Jess B.
Yelp
~ A DOG LOVER'S PARADISE ~
I've had Nectar of the Dogs Wine bookmarked for a while now and finally found myself in Simi Valley with some free time, so we decided to stop by. As a huge dog and wine lover, this winery was truly the winery of my dreams! Right when you walk in, the tasting room has such a warm, intimate, and welcoming vibe. All around are adorable signs about dogs and wine, and my favorite is their tagline "It's not really drinking alone if your dog is with you."
I also love how intentional this space is. There's plenty of seating (bar, small tables, large tables, a couch) without feeling crowded. There's even a stage where they often have live music. The place is full of locals and wine club members, and it looks like such a fun time. Well-behaved pups are welcome, and there's even a tasting room dog (a rescue in training, so please be patient!).
Melanie, the owner, is such a friendly and warm person. She was handling the floor herself but still took the time to talk to us and tell us about the winery. We even had the chance to pup-sit her puppy for a bit, which was a huge bonus for us!
We're typically red wine drinkers and usually go for a full red flight, but a wine club member recommended their rose, so we tried a mixed flight and were pleasantly surprised! We started with the Viognier, and we loved it because it wasn;t too sweet and perfectly dry to our taste. The rose was definitely delicious- so fresh, flavorful, and light- that we decided to buy a bottle right then and there. For the next three reds, our favorite was the 2023 Syrah, which had lovely blueberry notes.
Some of the wine bottles are named after their pups who have crossed the rainbow bridge, and I think that's the most beautiful tribute. Ten percent of their proceeds (from bottles and merchandise) are donated to nonprofit rescues they're partnered with, so our purchases were both delicious and for good!
Overall, it was such a great experience, and even though we're about 30 minutes away, we'll definitely drop by again and make this tasting room part of our regular rotation.