Nalle Winery

We’ve passed the sign for Nalle Winery many times over the years. You can’t miss it on the right as you’re driving north on Dry Creek Rd. But we never stopped until this past trip to Dry Creek at the urging of our wine connoisseur uncle.

Even before you reach the tasting room, you know that this is a winery known for its old vine Zin judging by the massive gnarly vine trunks. And Zin is what we got!

First on the menu was a bone-dry rosé of Zin that would be perfect for porch sipping on a hot day in Healdsburg. That was followed by the 2018 and 2019 Old Vine Zins. I preferred the 2018 which was ready for drinking now but Husband thought there was more promise in the ‘19. I prefer a bird in the hand to two in the bush but they were both good so ::shrug::

We also tried their Ranch Red, a blend of Zin and Cabernet Sauvignon. This was not our favorite. I feel you should blend to create a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts but in this case, the two varietals seemed to be fighting one another. An interesting experiment that may improve as the winemaker gains experience with it.

Overall, this was a wonderful tasting. Let’s be clear, this is not a glamorous tasting. There is a conglomeration of old outdoor furniture behind the barn in the middle of the vines. It’s also dog-friendly and one of the owners came out to chat with us. I’m not saying one type of tasting is better than another; I think there’s a place for both, but this is probably better suited for wine nerds than a bachelorette party.