BobDog Winery

Truly an amazing experience with the friendliest owners you will ever meet!
Today was my first time in the Sonoma area and a couple friends and I decided to hit up a few wineries and Bobdog was the last stop and man, was it worth it! It was quite a fun drive up to the top — if you use Google Maps, you can just search BobDog Winery and it will guide you to the right place! Once we were there around 4pm, Kandy greeted us cheerfully and gave us a brief history of the place and some of the surrounding landscapes — it was so beautiful!
Afterwards, she took us in and Tim greeted us and started us on the wine tasting. Unlike the other places we went to, Tim was superbly down to earth and was able to explain all the wine lingos in layman terms we can understand, and he has a great sense of humor :) We were able to sample around 6 – 7 different wines and all was great — they even provided meatballs, crackers and almonds to go with the wines, which was a nice touch. Afterwards, we hiked around the winery and vineyards and was able to witness a beautiful sunset over the surrounding mountains. This place is definitely worth the drive and your time, be sure to pick up a few bottles (or more) since they only sell it here!!!

Probably one of the most interesting experiences you can go on for a winery. The drive up here is so steep and narrow, so don’t look down to the left when going up. Our party of 12 was going up this hill in a 15 passenger van and it was… nerve wrecking to say the least. And its quite a drive so just keep going… and going… and going…
We happen to get there around 4pm when the sun was starting to go down, so when we hopped out of the car, we saw the beautiful rolling vineyards and the sun getting ready to go down; it was quite a sight. You can definitely get some gorgeous pictures here and the view is not anything you will find elsewhere.
I unfortunately did not taste the wines, but was told they were not bad. The Cabernet Franc stood out to my husband so we did walk away with a bottle. Despite not tasting the wines, I did experience the rest of the «tasting». It felt very much like school where Tim would keep asking you questions testing your knowledge of the wines you are tasting, and having you guess what is mixed inside it. If you like that kind of style (Q&A) rather than people giving you the facts or information, then this is the place for you. Although he did emphasize (as do other wineries) that everyone’s palate is different, so whether or not you like it, is not a wrong answer.
The tasting room is really just a small barrel room in the back. Do note that there are a lot of fruit flies flying around during your tasting, and extra noticeable when they pour the port. It is however, very cute that they serve you small pieces of meatballs to go with your wine tasting, and chocolate as well to help bring out the taste in the wines. Nice added bonus, in addition to the almonds on the table as well. Great winery to come once I think to take in the view, but not one I would list to be a repeat.

Up on top of the mountain you will meet Tim and Kandy — farmers, proprietors and wine makers and get to learn about the 5 classic Bordeaux grapes-​Cabernet, cab franc, merlot, petite syrah and malbeck. Up here you feel like you are a thousand miles away from civilization and while their little wine tasting is rather humble in comparison to the big houses, it makes up for it in authenticity, humility and quality.
The drive up can be a little bit sketchy as the road is a bit steep in spots but just keep going… it is definitely worth the drive. Thanks to all the other Unilocalers — without your advice, we never would have found this hidden gem.
It is definielty worth a trip north to taste and visit this great little winery.

WOW!!! Excellent wines!!! WE have lived in N. Calif. for 45 yrs (yes we tasted all those yrs) and now there are about 450 wineries within a 2 hr drive from us. We consider Bob Dog winery at the TOP, both in quality and location (2000ft). The drive up is a trip in itself with parts of the road not paved, steep and tight turns. The end result is you get a great education in wine and tasting!!! Tasting room is low key and you will enjoy yourself for about 2 hrs with Tim. this is a relief from the attitude of most of the Napa Valley wineries. We will be repeat visitors. Call for reservations as you need a code for the auto gate. Also the view is super!!! We will be enjoying our wine this weekend!!!

If you like Bordeaux-​style wines, you’re in for a treat. Bobdog wines are superb examples, the best in Sonoma County. Plus Tim and Kandy will give you a Wine Country experience you’ll never forget. It’s worth visiting just for the drive!

Excellent wine tasting — the most educational tasting I have ever experienced! Thanks, Tim!

