Donelan Family Wines

When planning our trip to Sonoma, my husband and I decided that we were in search of some good Syrahs. I found an article about the best Sonoma Syrahs that any Syrah lover should taste and looked into a few. How lucky were we to schedule a tasting at Donelan and find Syrahs and Chardonnays and Pinots that we loved! Chris called the day before our tasting and asked what types of wine we wanted to try. Talk about personal service! He absolutely hit the nail on the head. We tasted six wines along with a great cheese plate and spent two hours with him talking wine, food, travel and family. Chris made this an absolutely wonderful experience. Can’t wait to receive our 2 cases. Thanks for a very relaxed and personalized experience and thanks to the Donelan Family for making great wines!🍷

Donelan is a hidden gem. The tasting room, tucked away in a warehouse where they make their wines, offers an intimate and authentic atmosphere. My wife and I loved the experience, especially their incredible Syrah. Our host, Chris, was highly knowledgeable, making the tasting both educational and enjoyable. Highly recommended!

We were up in Santa Rosa to celebrate a special day, and decided to do a tasting at Donelan. While the website said they were closed on Tuesdays, they responded to an email and accommodated us! When we got there, we couldn’t believe the beautiful spread of cheeses, bread, olives, etc! Chris was really welcoming (yes, he was so nice I even remember his name!) and asked what kinds of wines we liked, and then customized the tasting for us. Unlike every other place, where you get tiny pours from already opened bottles (of unknown age), Chris was very generous with fresh bottles. He even had some well aged wines he shared with us. His expertise on winemaking and the whole process (grape sorting was literally going on in the room behind us!!) was really informative and helpful. All in all, this was the finest and most relaxing tasting experience of my life, and the Donelan Chardonnays and Syrahs are among the very best out there. And no, I have no financial interest in it, beyond the case we ended up buying.

If you can get past the fact that they are located in a functional industrial park, Donelan has some of the best syrah in California. The tastings are done in a room off of the functioning Winery, and feature about 6-8 wines, and ours was led by a gregarious employee who really knew his stuff. Overall a great experience!

A really friendly and helpful family run winery. What makes them even better is the quality of their wines. It is not unusual that each year some of their releases are rated in the high 90s by Wine Advocate and others. A sure bet winner if you are interested in a Rhone Ranger type wine. Try it and you will love it.

Located in an unassuming area of Santa Rosa, Donelan is a hidden gem. Prepare to be taken care of! We stopped by Donelan to try some of their amazing wine and immediately fell in love with the private and intimate wine tasting experience. Greg greeted us as we walked in and ushered us to a private table in their barrel aging room. We tried several of their wines (you have to try the Moriah) and loved all of them. We couldn't have been happier with the experience. You're in for a treat.

Intimate tasting experience! Incredible selection of wines...Tripp took our small group through a delightful tasting and tour. They have an impressive offering for such a small family owned operation. Their pinots and syrahs are unparalleled in my opinion. And they just released an impeccably fresh rose that my wife can't get enough of. My wine locker is quickly filling up with Donelan bottles!

We were lucky enough to meet Greg and hear about the Donelan family vineyards at our hotel's wine tasting the first night of our visit. We very quickly realized the wine was amazing and that Greg took a very personal approach to educating novices on the intricacies of wine making . The next day we had the most amazing personal wine tasting with Greg at their Santa Rosa facility and came away beyond impressed with everything we experienced. We had so many wonderful experiences in Sonoma but this was at the very top.

