Nalle Winery

One of the coolest things I have ever learned is that wine makes you smart (thank God) ; or, per Nalle Winery:

Vinum sapientium tibi dat  (Latin- truly NOT a dead language)

This motto is on a coat of arms flanked with two jolly squirrels, so it must be true.  The family at Nalle- and it is all family- has a great sense of wine, humor, excellence, hospitality and fun.  They just celebrated 25 years in business!  They have produced a series of Nalle cartoons which grace posters, calendars and t-shirts.  In fact, when you visit Nalle, you meet a family member and usually, you meet the winemaker himself, Andrew Nalle.  Ensconced in his above-ground-300-plants-of- rosemary-covered- cave, Andrew produces amazing zin, some from estate grown grapes from way back, 1927,  from his mother’s, Lee Henderlong Nalle, family.  But there is also chardonnay and zinot noir.  And with that, you realize that we are talking, also, pinot noir. Lee and Doug Nalle are there- adding zest, zing and amazing verve.  I met with Stephanie Callimanis on a recent visit; she emphasizes the importance of family.

Nalle believes in treating people right.  They are there every Saturday and also by appointment- and those appointments are easy to get – just give a call.  While you visit and taste the wines- you can also engage in a game of horseshoes or petanque- note that the vista is lovely- the cave, when the rosemary is blooming, is spectacular, awash in color and bees- and it is deep, fragrant green in the deep of winter.  OLD vines are right there- gnarly, up close and personal.  Many wineries say that they are “small (how big a family? short in stature?) award winning (you bet!)- but truly here at Nalle Winery, EVERY time you visit you will meet and interact with family- and they are all, I note, nicely proportioned.

Here’s looking at you, kids.

TR