What an experience! The journey up the mountain side opened up to a farm full of red grapes! We love the style, we love the character and the heart that is put into the wines. Both Tim and Kandy work together to tell a story and make fabulous wines. The tasting was spot on in flavors that are totally different from anything you’ve been tasting at sea level. Mountain wines are just, different! In the best way. This is a great place to spend an afternoon to learn and taste across the board. Must visit! Finally a place that stands out in Northern Cali :)

This place is so fun to visit. Tim and Kandy are super hosts and you come away with a wealth of knowledge. The vineyard and its views are awesome ! This is a must do experience. Call ahead for a personal tour and tasting. Put your wallet away for the tasting, this is not Napa and it is all free.

I decided one afternoon to explore an AVA from the top down, so I went to the highest AVA in Sonoma County — Pine Mountain AVA. Actually, it is the highest AVA in the United States. This AVA is most known for Bordeaux grapes, with some Rhone varietals grown. What is interesting is that grapes grown at elevation (between 1500 to 2500 ft) produce grapes with a higher skin to juice ratio than at lower elevations. This give a very intense, robust, flavor profile. Also increases the value of the juice, as less is produced and difficult growing conditions. The wines produced at elevation are part of a growing ultra premium wine category you may be hearing about.
Now…to Bobdog. The owners, Kandi and Tim, purchased the property over 25 years ago and are growers first. In the last few years they have started producing wines themselves. They grow the Noble 5 Bordeaux and make a few blends and a Merlot port-​style wine. When I first got to the winery I realized just how steep a drive it really was and thought what a pain it must be to grow and harvest grapes here. The view up her is just amazing. You are in this tiny AVA, bridging Sonoma County and Mendocino Counties and looking down on the hills over Cloverdale.
These people are a hoot. Very down to earth. Very knowledgable. They do tastings right in the room they produce the wines in. They even let me join in the process, stirring the «must» for fun (it is a lot of work, btw.) Tim and Kandi are about the grape… growing it… and making wine with the grape being the star of the show. They don’t want to mess with it or throw too much at it, and don’t believe it pushing up the flavors with some oak. They let the wine shine on it’s own merits.
The tasting is well thought out. They even pair with foods, knowing their wines stand up best to the palate this way. It was a very nice experience.
All the wines had nice acidity, balanced tannins, and great flavors. If you tried these without food, you may think them a bit too strong. With food, however, they are perfectly balanced and give you a great mouthfeel as well as delivering a lush taste compliment to your chosen bite. I spent a good two hours just talking to the owners about their wine, their vineyard, and their history. Bobdog was named after their first dog, a Rottweiler named Bob. The winery is now patrolled by a McNab named Cabernet, Cabbi for short.
Wines are very decently priced, around $ 30 – 48.
Definately call for an appointment. It is a drive up the hill. They are very nice people, but it is a small production winery and they will sit down with you when you come.
This winery is worth the trip up the hill. Especially if you want to explore the different AVA’s or see really what a change in terroir can do to a grape.

Simply put: the very best tasting and educational experience ever.
I can not improve on the reviews below, so I won’t try — just make your appointment and be prepared for a great experience — it will be the highlight of your trip.

This was unbelievable. After driving about 2 miles up a mountain, you arrive at a lush vineyard. Kandy was so warm and taught me a TON about the vineyards. She let us pick some grapes off and taste them to see how sweet they were. We then tested the sugar levels — which was awesome. Kandy answered any and every question we had, and explained all about the vineyard growing process, which was eye opening to me.
Her dog Caby (short for Cabernet) was around like any good vineyard dog should be.
Kandy then took us into the tasting room (by appointment only) and let us sample the wine. She even had swedish meatballs to give us, which really showed the different flavors in the wine. The Port was excellent — and I bought a bottle. The Zin was really good too.
Thanks to Kandy for an amazing one of a kind experience.

