2018 Nalle Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County 750 ml

Ancient vines, prime terroir, and expert winemaking: That’s the trifecta that’s built Ridge and Rafanelli into untouchable icons of California Zinfandel—and that’s exactly what makes the 2018 Nalle Dry Creek Zin one of the category’s most spectacular secrets. 

Grown in the sought-after Dry Creek Valley soil that those icons call home—they’re five minutes away from Nalle—this small, family-run affair boasts the identical natural elements that make Ridge and Rafanelli the marquee (and magical) names in classic Zinfandel. One sip of the 2018 Dry Creek Valley bottling shows exactly why Wine Enthusiast calls Nalle wines “world-class.” 

From vines up to 93 years old, the 2018 boasts an old-vine intensity that will enthrall Zin lovers, balanced by Old World restraint that will have Pinot drinkers reaching for a second glass. This trademark style had us musing about the reasons we fell in love with Zinfandel in the first place, crowning Nalle with spots on our Zin shortlists alongside the best of the best: names like Ridge, Rafanelli, Seghesio, and Turley.

Nalle might not have the same household name recognition as their celebrated neighbors, but savvy collectors know them as a benchmark estate. So do the critics: Decanter said they “show off Zinfandel’s nobility,” and the San Francisco Chronicle named the estate one of the “masters of old vines and Zinfandel.” Nalle is almost constantly featured in critical publications as a top Zin producer. 

“There’s a larger demand for this kind of elegant style of Zin now,” said viticulturist April Nalle. “But we’ve been doing it that way for more than 30 years.” Over decades, they’ve perfected their graceful style of Zinfandel, and it culminates in the 2018. A dash of Carignane adds aromatic lift, and an 11-month rest in 25% new French oak maintains the wine’s vibrance while imbuing it with impressive depth.

Doug Nalle, former co-winemaker to John Kongsgaard, built the Nalle name on this masterfully graceful style. The 2018 embodies his vision beautifully, announcing itself with aromas of blackberry and blueberry that intertwine with pepper, clove, and cedar, before diving into black and blue fruit with mixed spices on firm, velvety tannins.

The wine’s complexity comes from a 50/50 blend of grapes from the Nalle Estate—a 1.5-acre plot with 90+ year-old vines on prime benchland—and the nearby Bernier-Sibary Vineyard, a site they’ve been using for decades. Both contain well-drained, gravelly clay and loam, perfect for the balance of concentration and delicacy that Nalle delivers.  

We owe our Nalle allegiance to the spot-on recommendation of author, Certified Sommelier, and Wine for Normal People host Elizabeth Schneider. And after trying it for ourselves, we wasted no time firing off an email to secure an allocation for Wine Access members.

This wine is exquisite now but built to age, and April Nalle suggests the “rule of three: one to drink, one to age, and one to share.” Given how fast we’ve gone through our own bottles, we’ll assume she means cases.