ACORN WINERY Press Coverage
From 1994-2022, while selling grapes to others, we also produced wine under the ACORN Winery label.
All ACORN wines were made from Alegría Vineyards grapes.
Here are some articles and interviews relating to the wines
Podcasts & Radio Interviews
6-29-22 – California Wine Country podcast with Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger:
“Hosts Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger talk with Bill Nachbaur about his historic Sonoma County vineyard and his field blend wines. Dan and Steve taste Bill’s newest white wine blend, Grüner Veltliner, and ACORN’s 2021 Rosato as they discuss these wines and others they’ve tasted in the past.”
3-8-22 – On the Wine Road LIVE with KSRO’s Jeff Davis:
“Host Jeff Davis talks with Bill Nachbaur, winegrower at Acorn Winery/Alegria Vineyards. This historic Sonoma County vineyard is home to more than 100 different grape varieties that Bill turns into field blends. The resulting wines are distinctive and complex. Bill shares some of the history of the property, as well as his newest white wine blends, including an Austrian inspired Grüner Veltliner and a Portuguese inspired Alvarinho, echoing his family’s heritage.”
Wine Soundtrack. Allison Levine captured the essence of ACORN and Alegría Vineyards during a lively and entertaining conversation with Bill. .
January 2, 2019 – California Wine County with Steve Jaxon & Dan Berger. Dan and Steve interviewed Bill Nachbaur. You can both read and listen to the podcast to learn some in-depth details about ACORN Winery and Alegría Vineyards as they also taste and discuss four current ACORN wines.
The Wine Road Podcast: The Wine When & Where of Sonoma County. Hosts Beth Costa and Marcy Gordon talk with Bill Nachbaur on field blends and the history of ACORN Winery and Alegría Vineyards while sipping on the Wine of the Day–an ACORN 2014 Russian River Valley Heritage Vines Zinfandel.
Click here to open the podcast.
Podcast with Elizabeth Schneider of Wine for Normal People.
Enjoy two in-depth conversation with Bill Nachbaur and Elizabeth Schneider, one regarding Cabernet Franc and one about field blends and what makes them special.
{NOTE: Patreon membership may be required to access these podcasts.}
Articles
Marcy Gordon, of the Wine Road reviewed ACORN Winery’ 2019 Axiom Syrah. Download here.
We were included in the Wine Road’s blog For the Love of Old Trucks. {Link}.
Rick and Gary selected ACORN’s 2019 Medley® as their favorite from our last red vintage. Their Wineries Say Farewell article reinforces why we so loved sharing ACORN wines with guests.
Allison Levine selected ACORN 2018 Medley® as the Please the Palate Wine of the Week. [Link}
ACORN’s 2018 Medley selected as one of 100 Amazing Sonoma County Wines of 2022. Linda Murphy, in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat —
“Bill and Betsy Nachbaur are so low-key that if they ever toot horns, they do it so softly that few wine buffs realize they grow more than 100 grape types on their 32-acre Certified Historic Vineyard in eastern Russian River Valley. They produce only about 2,000 cases of wine each year. The primary varieties, first planted in 1890, are zinfandel, alicante bouschet and petite sirah, along with carignane, trousseau, sangiovese, petit bouschet, negrette, syrah, plavac mali, tannat, muscat noir and others. Medley is a field blend of up to 60 varieties; the 2018 vintage includes syrah, zinfandel, cinsaut, dolcetto, cabernet franc and viognier. It’s a whole vineyard in a bottle, and it’s delicious. Very juicy and reminiscent of blackberry pie a la mode, plum jam and cherry cola, Medley is fascinating to drink and a marvel of winemaking. Bill Nachbaur basically assembles a “blend of field blends,” with grapes harvested in three stages based on when they ripen and fermented together before they go into barrel for 10 months or so. Then he creates a final blend from the field blends, and Medley goes back into barrels for another nine months. Whew.”
Daniel Mangin’s California Wine & Travel blog: “ACORN Debuts 2 New Whites,” reviews ACORN Grüner Veltliner and Alvarinho, and some red wines. To download a reprint of this blog post, click here.
Elizabeth Smith captured the essence of ACORN in her article, “ACORN Winery and Alegría Vineyards – The Russian River Valley’s ‘United Nations of Grapes.” [link]
Jeff Kralik in his The Drunken Cyclist blog, selected ACORN’s 2017 Axiom Syrah as one of “My Top Ten Red Wines of the Year 2021,” [link]
Here is an excerpt from “Perfect American Wine Pairings for the Quintessential American Meal,” by Elizabeth Schneider, published in The Splendid Table.