Love this winery!! TBH I look for great wines that have an angle on them where I can fanagle a discount through quantity, through trade (industry) through any means necessary when the wines are Great!! These wines are upper echelon- Exceptional classification!! Awesome family run business- Tripp is Posh Spice as a smart hilarious guy, knowledgeable, friendly, entertaining and class. Class isn't usually said about us entertaining types. He's the one I first spoke to and had the pleasure of tasting through several of their beautiful portfolio with- I had Paul W and family with me. We all had a great time. Then I took on the roll of sporty spice (something catalyzed by recent advertising took me down this road - and to be fair, covid has been brutal on everyone that's half as extroverted as I am!). I recommended to several of my clients and friends that will pay for quality. There aren't any discounts here - no Trader Hoes / GrossOutlet disco buys. The Quality is Phenomenal - Excellent- Exquisite!! I Love Excellent Syrah - Donelan Family and Outstanding winemaker, David Milner, make a bakers dozen of different terroir or vineyard driven Syrahs. Also, Grenache, Viognier, Chardonnay and Pinots! Makes perfect sense for the Dynamic Sonoma Wine Country. If you'll pay for great wine - and I would jump on the wagon before they're catapulted into Cult status. Mind you these don't cost what Screaming Eagle cost or Cote Rotie in the Rhône region in France cost (another great Syrah region) They're akin in Quality but fortunately have not priced themselves outside of what real people can pay. I only know a few people paying more than 150 for a wine. I think Sporty Spice was always on the practical (read cheap) side. Unless some nice guy wants to step in and buy some of the good stuff to enjoy. I review wines on Vivino wine app and sometimes for wine competitions and you will find everything with Donelan name in the 94 to 100 Ratings. Epic!! And BTW which spice is Winemaker extraordinaire? Baby Spice. Lol. Yeah, I do need to get out more - with Mask & Gloves. Worth reaching out for - Call for an appointment- a very accommodating wine group.

I have been buying their fine wines for many years and they never disappoint. The real raters - Parker and Wine Spectator - consistently give them excellent to outstanding ratings. So enjoy some of the better CA wines and they won't break your budget.

We loved our tasting at Donelan Family Wines. James was a great host and we got to taste a wide variety of amazing wines. We walked out with quite a few bottles to take home and enjoy. We also got to meet the owner while we were there tasting, which was fun because it's always nice to meet the person behind the wine and the vision. A few weeks after returning home we were very surprised to receive a handwritten note in the mail from Joe Donelan, along with a customized Donelan wine bottle opener. We will definitely be back, their wines and customer service is top notch!

Make a appointment and see Greg here, if you are a Syrah fan. It is in an unusual wine tasting setting as this place is in an industrial park. They have a nice room with table and lots of information and displays about the terrior that influences their different vineyard designated wines.

Donelan may be slightly off the radar, but we had a fantastic tasting with Greg. Donelan makes a dazzling array of wines with world class Syrahs. They have a couple great Chards and a really interesting Roussanne/Vionier that I enjoyed. The Cuvee Moriah red blend and Obsidian Syrah were personal favorites. Greg did a great job sharing the history of Donelan and story of each wine. Donelan has been around a lot longer than I was aware. I'll definitely be returning for more wine again in the future. As a bonus, Moonlight Brewing is right next door which is a great pit stop for the Death & Taxes black lager (and others).

The wines are incredible and under priced for the quality. I expect these wines to increase in price as soon as they get discovered so I hesitate to write this review... For an authentic wine tasting experience, you must come to Donelan!! Sonny hosted us and we were blown away by the depth of his knowledge and passion for this wine. We promised ourselves that we were done purchasing wine, but couldn't help ourselves at Donelan! Be prepared to be wowed!

My husband and I were in Santa Rosa attending another event at Vinify this weekend and met James. He was kind enough to spontaneously offer to open the Donelan tasting room just across the way - including allowing an additional couple we just met to also join. Not only was James a terrific host, but Donelan is making some really wonderful wine. Though we had not heard of Donelan before, the Syrahs truly are everything the reviews say and more. We can away with the Two Brothers Pinot and Obsidian as well. We are always on the lookout for small boutique wineries to support and Donelan did not disappoint! James, thanks for making time in your day for us to experience Donelan. We are your newest Donelan fans and look forward to enjoying what's on the horizon!

Great atmosphere..very educational..and delicious wine. This is my first wine tasting experience and you can just taste the difference between mediocre wine and great wine :) I didn't plan to buy any wine waling in but walked out with 3 bottles!

Located in an unassuming area of Santa Rosa, Donelan is a hidden gem. Prepare to be taken care of! We stopped by Donelan to try some of their amazing wine and immediately fell in love with the private and intimate wine tasting experience. Greg greeted us as we walked in and ushered us to a private table in their barrel aging room. We tried several of their wines (you have to try the Moriah) and loved all of them. We couldn't have been happier with the experience. You're in for a treat.

This is a "do not miss" stop while in Sonoma. You can sample some of the best ones in the world here! You will be amazed at the quality and selection of wines they produce. Again, you need to go here while they are still under the radar screen.

Love this family winery. Cushing and the family produce some amazing CA Syrah's. I'm usually not a huge fan of this Varietal, but Donelan changed my palette and view of this wine. Christine is my favorite by far!