Exceedingly rare hospitality, INCREDIBLE wines, wonderful experience!
Appointment only… which we didn’t know, and Tim was gracious and welcoming enough to take us at a moment’s notice. We were staying at Ravenridge Cottages, and simply tooling around the area, when we searched for a wine tasting experience that was less about lining up like cattle and drinking as fast as possible to move to the next one… It’s a rare opportunity that a winemaker will be so welcoming to chat with you for hours, and offer you a rare glimpse into the wine making process with a complete lack of pretension, welcoming spirit, and gracious attitude.
In fact, the rule for BobDog Vineyards (which includes Sky Pine Vineyard selections as well — one vineyard with different types and levels of winemaking) is very simple: «The 3 F’s: Food, Family, & Friends. These are not cocktail wines, and are meant to be experienced with food… which Tim was kind enough to supply. The wines really opened up when paired to something, and we ended up buying more bottles than we have, at any winery, in years.
One additional thought– for the proprieters of the cottages, we purchased the port dipped in chocolate. I HIGHLY suggest this delightful way to wrap up a dinner party. As you open the package, you see a bottle dipped in chocolate that peels away to reveal the delicious bottle of port. It’s incredibly fun, and really unexpected.
The drive there is BEAUTIFUL, and to *city folk* adventurous. To anyone that has been to the Luberon, or appreciates and understands the only places worth going have drives that are a bit off the beaten path — it will be a no brainer. It’s only about 15 minutes outside of Cloverdale, and you will really enjoy spending the time to sample the wines and chat with the winemakers… a wonderful family that really reminds me of what I love about the Willamette Valley — families of farmers making juice. If you can make delicious wine without the silly attitude, you are living life better than most, and making it better for others, as well.
Thank you so much for being so welcoming. And hug Cabbie for us! =) Pavlov says hi. You guys should be an inspiration and model for other vineyards. Cheers!

A hidden gem! It is a trek to get there, but so worth it. Great experience :)
Wine: Great zin and port — we loved everything we had! Tasty and very distinct wines.
Atmosphere: Great view on top of the hill, and very cute dog to greet you upon arrival.
Customer Service: Out of this world — Tim and Kandy were great conversationalists and wine educators. Generous pours, delicious chocolate to accompany the port, and wonderful company. Not stuffy or pretentious, yet very knowledgeable and sweet.
Go to BobDog! Now.

Enjoy the spectacular views atop Pine Mountain, and visit Tim, Kandy, and Caby (short for Cabernet) of Sky Pine Vineyards aka BobDog Winery! You’ll need an appointment, and once you start driving up the road, you’ll see why. It’s pretty much a one-​way road all the way to the top.
It’s a laid back and informative experience. Tim and Kandy will answer ANY question you have about the winery, winemaking, etc. Depending on what time of year you visit, you will get a demonstration of what goes on in the winemaking process. We visited the winery during the winter, so we got a little pruning demo.
You won’t find such an experience anywhere else!
We picked up a bottle of their port. Did I mention that the bottle also happened to be encased in a shell of chocolate?! YUM.

Tim and Candy were super welcoming and full of exactly zero pretense. Wine n00bs, they welcomed my girlfriend and me with open arms and explained many basic concepts about how wine is made. It was instructional, but more importantly really fun to visit with them. And, their wines were great! I highly recommend BobDog to anyone who is interested in wine, but not interested in the snobbery typical of some other venues.

Just when you think that your car won’t make it to the top of the mountain you are there. Tim and Candy (and Cabbie, the dog) are excellent hosts and make some beautiful wine. but the scenery is what tops it all – you are literally on top of the mountain.
Plan on spending 1.5 hours on a tasting… don’t rush, just relax and you will have a great time.

Wow BobDog Winery! You rock my socks off! This amazing winery is owned by Candy and Tim. It’s the highest elevation winery in all of Cloverdale and has breathtaking views.
We received a fabulous wine tasting complete with crackers, almonds, and chocolates given by the owners themselves! There were a couple people less experienced with wine tasting and Candy walked them through how to taste and enjoy. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Tim reminded me a lot of my dad. Great sense of humor and really loves what he does.
Their old vine zin is delicious and they were having a sale (2 for 1), so we ended up getting one of those and 2 bottles of their now sold out Petite Verdot. All their wines have very little tannin (with the exception of their Bordeaux style Merlot). Their Casi Novembre dessert wine is absolutely delectable and was served with cute chocolate raspberry bones that were so good we ended up buying a bag!
All their wines are incredibly full bodied and tasty. I would highly recommend calling them and scheduling an appointment. (They are a working winery, so you have to have an appointment). You will not be disappointed!