We have been coming here for years, either before or after our annual trip to Orr Hot Springs. We…read morealways enjoy the kind hospitality and the delicious cabs grown on the estate. Today we had excellent service from Nicolas who welcomed us into the cheerful holiday ambiance even though we arrived at 4:30pm, not long before the 5pm closing time. Nicolas did not rush us, gave us a bonus pour of sparkling to start off our Red Lovers tasting ($20), and allowed us to sample the chocolate made with cab. Today our favorite was the petit verdot. Thanks for the warm welcome, Nicolas!

I didn't realize Nelson Family Vineyards was offering a historical reenactment experience, because…read morethe moment I walked in, it felt like I had accidentally stepped into a time period this country should've retired decades ago. The energy was very much "hospitality from a bygone era," and not in the quaint, charming way, more like the dusty, uncomfortable chapter no one should be proud of. While certain customers were treated like visiting dignitaries, I was met with the kind of selective service that made me wonder if I missed a sign on the door explaining what unspoken criteria you have to meet to get acknowledged. It's almost impressive how obviously the staff following the tone set by Tyler and Chris Nelson can divide the room without saying a single word. And the wine? Let's just say if you're going to run your service like it's stuck in a different century, at least make the wine good enough to distract people. Instead, the wines taste as tired as the attitude,flat, uninspired, and definitely not worth the emotional archaeology required to survive the vibe here. Meanwhile, others were getting the deluxe treatment while I stood around wondering if I needed to dust myself off to prove I wasn't part of the furniture. The whole experience felt like an unintentional social experiment in favoritism. Do yourself a favor and skip the time-travel tour. Dancing Crow down the road exists firmly in the present day,friendly staff, actual hospitality, and wine that tastes like it was made in this century, not the last three. Nelson Family Vineyards? If you like outdated attitudes and underwhelming wine, sure. Otherwise, keep driving.