Ken and Diane Wilson built Wilson Winery from a century-old tin barn on Dry Creek Road in 1993, and three decades later remain one of the appellation's most quietly consistent Zinfandel programs. Diane is the winemaker; the family has expanded across multiple Sonoma County properties over the years, but the original Dry Creek estate, with its panoramic balcony deck overlooking the valley, remains the house's anchor and most visited tasting room. Award-winning Zinfandel is the headline; estate Cabernet, Petite Sirah, and Merlot fill out the lineup.
Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: the house signature, a balanced, fruit-forward Zinfandel sourced from historic Dry Creek and Sonoma County sites, crafted by winemaker Diane Wilson, named a 'Woman Winemaker of the Year.'
Ellie's Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley: a single-vineyard old-vine bottling showing the depth and spice of the valley's oldest plantings.
Estate Petite Sirah, Dry Creek Valley: dark and structured, handled gently to soften its naturally firm tannins; a Wilson specialty alongside Zinfandel.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley: a bold, ripe red rounding out the estate's lineup of big Dry Creek varietals.
The Wilsons began as grape growers, planting their first vineyards in the mountains of northern Dry Creek Valley and naming them for their children and parents. Their sites now run from loamy valley floor to gravelly benchlands and hilltops as high as 2,400 feet, with Rockpile among them.
The original tin barn and farmhouse, built into the Dry Creek hillside just off Highway 101, have been thoughtfully expanded over the years into a deeply seated, deck-and-patio tasting space with one of the better long-distance valley views in the appellation. The seasonal four-wine flight is poured tableside on the outdoor balcony in good weather, with covered heated seating for cool days and limited indoor space when needed. Single-vineyard-designate Zinfandels rotate through the flight, with bottle pours and full glasses available outside reservations. Picnicking is encouraged, well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome, and members get priority seating. The estate is unusually accessible, less than a mile from the freeway, making it a workable first or last stop on a Dry Creek itinerary.