“Cabernet Franc is my MVP for reds. Bill and Betsy Nachbaur run this small estate in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma making mostly Italian varietals but their Cab Franc is a real standout with a medium body, dark fruit flavors, black tea notes, and fantastic tannins and acidity which pair perfectly with turkey, gravy, and stuffing. As a bonus: it can tackle the cranberry sauce too, no easy feat.”
ACORN Winery was on the California Winery Advisor’s list of “The Best Sonoma Wineries to Visit – 2021.” [link]
Jeff Kralik’s The Drunken Cyclist blog, “Wednesday Winery Spotlight: ACORN Winery,” [link]
Rick Dean’s Strong Coffee to Red Wine blog post entitled “Unique and Delicious Field Blended Wines” captured the essence of ACORN Winery and Alegría Vineyards. [link]
Allison Levine’s interview with Bill Nachbaur in California Winery Advisor [link]
Gabe’s View, a blog by Gabe Sasso just reviewed our current wines, plus a few library wines. Hope you enjoy reading “Tasting ACORN Winery’s New Release Ove Dinner With Friends.” Gabe’s parting comment is our favorite, “Everyone gathered for dinner would now likely give the same advice I do, drink ACORN wines!” Thanks Gabe!
Click here to download a copy of Gabe’s blog review.
A Wine Tourist Magazine blog by Brian Yost entitled “Going Small in Sonoma | California | USA” recommends ACORN Winery as one of the small family wineries to visit. Thanks Brian!
The Press Democrat published an article by Dan Berger entitled “Field Blends Provide Consistency.” The ACORN field-blend wines are highlighted in this article, plus Dan raves about the ACORN 2014 Medley.
Gabe Sasso recently tasted through several of our wines and graciously gave them all stellar reviews. You can read his article, ACORN Winery: One of Sonoma County’s very best here. Thanks Gabe!
Lyle Norton really captured the essence of what we are doing with field-blended wines in his article, Uncovering ACORN Wines. Thanks Lyle, much appreciated!
Our 2014 Heritage Vines Zinfandel & 2014 Axiom Syrah are reviewed in Cliff’s Wine Picks. Thanks Cliff!
Julie Albin from the San Francisco Chronicle reviews ACORN Winery: Italian-Inspired Red Wines. Thanks Julie for “this one is a real gem” compliment.
Daniel Mangin recently reviewed ACORN in an article entitled “Taste head-turning field-blends in a down-home Russian River Valley setting.” In his summary he wrote, “Why go: impressive field blends; rare varietals; passionate owners; casual atmosphere.” Thanks for the wonderful endorsement of our passion for our field-blend wines.
More Articles, Reviews, & Podcasts
Fodor’s Travel Napa and Sonoma Travel Guide on ACORN Winery reads, “A throwback to the era when a hardworking couple forsook sensible careers and went all-in to become grape growers and vintners, this low-tech yet classy operation has earned high praise for wines that include Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and the rare-in-America Italian varietal Dolcetto.”
Read more…
In his blog Gabe’s View posted 6/20/17, Gabe Sasso wrote about “Nine Regions, Nine Roses.” We are honored he selected ACORN 2016 Rosato to represent the Northern California region.
As the guest blogger in the Wine Road’s Reflections Beyond the Road, Bill shares what drew him into the wine industry. We hope you enjoy reading Lawyer Takes Path Back to His Roots in Sonoma County. April 2017
Podcast with On the Wine Road with Jeff Davis
The Extensive, Most Unique Field Blends of Acorn Winery.
Podcast with Elizabeth Schneider of Wine for Normal People. Enjoy an in-depth conversation with the Nachbaurs, Elizabeth Schneider and her podcast partner and husband, MC Ice.
Click here to open the podcast
Third Year in a Row ACORN Winery Selected Among America’s 101 Best Wineries
ACORN was picked as the 33rd best winery in America for 2017 by The Daily Meal.
Download Top 101 American Wineries for 2017
Second Year in a Row ACORN Winery Selected Among America’s 101 Best Wineries
ACORN was picked as the 35th best winery in America for 2015 by The Daily Meal.
Download Top 101 American Wineries for 2015
ACORN Winery ~ 25 years in the making and worth the celebration
Blogger Jo Diaz shares her perspective on our 25th harvest celebration and the years in between. Download ACORN Winery ~ 25 years in the making and worth the celebration
ACORN Winery: A Russian River Valley Treasure
Blogger Gabe Sasso reviews ACORN’s current releases and adds his own spin on the winery and Alegría Vineyards.
