Cesar Toxqui Cellars — Attraction in Ukiah

The gate was open, so we drove in. We were greeted by the pup and a very nice gentleman who waved us over. He was warm and inviting and very informative. We then entered in the back and was greeted by the owner who was helping some ladies with flavor profiles. We sat down and he then went over the how and why of his particular wines. They are small batch wines without the added stuff of mass produced wines. He focuses more on bringing out the flavors of the particular grapes rather than mass producing for the same flavor of each bottle. Our older children were given a tour of how they make the wines. They have a shady pretty outsidevarea to sit. We very much so enjoyed...

On a whim, we decided to stop for a wine tasting and selected Cesar’s place after reading the wonderful reviews… and it absolutely lives up to the hype. Cesar was there to greet us and was so welcoming. He shared stories and so much knowledge about wine and the entire process of making it. We also got to meet the grower, who was also just as kind. All of it was amazing. Especially the Barrel Select Zin, the Ocho, and the Ruthless Red… each of which we purchased two bottles. Such a treat....

The wine excellent, the space no frills, and Cesar is the real deal: owner, host and wine maker extraordinaire. With decades of experience making wines he can answer any questions you might have. Worth a long stop if you’re in Mendocino.

We tried a variety of wines, the Pinot Noir, Heirloom, and Chardonnay were standouts, and I don’t normally like Chardonnays. It was crisp and refreshing not overpowering...