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma- very picturesque! My friends and I stopped by for a tasting- I believe it was 4 wines for $20 in the tasting room which was somewhat reasonable. To get tastings out in the courtyard, it would be an additional $20 (total of $40). The reds were amazing though, and although my friends and I didn't end up buying any bottles, the service was great. We went into the tasting room, got 3 pours, then at the 4th- our sommelier encouraged us to view the property (where we took lots of photos)! An awesome winery to definitely check out! read more

The booking for the tastings specifically says the tastings are outside on the courtyard, however, despite having a reservation and paid deposit they said they did not have an outdoor table available for us upon arrival and offered indoor seating. Due to COVID, we opted to do a standing tasting outdoor instead. It's a nice courtyard area, dog friendly, and the wines were good. read more

Pretty!!! Came here with a group on a girls trip. I've been to Napa, Sonoma, Yountville and Calistoga more than a few dozen times. So I was mainly here for the new-ness and the wine. The place is gorgeous. Only opened for the tour. Wine we tasted was ok. Also, the tour was much longer than needed for a bright 10 am! We barely got to enjoy the view, the winery and the wine. They gave us a tour out in the vineyard as well. Which was great. Just very rushed. Perhaps better if you have longer time and if they offered more reds. Their chardonnay was my favorite from the tasting though I tend to stick to the reds. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Sunday mornings!!! - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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Very nice small estate winery producing around 8,000 cases. Located in Sonoma near the Carneros area producing mainly Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs that are natural without fertilizers and pesticides. The wine are nice but pricey. The only way to buy their wines is through their wine club or at the winery. read more

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My family and I are in love with the place!!! Their wine is delicious and the atmosphere is vital and relaxed. Highly recommend everyone to visit this winery. You will never regret it!!! read more

A+++++ wine! great experience, friendly people, even better drinks Thanks Again!! read more

Visited The Ranch today. Honestly stunning place. Deepak and Mike were utterly awesome. As a person who doesn't drink wine religiously, I had a ton of fun. Saw that they are dog friendly which is pretty great. The grounds are perfectly up kept. Must do the cave tour. Could not recommend the beautiful winery more. read more

The Nicholson Winery was a nice place and the views were outstanding. I liked that it sits up on a hill and the wine cave in underneath - that is awesome. I enjoy smaller boutique wineries because the staff share their passion for the wine and our host was that guy. He shared his thoughts on wine in general and about the wine being produced at Nicholson. I admit I am not an expert in wine, but I know what I like and I think that is all that is required, but I was not pleased with most of the samples of wine offered - Chardonnay and Pinot. I do enjoy both at times, so I know everyone has different tastes, but I felt that they weren't for me - hence the 3-stars. I think the views were great and the staff friendly enough, but with so many offerings of wineries in this area - I wouldn't return unless it was an event. read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Our Winery Host - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

What a fantastic experience. From the start they had very friendly staff check us in and they led us to comfy couches overlooking a beautiful valley of grape vines. Our server seemed a little overloaded bc it was quite busy but he still took time to provide backstory to every wine and answer my questions about valley vs coast Chardonnay. I appreciated they stuck to the best growing grapes for the area for the most part with Chardonnay and Pinot noirs. To start, they poured an extra vintage from a previous year's Chardonnay. It was lovely and honestly might have been my preferred white. Then we had the 4 from the pre selected tasting list. Each wine had nice complexity and depth to flavor while still being light. It was definitely the best wine of the day! read more

My favorite winery in Sonoma! I have been visiting this winery since 2009 & every time I go back to this area (4 times now), I always visit Nicholson Ranch & I am also a wine club member as I cannot get this type of delicious wine in NJ. The tour is fun to do as they have an underground area where the wine is stored & walking through the vineyards is always relaxing & fun to explore the land & at the same time hear about the history of the winery. The Pinot Noirs are exceptional - really! Deepak knows what he is doing when making the wine. I enjoy sitting on the couches outside & enjoying the wine while looking up into the hills. Cheers! read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

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One of the wineries with outstanding staff and Chardonnay. I am not a lover of Chardonnay but their Late Harvest is to die for. At $45/ a gold colored bottle with equally gold colored top I was floored. Only caveat you can't try it there...no tasting for that but I had it on good authority that it was that awesome and I concur! Our pourer was Oz. He's an awesome guy. Very professional but he could take a joke and dish it out with the best of us! The rest of the staff was as equally pleasant. If you're adventurous enough step out unto their backyard and meet the house furries named Jackson and Pepper. Cute doggies and Jackson is my favorite guy! Look up towards the hills and you will see a small waterfall and a white church steeple. Perfect day when we were there. Sunny albeit a bit windy. Definitely a fan. Great views. Great Chardonnay and awesome staff! read more

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Our Wine tasting was wonderful,Mark our Host had a lot of knowledge of the area and was very informative of the Nicholson Ranch winery!! read more

Nicholson Ranch Winery - Expectacular views!! This one is a boutique Winery but the taste was delicious and refreshing wines!! - Wineries Near Me - Sonoma, California

We stopped by to check out this winery which is the future venue of an upcoming wedding we will be attending. While the views of this winery are sweet, the wines unfortunately do not compliment the scenery, IMO. I took a little sip of the Pinot Reserve and man, it made me wonder if the medals around the wines are legit or were they just props??? Bus loads of tourists seemed like they were enjoying the wine, but then again, what stop was this on their tour of Wine Country? Come for the views, but not so much the vino.....ALOHA!!! read more

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So, our first stop on our wine tour brought us to the Nicholson Ranch Winery. First thing that caught my eye is the scenery in the Sonoma/Napa Valley. Picturesque views from everywhere you look! Makes me jelly that they have this to see all year long, but I'll always take the NY skyline any day! Ok, so back to the Winery... Very small, family owned winery were I can see they take pride in their wine making. I guess all the family owned wineries do take much pride in their wine making - as they should. We were first offered a taste, and I stress "Taste" of their Chardonnay. It was pretty good, but I wish I could get a nice pour of it to actually enjoy the wine I was tasting. Two small gulps and it was gone and wasn't offered another. We then were escorted through a grape vine patch where we were then told and educated on the different climate and types of dirt, etc, in where the grape vines are grown in and around the Sonoma/Napa Valley. It was a nice lesson and I was intrigued on how one wine can be made better in just a short distance away due to the climate and soil differences. After that, we were brought into their wine tasting area where we met another gentlemen of the winery. After another short lesson on wine and the history of the Winery, we were then offered another tasting of their Pinot Noir. This one was better then the Chardonnay of before. At the end of the day, it was just an ok experience. I've been to many a winery where you get a decent pour to enjoy. This is wine country after all. 5+ stars for the scenery, 3 for the pours. You have people that come from all over the world to your winery, at least give them a sample worth tasting and not something to just wet their whistle. The wine was good, but it didn't blow me away. We didn't buy any of their wine here. Oh well, off to our next winery... read more

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