Super easy to plan a tasting and the wines are impeccably made and well priced. It's not a huge tasting room, but rather an intimate experience. You won't be disappointed.

Have very much enjoyed their wines for years now. I order it for holiday gifts for my team. Highly recommend their wines and a trip to their tasting room. You'll enjoy meeting the very nice people who run it.

Looking for a small, family-run winery that focuses on quality? You need to visit Donelan. Enjoyed everything (almost as much as Robert Parker and Wine Spectator!) ... my personal favorite was the Syrah. A bit off the beaten path in an industrial park in northwest Santa Rosa. Definitely worth finding, tasting and buying.

Great wines. Great customer service. Time and time again the wines of Donelan Family never disappoint.

Had an amazing time at the Donelan tasting room. Meredith was very knowledgeable took such good care of us. All the wine was spectacular and she even gave us an impressive charcuterie board. Would highly recommend!

4.5 stars Pax Mahle is considered to be an ultratraditionalist. "We take a very pure approach," explains Mahle, "one that was more commonplace 100 years ago in France than it is today." That approach includes organic farming, foot-crushing the grapes, natural fermentations and absolutely no fining or filtering. He contends that his style of winemaking is really without a style. It is also worth noting that their approach to customer service is a throwback to another era as well. Everyone I have ever interacted with has been very personable, genuine and helpful. They always send me a handwritten and thoughtful thank you note after I order wine -- and at the holidays. Mahle used to work as a wine buyer at Dean & DeLuca. After tasting a few thousand wines for his job at D&D, he became convinced that the cool coastal vineyards of northern California could produce his beloved Rhône style of nuanced, layered Syrah. I wish their wine were more affordable (and the reason they get 4.5 instead of 5 stars), but still would put them on my short list best producers in California. Although his Syrahs get most of the attention, they also produce great Rhône-styled whites as well.

Met Joe at the event in Marblehead. His passion for making quality wine can be tasted in each bottle. Tried several of their offering and I have to say, you'll be hard pressed to find better syrah and pinot noir. The 2010 GSM blend was just as good if not better than what you find in the Barossa Valley (the good stuff we don't get in the states). The Pinot was better than most Pinot I've tried from Oregon. I'm looking forward to visiting the facility. if you are in the area, this is a must-try. You won't be disappointed.

Donelan wines are some of my favorite California wines. We have bought quite a bit of their wines in the last couple of years and we have yet to be disappointed. My wife loves their Chardonnays (We can't seems to keep them in the cellar for very long) and I struggle to not open the reds too soon. Their service is impeccable with personal hand written thanks yous making you feel appreciated not just for buying, but also being part of the Donelan experience. Luis P

I first learned of Donelan when I randomly tried their Tripp's Block Pinot Noir from a country club wine list. Delicious! I am now a big fan of many of their wines - the Nancie chard, the Cuvee Moriah, the Two Brothers pinot and more. Their distribution is so circumscribed that the only practical way to get their wines is at the winery or by joining their list. Definitely a place to visit if you are doing a Sonoma wine trip. You'll fall in love and join their club!

Great winery with a strong emphasis on making the best Syrahs, Chardonnay and Pinot possible. The tasting room experience is reminiscent of Napa in its earliest days. Awesome.

This place came highly rated from a couple of friends. Every wine we tasted was amazingly good and we tasted quite a few. The private tasting experience was very enjoyable. Greg did a great job taking us through our wine journey. Tasted quite a few wines. Well worth a visit. The 2014 Nancie Chardonnay was exceptional as well as the 2014 Obisidan Syrah. Of course they were all good, my favorite of the Pinots was the 2013 Two Brothers, although the rest of my group said the 2015 Cushing's Block was better. To each his own, can't go wrong with any of their wines.

Not only does Donelan make great wines, the order and shipping process is very easy and user friendly. It's awesome when the shipment arrives with a handwritten note from the owners! Highly recommended.

We had the most fabulous experience with James for a bachelorette party! He was very knowledgeable about the history of the wines and family. The tasting, tour and conversations were unforgettable! Couldn't recommend this place more! On top of it -- the planning process was easy and James recommended a fabulous place for dinner and going out afterwards. Book your next private tasting with Donelan!!!

Love their wines, fantastic rich flavors created by a family with a deep passion for wine.

