And you thought wineries couldn’t get any better…Meet, the winery dog. AKA vineyard dog. AKA informal mascot, pest control, guest greeter, and general keeper-of-things-cool. A lot of wineries have them, for reasons practical (killing moles that dig into their soil) and adorable (‘nuf said), and we wanted to celebrate them. Because, well, dogs.
Turns out we’re not the only ones who want to see all the adorable winery dog faces. Not only are many vineyards increasingly pet-friendly and pet-accommodating, but the “winery dog” has become kind of a thing. There’s a calendar. There’s a hardcover book for $35. And yes, there’s even a dog winery (see below).
Mostly, everything about winery dogs is straightforward, including their smoochability. But lest you get confused like we did, a heads up, the “Dogue de Bordeaux” is not a Bordeaux wine dog but another name for the massive French mastiff (if you’ve seen The Sandlot, you’ve seen the English kind). Though our favorite mix-up might just be the hard-rock band The Winery Dogs, which may or may not have anything to do with wine and pooches but does have a new album called Hot Streak, now available on iTunes. Good luck to them on their rock journey (they’re not messin’ around) but onto the dogs!
*Unless otherwise credited, all dog names link to photo source.
**Where names of dogs weren’t provided, we (lazily) took the liberty. Feel free to come up with your own adorable names.
Bode and Colby of Kelleher Wines, Oakville, CA
“Just try something. We dare you.”
(A little cred for their buddy Enzo, too.)
“Is sh*t going down, you guys? ‘Cuz I’m ready. Protect the grapes!”
Monty and Max of Cape Naturaliste Vineyards, Australia
“We’re BOTH the alpha dog.”
Frenchie of Raymond Vineyards, St. Helena, CA
“All swag, all the time. Plus, yeah, I got my own doggy winery.”
Finley of Canyon Wind Cellars, Palisade, CO
“Guys, this barrel’s mine, OK? Seriously.”
Bleecker of Smith Family Wines, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA
“When I’m not being a winery dog, I like to read Russian novels and eat bugs and stuff.”
Paolo of Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Napa, CA
“If I’m raising my eyebrow, it means I don’t trust you, friend.”
JoJo of Clos de L’Ours, Cotignac, France
“This is what I’m here for, right? Grape tester?”
“Sleepy” of Mas de Martin, Roussillon, France
“Five more minutes, guys. Then it’s vineyard duty or bust.”
“Jim’s Dog” of Au Bon Climat, Santa Barbara, CA
“As the winemaker’s dog, I enjoy certain privileges.”
Pearl of Dono dal Cielo, Newcastle, CA
“I put the “great” in Great Pyrenees. You like that? I practiced for days.”
“Fat Sleepy Beagle” of McLaren Vale Winery, Australia
“That second bottle probably wasn’t a good idea.”
“Tractor Pooch” of Noella Morantin, Loire, France
“This giant red thing is another dog, I’m pretty sure. And we’re best friends.”
Pork Chop of Pasterick Wines, Healdsburg, CA
“You guys, no worries, I’ll guard the merch. Just find my bone.”
Header image via Frenchie Winery
