Happy Holidays from your friends at Mendocino Winegrowers! We wish you and your family a wonderful season, with good times and good wine.
We are farmers, winemakers, and artists — free thinkers who value our land, our people, and our independent lifestyle. Welcome to Mendocino County!
550 Nelson Ranch Rd, Ukiah, CA 95482
Just off Highway 101, midway between Hopland and Ukiah, you’ll find Nelson Family Vinyards and farm. For 70 years, the Nelson family has farmed the land they live on, with farming traditions passed on to four generations.
Nelson Family Vineyards is operated by third generation family members winemaker, Chris Nelson and Vineyard Manager, Tyler Nelson.
Tyler says “After exploring some of the worlds, I’ve come to appreciate what a wonderful place to live Mendocino County is, with beautiful oaks and redwoods, vineyards and orchards, a wonderful climate, and a great community.
Mendocino County has been a great place to raise our families. The school system is robust and churns out high-achieving well-rounded students. Working with my family on our farm and winery is incredibly rewarding.
The chemistry that has come together from the soil, our climate, and our work family shines through in our wines. We are appreciative of our Nelson Family Vineyards team members. This farm couldn’t operate without them and we’re grateful to consider them family.”
The family’s winemaking journey began in 2003 in their grandma’s 3-car garage. It has since evolved into a prospering business with a tasting room, 200 vineyard acres, and a production of 1800 cases of fantastic wine.
On 1800 acres of land, Nelson Family Vineyards takes great pride in the diversification they produce and provide. In addition to their ag operations, the winery, tasting room, summer concerts, weddings, and camping, Nelson Family Vineyards operates a popular “you choose, you cut” Christmas tree operation at the farm.
Making the trek to Nelson has become a family tradition for loyal customers looking for Christmas cheer. The tree lot is open 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Greg Nelson runs the Christmas tree operation and takes care of the farm. The family has 200 acres planted with vines. The ranch includes pear trees, olive trees, goats, cattle, and donkeys (the donkeys help trim the Christmas trees!)
And then there’s the wine! Taste your way through a variety of delicious wine selections including pinot grigio, pinot noir, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, and more … and finish up with a taste of their award-winning port. Nelson Family Vineyards is proud to grow and make certified sustainable wines, grown on the ranch. Open daily. Check their tasting room hours here.
Looking for the best gift to put under the Christmas Tree? Visit the gift shop in the tasting room to pick up the latest: Sauvignon blanc pepper jelly, estate-grown orange muscat pear butter, wine-infused oak pellets, red wine vinegar, sweatshirts, hats, t-shirts, and more.
Mendocino Sparkling and Oyster Celebration
This inaugural celebration takes place on Jan. 28 inside Saracina Vineyards’ wine cave, showcasing dozens of Mendocino County’s world-class sparkling wines, as well as a few surprise white wines. Hog Island Oyster Company will be there shucking fresh oysters too! Read more…
Second Saturday in Hopland, 1/14
Seafood & Sips Mendocino 1/27 – 2/5
Anderson Valley White Wine Weekend 2/18-19
