Claudia Springs Winery

Claudia Springs Winery is a permanently closed winery in Philo, California, at 2160 Guntly Rd in Anderson Valley. As an Anderson Valley winery rooted in cool-climate terroir, Claudia Springs Winery produces small lots from a 10-acre Klindt Vineyard planted in 1998 and nearby sites, inviting visitors to taste wines that show fragrant acidity, red-fruit spice and cellar-ready structure. The former Highway 128 tasting room, located next to the Floodgate Store, was known for straightforward tastings. The winery was known for a personal hospitality style.

Bob Klindt, who founded Claudia Springs Winery with Claudia Klindt, brings decades of Anderson Valley experience to every fermentation and barrel selection. The Klindts restored a 20-acre property with historical ties to early regional winemakers and fashioned a modest production cellar beneath their home to manage hands-on work. Their production philosophy privileges small-batch fermentations, site expression and slow barrel aging; Pinot Noir remains central, complemented by Pinot Gris, Viognier and Zinfandel. While Claudia Springs Winery itself lacks a long list of competitive trophies, the Klindt winemaking team is linked to the Harmonique label, wines that have received multiple international awards, underscoring the technical pedigree behind Claudia Springs’ artisanal program.

Claudia Springs Winery focused on vineyard-specificity and restrained oak integration before closing. The Klindt Vineyard Pinot Noir is the flagship: fruit is hand-sorted, fermented in small lots and aged in French oak for 10 to 18 months, producing balanced wines with cherry, wild herb and mineral notes and the structure to age. Reserve bottlings, released in select years as Klindt Vineyard Reserve, draw from the best barrels and often present deeper concentration, secondary spice and a longer aging trajectory. A small-production Zinfandel offers richer palate notes, blackberry, clove and warm oak, while Pinot Gris and Viognier supply aromatic contrast with pear, honeysuckle and saline finishes.

Limited releases are typical; allocations are common for collectors. Bob Klindt also crafts Harmonique Pinot Noirs that complement Claudia Springs’ lineup and carry recognition from international competitions, lending further context to the winery’s quality-first approach. Visiting Claudia Springs Winery was deliberately unpretentious. The tasting room on Highway 128 was compact and welcoming, where hosts, including a staff member named Anne, poured flights that encouraged thoughtful comparison.

The production cellar was small and located beneath the Klindts’ residence, allowing close oversight during harvest and barrel work rather than a large-scale visitor production tour. Unique features included occasional summer Sunday BBQ events that converted the tasting area into a social, food-forward gathering. Walk-in tastings were common; private experiences could be possible when the owners were available. The setting emphasizes conversation with the winemaker and an unfiltered view into small-batch wine production.

The winery is closed, so visits are no longer possible. Reservations were not broadly advertised and the tasting room accepted walk-ins, though allocated releases and reserve bottles sometimes required membership or direct contact via the winery website. Standard tasting flights sample Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Viognier and Zinfandel; limited reserve tastings appear by release and can be requested in person. For collectors and travelers seeking direct, terroir-forward wines, Claudia Springs Winery rewards curiosity and patience.

Meet Bob and Claudia when possible, taste wines that reflect the cool Anderson Valley microclimate, and take home small-production bottles that age gracefully. Claudia Springs Winery is permanently closed, so no visit can be planned.