Cesar Toxqui Cellars sits in the heart of Redwood Valley’s wine country, where you’ll find a small family operation focused on doing one thing well: making limited quantities of serious wine. The Toxqui family works with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and heirloom grape varieties, and you can taste what that focus produces when you visit.

The tasting room welcomes dogs, which means you can actually bring your dog along while you’re sampling wines and spending time among the vines. The setting itself—vineyards and rolling hills in the background—makes for a relaxed afternoon. It’s the kind of place where you’re tasting wine made by people who clearly care about the process, not just moving bottles out the door.

Redwood Valley sits north of Ukiah, and if you’re road-tripping through Mendocino County wine country, this winery offers something different from the bigger, more commercialized operations. The small-batch approach means what’s available changes, and inventory can be limited, so calling ahead makes sense if you want to try a specific varietal.

The vineyard setting means there’s actual space to move around with your dog between tastings. It’s not cramped or crowded, which matters when you’re trying to enjoy both wine and your dog’s company. If you’re planning a wine-focused day in the valley, Cesar Toxqui works well as a stop where the focus stays on the wine itself rather than the experience of being a wine tourist.

You can find their current releases and hours on their website at toxqui.com before heading out, since hours may vary seasonally and they occasionally host private events.