Sit! and Stay! at Simi’s First Wine Tasting Room

If you’re the type of person who adores your dog and loves wine, Simi Valley’s first wine tasting room at Nectar of the Dogs Wine will definitely be your jam.

While dogs aren’t actually allowed at the tasting room per the City of Simi Valley, there will be plenty of pictures of puppies lining the walls and decorating the labels of the small-batch wine bottles, according to CEO/owner Melanie Garibay.

Nectar of the Dogs Wine is a boutique wine company that sources their wine from several small wineries up and down California, blends and bottles with a host winery in Camarillo and donates a portion of the profits to various dog rescue organizations.

 “I love wine culture and the science of winemaking. The people I have met (and continue to meet) along my journey in the wine biz are some of the most interesting and kind people … really inspiring,” says Garibay, who has always been passionate about wine, learning as much as she could while still working as an event producer. “In these crazy times we live in today, it’s the simple things—dogs and wine—that help me stay grounded.”

Alexandra Clingman, associate planner with Simi Valley Environmental Services Department, says there has been interest in allowing tasting rooms for breweries or wineries in Simi Valley, but the city didn’t have an ordinance that explicitly permitted them. So in 2019, the Simi Valley City Council requested that city staff research and craft a new ordinance that would cover the businesses.

Having the first endeavor that was allowed under the new ordinance be something as unusual as a dog-themed wine tasting room was especially gratifying for Clingman, who is an animal lover.

“This was the first project I got under the new ordinance. I was so excited to have it be a very unique kind of business,” says Clingman. “Working with Melanie, who is one of the most sweet, exciting persons, has been great. She’s been super understanding of the process of updating the code. When she first approached us, we hadn’t finished updating the code. She was amazing, and patiently waited.”

The tasting room will be small and comfortable. “We’re in a smaller city industrial park, so we’re going for a warm rustic industrial vibe. We want guests to find a little wine oasis in this part of Simi where they can come and sip for a cause with us,” says Garibay.

Husband Todd Sobleski will manage the organization in the back of the house, while Garibay will pour wines in the front. The tasting room will be open weekends only.

For more information and hours visit NectaroftheDogsWine.com.