Meet Melanie Garibay of Nectar of The Dogs Wine in Simi Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Garibay.

Nectar of The Dogs Wine was established in 2015 by Melanie Garibay and Donna Graves, two friends with an entrepreneurial spirit, a deep connection to their dogs and a love for wine.

The idea was to create elegant, easy drinking wine that everyone could enjoy, while also supporting our true passion of helping furry, four-legged angels across the country. We wanted to honor all our dogs who had passed on to the “Rainbow Bridge”, so we came up with the name and the label that features them.

We work with boutique wineries in the Central Coast and Central Valley of California to produce limited edition varietals. In addition to full-bodied, crisp Chardonnay’s from Lodi, we have produced a best selling Rose of Malbec from Santa Barbara County and a lush Cab/ Cab Franc blend from Paso Robles. In 2019 we released our 10th varietal, a Rose of Pinot Noir, with a portion of all wine sales benefitting various dog rescue organizations! Our wine selection continually changes, but we always strive to offer reds, whites and roses, so there is something for everyone!

The more wine we sell, the more we can be give back to help dogs in need. When you buy and enjoy Nectar of The Dogs Wine, you know you are drinking for a great cause!

To date, we have donated over $7000 and these are some of the organizations Nectar of The Dogs Wine has donated to:

All American Dachshund Rescue Amanda Foundation

Bark Party D.E.L.T.A. Rescue

Guide Dogs of America Hollywood Huskies

Pet Orphans of Southern California spcaLA

As the company grows into 2020, Donna will be stepping away to focus on other personal commitments. However, Melanie and her team of wonderful people will continue to grow the company and this brand to carry on the commitment and passion of why the company was started!

Has it been a smooth road?
Well, to be honest, no, but it has been a fun road to travel! I do a lot of research with my husband and friends (wine tasting) when trying to find the next varietals and I have to say, the people I meet in the wine industry are always so open and kind in sharing their journeys and experiences with their businesses. They tell me “it won’t always be easy, but the cause for the brand is awesome and worth it..so just hang in there and keep going!!” Those words do keep me inspired for sure!

Besides running the wine company, I still work a full-time corporate job, so I would say that balancing my time has also been challenging. But I have a wonderful support system in my family and friends so that definitely helps.

I also know there is a lot of competition in this business, and the toughest part is that we are small and don’t have a tasting room or any distribution (yet!). We are able to sell DTC online and through our small wine club as well. However, most people obviously want the experience of trying wine before they buy, so selling online is a bit tough.

Going into 2020, I will be working on getting more brand exposure through traditional/social media, as well as participating in and hosting events. I am exploring some new ideas on distribution and I am hoping this will all translate into wine sales!

I believe in our brand and the reason why we are doing what we do. I know in the end, it’s about helping animals in need, and it’s that passion that drives me to keep pushing forward everyday to continue grow this company!

I still have to figure out how to add more hours in the day though… 🙂

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Nectar of The Dogs Wine is a small boutique wine company located in Simi Valley, California. We work with award winning wineries to find and produce handcrafted, limited edition varietals that are easy to drink, so the wines can be enjoyed by many. The more wine we sell, the more we are able to give back to animals in need, so when you drink with us, you know you are drinking for a great cause!

We also sell handcrafted candles that we make from our recycled wine bottles!

As of 2019, we have given over $7000 to various rescue organizations including: All American Dachshund Rescue, Bark Party, Hollywood Huskies, spcaLA and Pet Orphans of Southern California, just to name a few!

Currently, our wines are only available on our website, through our wine club or at events we participate in. We also offer private wine tastings! The private tastings are fun, interactive events where you can enjoy the experience of a wine tasting in your own home or office! The host simply buys the wine and invites the guests. We come and share our story and the wine tasting experience…AND, we will donate 10% of wine sold to the host’s dog charity of choice! Any readers interested can email me for more details.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel that California in general is a great place for a business like ours because there are so many great wineries to work with. It was easier for us to get our license in Ventura county, rather than in LA county, which is why we operate out of Simi Valley. But no matter where we go in LA (when we do events) the response is always overwhelmingly positive and inviting, so I love our city for that. We are currently exploring locations in Simi Valley to open our tasting room, so we will see what happens next!

Pricing:

• Rose Wines: Rose of Malbec & Rose of Pinot Noir $26
• White Wines: Chardonnay $28 & 3 Dogs White (blend) $30
• Red Wines: CCF MikMurphy (Cab/ Cab Franc blend) $43

Contact Info:

• Address: 791 Chambers Lane
  Suite 110
  Simi Valley, CA 93065
• Website: www.nectarofthedogswine.com
• Phone: 702-275-0482
• Email: melanie@nectarofthedogswine.com

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.