Appellation: Russian River Valley
Wineries
Wines
Grapes
- Alicante Bouschet
- Béclan
- Cabernet Franc
- Carignane
- Cinsaut
- Dolcetto
- Graciano
- Grenache
- Monbadon
- Muscat Noir
- Negrette
- Palomino
- Peloursin
- Petite Sirah
- Plavac Mali
- Sangiovese
- Syrah
- Tannat
- Trousseau/Bastardo
- Zinfandel
Now part of Acorn Winery.
We purchased Alegría Vineyards in 1990, becoming stewards of a century-old field-blend Zinfandel vineyard.
We learned from public records that the vines were planted in 1890, and there were grapevines on the property in the 1880s.
Our first goal was to revive the old vineyard. Next, we planted 17 acres of new vines. Today Alegría Vineyards has 26 acres planted with Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and many lesser-known varieties, about 40 in all.
Our vineyards provide a consistent source of the highest quality estate-grown grapes for our winery, nestled under tall old oak trees in the middle of Alegría Vineyards. Each year, we select about half the crop for ACORN wines. We sell the rest of our grapes to other premium wineries.
Alegría, our vineyards’ name, is a Spanish word that means joy and happiness. We choose a Spanish word to honor California’s heritage and the workers who tirelessly tend to our vineyards. Working in our vineyards makes us happy, and we hope that drinking our wines brings alegría to your life.
More from the Historical Vineyard Society:
AVA: Russian River Valley
Decade: 1890s
Current Owner: Betsy & Bill Nachbaur
Planted by: George & Summers Brumfield
Location Notes: 3 miles south of Healdsburg; on Pedroncelli Road east
of Old Redwood Hwy 1/4 mile south of Limerick Lane.
Wineries: Acorn, Rock Wall, Parmeson, Hawley, and Bailarin
Historical Producers: Ridge 1990-1996; Rosenblum 1997-2003, JC Cellars 1997-1999, Stryker-Sonoma, 2003-2007, DeLoach (2011-2012), Miro (2013-2014)
Characteristics: Blackberry, plum, chocolate, raspberry, coffee, black pepper. Substantial amounts of Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet add structure and color.
Description: Alegría Vineyard is part of the 1841 Sotoyome land grant. The Brumfield family emigrated from Virginia and settled on the land in 1852. Their 850 acre property included the present Ponzo vineyards as well as ours. The California Board of State Viticultural Commissioners’ 1891 Directory of Grape Growers lists Summers Brumfield as having 18 acres of Zinfandel and Mission grapes in 1889 producing 1.67 tons/acre, which would indicate planting in 1886 or earlier. In 1896 Elizabeth Moes purchased 40 acres of the Brumfield ranch and built a small winery on her property. After she died in 1924, her daughter Ernestine and son-in-law Adolph DiNucci maintained the vineyard during Prohibition and until 1943. The vineyard then passed through a series of owners and was purchased in 1947 by Americo Rafanelli, who replanted part of the vineyard in 1950. Rafanelli sold to Arnold Bruschera in 1951, who sold to the Allen family in 1973, who sold to the Nachbaurs in 1990.
The Alegría Vineyard is a field blend that is 78% Zinfandel, 11% Alicante Bouschet, 9% Petite Sirah. The remaining 2% includes Carignan, Trousseau [Bastardo], Sangiovese, Negrette, Plavac Mali, Palomino, Syrah, Tannat, Muscat Noir, Monbadon, Peloursin, Graciano, Cinsaut, Béclan, and Grenache.