With roots laid down four generations ago, Nalle is home to historic 95-year-old Zinfandel vineyard property producing award-winning wines
Healdsburg, Calif. — June 27, 2024 — The story of Nalle Winery is one of families pursuing a dream with passion and perseverance for more than a century in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. This month the Nalle family is celebrating 40 years of producing estate old-vine Zinfandel and small lot wines at their historic property under the next-generation of family winemakers.
Founder and winemaker emeritus Doug Nalle recalls the skepticism when he started the winery in 1984 with an emphasis on Red Zinfandel at a time when the sweeter White Zinfandel was enjoying popularity. Nevertheless, he saw a vision in the historic benchland Zinfandel vineyard owned by his wife Lee’s family and went to work building an above-ground cave with a living roof of rosemary for naturally temperature-controlled winemaking and cellar operations.
“It’s taken a hefty amount of luck and endless support from my wife Lee, family, and friends, yet here we are 40 vintages later and the Nalle wines are better than ever thanks to the hard work of our winemaker son, Andrew and his viticulturist wife, April,” said Doug. “Lee and I are excited to see their enlightened vision for grape growing and winemaking come to fruition and love drinking the result their efforts.”
Lee, who grew up picking prunes in Dry Creek Valley before the area was largely converted to grapes, has always been connected to the region. “I am very grateful to my Henderlong ancestors for giving us this opportunity to live and make a living in such a beautiful valley, but, most of all, I thank my lucky stars for that auspicious day 50 years ago when I met a talented, hard-working guy,” she said. “Doug was so inspired by winemaking and Healdsburg that he showed me the way to love and honor this land together. So naturally I let the power of love carry me along and that has made all the difference.”
Andrew, along with his brother Sam, began helping his parents with harvest and in the cellar as a young child. Today, he and April manage the winery operations, with their three young children, Lena, Drew, and Ruby, always by their side.
While Nalle produces several different varieties of wine, the family is best known for their Zinfandel. “The Nalle Zinfandel style then and now remains constant—bright, refreshing fruit, round mouthfeel, moderate alcohol, balanced structure, French oak aging, and true to the Dry Creek Valley benchland terroir,” explains Andrew. “When other wineries trended with high alcohol, jammy Zins, Nalle stayed the course, and it proved the right thing to do. We are committed to maintaining our house style and plan to keep this passion alive for at least 40 more years.”
The Nalle tasting room is open on Friday and Saturdays, reservations are encouraged.
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