This Place is Special and They Will Be Missed

  You've most likely never heard of ACORN Winery, they're small, under 2,000 cases annually, and has been run by the same couple the whole time. They grow over 100 grape varieties on a certified historic vineyards of 32 acres, Alegria Vineyards. Wife Betsy says Bill never met a grape variety he didn't like. A few other lucky wineries occasionally get fruit from the Alegria Vyd. If you see a wine on a store shelf using Alegria grapes, buy it! 

  This place is not trendy. It's strictly old school.

Betsy & Bill, owners, vineyard workers, hospitality, etc.

  Their only current white wine available is an Albarino blend. The reds are mostly field blends, though they have a Zinfandel, because this is Sonoma County, and a Syrah. Their Zinfandel goes back to the 1890s. They also make a Dolcetto, a nearly unknown grape in this country that's from Piedmont, Italy.

   It doesn't get any more real than this -- if you were to go back to Sonoma County from the 1950s or 60s.

  I recently got this email from the owners:

Because you’ve enjoyed and bought ACORN Wine, we wanted to share some news with you.

2023 is our 34^th season at Alegría Vineyards, and it will be our last year selling ACORN wines.

We have been growing grapes since 1990 and making wine since 1994. We’ve loved making and sharing ACORN wines, but our focus, going forward, will be growing and selling our Alegría grapes to other wineries that share our commitment to vineyard-centric, sustainably farmed, field-blended wines.

This year, we’ll continue with business as usual — hosting tasters and selling ACORN Wines until we are sold out.

We hope to see you this year for a private tasting and a chance to share the alegría (happiness & joy) of our wines with you. If you can’t visit, we hope you will place an order, so you have some ACORN wine to enjoy in the future.

It has been a fabulous adventure! Meeting folks and sharing our wines with tasters has been the best part of it.

  You'll be missed! This almost feels like the end of an era. But we'll stop in before they leave to stock up on some field blend reds.

 

  I wish them luck in their retirement. I hope Bill doesn't get too bored not having a vineyard to work in. Mostly, I hope they can find someone local to take over the business. Please don't sell to a corporation!