Download ACORN Winery: A Russian River Valley Treasure
Little Winery That Could & A Toast to Sonoma County’s Best
Two articles from The Press Democrat, published September of 2004, after ACORN 2002 Heritage Vines Zinfandel won the Sonoma County Harvest Fair Sweepstakes Award.
Download Little Winery That Could & A Toast to Sonoma County’s Best
ACORN Winery Selected Among the America’s 101 Best Wineries
ACORN was picked as the 22nd best winery in America for 2014 by The Daily Meal.
Download Top 101 American Wineries for 2014
ACORN Among a List of Six Best Wineries World-Wide
Economia selected ACORN as one of six of the best wineries world-wide, and the only one selected from the United States.
Download Six of the Best Wineries
What do to with 60 different grape varieties: ACORN Winery has an answer
Blogger Jo Diaz explores how ACORN used its vast array of grape varieties to make interesting and delicious field blends.
Download 60 different grape varieties, what would you do with them: ACORN Winery has an answer
Zinfandel Chronicles – April 8, 2015
Read Tom Lee’s review of ACORN’s 2012 Medley, Dolcetto, and Syrah.
Download New Releases from ACORN reviewed by the Zinfandel Chronicles
Vineyard Vignette: ACORN Winery
A story on the background of ACORN, and Bill & Betsy Nachbaur.
Published in the NorthBay Biz Special Wine Issue Fall 2013.
Download Vineyard Vignette: ACORN Winery
Grape Nutz visits ACORN
Enjoy Grape Nutz Blogger Ken Zinns’ insights during his visit to ACORN on December 31, 2013.
Download Grape Nutz Visits ACORN
Terroirist Interview with Bill Nachbaur
Terroirist: A Daily Blog writer Winn Robertson interveiws Bill Nachbaur in July 2013, giving the reader insight into Acorn’s owner and winemaker.
Download Terroirist Interview with Bill Nachbaur
Brainwines.com Reviews 2009 Acorn Hill
Read BrainWines.com review of ACORN’s 2009 Acorn Hill, which received high marks.
Download Brainwines.com Reviews 2009 Acorn Hill
ACORN Winery: Unique Stuff and Still Truly One of Sonoma’s Finest
Published June 19, 2013 in Wine for Normal People by blogger and certified sommelier Elizabeth Schneider.
Download Unique Stuff and Still Truly One of Sonoma’s Finest
ACORN Selected Top Zin for Summer Grilling Published May 21, 2013 in Ken’s Wine Guide blog. Thanks Ken!
Download It’s Grilling Time, So Bring Out Your Zin’s
ACORN & Heritage Vines Deviance
Posted shortly after the 2012 ZAP Grand Tasting in San Francisco, this article is from the blog Wine Deviant.
Download Acorn & Heritage Vines Deviance
Let go of the single-varietal preference, try a messy field blend
Published in The Portland Press Herald (Maine) on February 15, 2012.
Download Appel on Wine: Let go of the single-varietal preference, try a messy field blend
ACORN Winery: The Seed of Something Different and Mighty in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma
Published in January 2012 in the Wine for Normal People blog.
Download The Seed of Something Different and Mighty…
ACORN Winery Profiled
Published in Spring 2010, this article is from Wine Country This Week.
Download Acorn Winery Profiled
ACORN Winery – Where Field Blends Rule
This reprint is from the Wine Travelers Blog, posted Sept. 11, 2009.
Download Where Field Blends Rule
A Modern Touch on an Old Style – Acorn Winery co-ferments a medley of grapes for flavorful wines
Published in the Harvest 2009 addition of the Windsor, Sebastopol and Healdsburg newspapers.
Download A Modern Touch on an Old Style
Twelve Days of Cabernet Franc
From gabesview.com, posted March 12, 2009.
Download Twelve Days of Cabernet Franc
Unique Red Blends
From sfwinesociety.com, posted December 30, 2008.
Download Unique Red Blends
From an Acorn a Mighty Wine Grows
From mywineryguides.com, posted Oct. 31, 2008.
Download From an Acorn a Mighty Wine Grows
Field Blends: Doing things the old way
A reprint from WineTravel.com, posted September 24, 2008.
Download Field Blends: Doing things the old way
Acorn In The Field
An article from the Aspen Times published in July 2008.
Download Acorn In The Field
Great Wines From Little Acorn Flow
Article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, published March 17, 2005.
Download Great Wines From Little Acorn Flow
Vineyard Vignettes
A behind-the-scenes glimpse of wine making in the North Bay.
Published in the NorthBay Biz Special Wine Issue 2003.
Download Vineyard Vignette: ACORN Winery