Love the wines and the personal touch here, a really unique trait in the area. Every order comes with a hand-written thank you note, and they do a nice job of trying to get to know you and your tastes. My personal favorites are the Cuvee Moriah and the Obsidian Vineyard Syrah, in fact I am going to open a bottle of that tonight! Can't wait to get to the new tasting room as well, it looks great!

I had the pleasure of tasting with Meredith a couple of days ago. I found the wines to be very good and high quality and the experience to be comfortable and delightful. She gave us a nice tour of the winery and barrel cellar and had a seated tasting for us after. She also had a plate of cheese and charcuterie to go with the wines. They have a very nice line up of whites and reds from Pinot Noir to Syrah. They do specialize in Syrah and it was delicious. I will say that I am a local wine tour guide and will only bring my guests to places I think they will enjoy. Well this is a winery I know my guests will definitely enjoy!

There isn't anyone who makes better Syrah. It was great to find a winery specializing in it. It's a great varietal that doesn't get the attention it deserves. If you find a winery offering Syrah, they probably only have one. Donelan has 7 to choose from. Their Pinot Noir and Chardonnays are also excellent. You can't go wrong with any of their wines, really. The owners and staff are extremely nice people on top of it.

It is impossible for me to speak highly enough about Donelan Wines and the experience I have had as a customer of theirs over the last 2-3 years, particularly in their Santa Rosa tasting room/winery. Joe, Tripp, and team run an exceptional operation and one worth acquainting yourself with when in the area. I initially heard about Donelan after tasting the 2013 Obsidian at a friend's house. Blown away by the quality of those first sips, I purchased some wine directly from their website. Within a week, I had received a phone call and handwritten note from Joe thanking me for my purchase. Impressed by the gesture(s), I decided to visit Donelan's tasting room the next time I was in the Santa Rosa area. That trip (and subsequent ones as well) proved to be one of the most special tasting experiences I have had in Napa/Sonoma. Let me qualify that this is not a tasting room operation geared for those that want to quaff amidst the vines or for those that want to pull up the party bus and get tanked. Donelan's tasting room is co-located with its winery in an industrial park far from the nearest vineyards. It is not "no frills" as far as tasting rooms go, but it is close. However, the experience once in the door is absolutely superb. The focus is on tasting the current release wines, but Tripp and team have generously offered tastes of barrel samples, future releases in bottle, and even the occasional inspiration wine (usually from the Rhone). The attention to detail and care the Donelan team puts into the tasting experience (down to the cheese plate and Zalto glassware) match the effort they put into the wines themselves. I would highly recommend this tasting room/winery to any and all lovers of wine, and particularly those with an appreciation for the Rhone varietals.

I've been a loyal sipper of Donelan family wines since the beginning. The level of service received is personal, such as the delivery of wine from Trip, and the handwritten thank you cards from Joe. The Nancie Chardonnay is one of my personal favorite wines. The Syrah varieties should be a special occasion wine, but it's so delicious we enjoy it many nights with dinner. Drinking Donelan wines surely is a journey.

The wines are terrific. The Nancie Chardonnay is our all time favorite. The family of reds from the 2 Brothers Pinot to the Obsidian Syrah are all Parker 93-99 rated. Fantastic!!!

Met Joe and his family online. Sent an email and Joined their mailing list. Next day I got a call from Joe thanking me for joining and we had a 20 minute conversation about my likes in wine. They turned out to be his likes as well. I ordered some wine and opened a bottle of the Christine first. Absolutely incredible syrah. I was hooked for life and have since visited his winery and tasted all his wines. The Keltie, Obsidian, and the barrel tasted Richards among others absolutely blew me away. Tripp was great as was their MSU educated new wine maker Joe. I love this family now and no other syrah in the country even comes close. I went home to Michigan sad to leave but loaded down with the best syrah ever. I have since helped friends become Donelan converts and have helped Joe and his family spread the word in Southwest lower Michigan. My friends and I have joined his club and I spread the Donelan word whenever possible. Drink whatever you want on Tuesday night but every other night drink Donelan. Save the Keltie, Obsidian, and Richards for weekends and special occasions. You can hunt throughout Sonoma and Napa but you can not match this wine for pure syrah heaven. Dennis Van Wieren

Genuinely amazing place. The wine is top tier at a reasonable price. Sonny did a great job walking us through their wine process and inspiration. I'm taking out of town gusts here for an authentic winery experience.