Blackberry Bliss

While planning our summer getaway, we searched for dog friendly accommodations in Sonoma County. Russian River Getaways popped to the top of the list. They have a variety of cabins for rent and welcome good dog owners and their well mannered dogs. The staff was friendly and guided us through the locations and options for the days we had available.

It was our luck that "Blackberry Bliss" was waiting for us. Located on Austin Creek in Cazadero, this wonderful cabin can sleep 6 folks who aren't shy or 4 who need a bit more privacy. Even in the summer there was enough water to swim Willa (tired dogs are better behaved while wine tasting).

Would they have called it "Blackberry Bliss" if the backyard was not filled with huge bushes filled with Blackberries? The grounds deliver a huge tangle of bushes between the house and creek that made easy picking for our nightly deserts. The welcome card includes a recipe for cobbler, though we cheated and used a ready made crust. Hey, we were on vacation!

Austin Creek intersects Highway 116 just West of Guerneville. This is a great location for day trips to the Sonoma wineries and vineyards. Even the Northernmost vineyards are less than 30 minutes away or a short drive westward will take you to the stunning Coast Highway! 

We stayed during the middle of July. The creek was down to a trickle but there was still enough water for Willa to swim. Our usual morning consisted of coffee and a swim for the dog, a bite of toast then pack up the car for a day of picnicking and wine tasting. The early swim meant Willa was sedate all day in her post exercise bliss.

After we returned, we would review photos and sit under the towering redwoods and watch the hundreds of hummingbirds duke it out for the nectar provided by the cabin. As the sun goes down through the trees, you can enjoy the rest of the cool evenings by lapsing into a coma in the hot tub.

Get up the next morning and start that grueling schedule all over again...Bliss!

Great dining no whining!

My wife and I have been indulging in a Sonoma County Wine vacation with our dog Willa. While the focus of our visit is the wine, we would be lost without food. Traveling with a dog can make finding sensational food a challenge. Dog friendly dining usually means being relegated to shabby outside tables or just eating in the car. Unlike our vacation last year to Colorado where we honored Ft. Collins, CO with the "Poser Award" for the being the Most Dog Unfriendly City on the planet. Where outdoor restaurants have fences...you can sit at a table outside but your dog must be tethered on the other side of the fence. The much lauded beer festival had "No Dogs" signs posted everywhere, but there was a guy walking around with his Ram on a leash. We finally sought refuge at the New Belgium Brewing Company where an enlightened view on dogs was awarded with our travel dollars.

Not so in many locations in Sonoma County, though it is still your obligation to ask before bringing your dog to any location that serves food.

Dry Creek General Store

If it's Thursday night, it's barbeque at the General Store. We pulled up at 5:30 and were told that dinner would be served at 6:30...oh darn. I guess we have to sit with our dog and watch the sun go down over the vineyard while enjoying the mix of smoke, rosemary and garlic wafting through the evening air. Slake your thirst with a Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA. There is plenty of room at the picnic tables in the shade. Our dinner was roasted rosemary chicken, linguini a'olio and salad. The sauce for the linguini was prepared in the biggest paella pan I have ever seen, right on the grill. The attendees included 4 cowboys and cowgirls that rode up on their horses, a handful of local bikers and a guy who just HAD to park his Ferrari right in front. Conversation was lively and everyone fit in.

Roadhouse Restaurant

Redwoods tower over the deck at the Roadhouse in Guerneville. Part of the Dawn Ranch Lodge, the Roadhouse Restaurant offers a full bar and local wines paired with a delightful menu for meat eaters and sea food lovers alike. We shared an ample salad and mopped up every last drop of the broth that smothered our mussels. The staff was attentive without intruding and the dirty martini was perfect!

Big John's Market

Big John's is not a restaurant, it's a grocery store. No, you cannot take your dog inside...and I am not suggesting that you eat at one of the many shaded tables over looking the parking lot, not when there are so many wineries out there with picnic tables. Here's the deal: buy your lunch at Big John's, the ample sandwiches made from there their our oven roasted turkey breast or some of the amazing meats from Zoe's stacked on top of fresh made breads and rolls are better than any lunch counter. Add a pint of any of the fresh salads, grab some chips and your favorite non-alcoholic* beverages (like the local apple juice) and you can unpack the whole thing at the next next dog friendly winery on your list.

*Don't bring any alcohol, local laws prohibit the consumption of "off premises" alcohol at the wineries.

 

Korbel

While Korbel does not fit our definition of Dog Friendly, they do allow well behaved dogs on the grounds and at the outdoor tables. The reason I mention them here is because they make the most amazing Tri-Tip sandwich. Thin cut Tri-Tip stacked on a soft roll with chimichuri, horseradish and blue cheese.

Revisiting the Top 10 Dog Friendly Sonoma Wineries

When we arrived at the rental office we were handed a post of the Top 10 Dog Friendly Sonoma Wineries. This post from 2006 lists some amazing tiny (and not so tiny) wineries that, at that time, allowed dogs. We love wine and we love lists, so with a bit of planning we set out to revisit the ten on the list (plus a few more).

As you would expect, there have been a few changes since 2006. Some new wineries have popped up and a few have changed hands. To our dismay, several have changed their policies due in large part to Dog Owners who think dog friendly is a right rather than a privilege. We also have a slightly different interpretation of Dog Friendly than the 2006 author. In order to qualify for our list you had to be able to have your dog by your side while tasting.

Anyway, here is our list, be nice to these folks, ask if you can bring your dog, don't assume just because they allowed us that they will allow you...

Our revised Top Dog Friendly Sonoma wineries are:

Rank	DF	Winery	2006
1	DW	Wilson Winery	4
2	DW	Matrix	*
3	DW	Mazzocco	10
4	DF	Donatiello (Formerly Belvedere)	2
5	DF	Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves	*
6	DF	Taft Street Winery	3
7	DF	Russian Hill	5

We dropped the following wineries because they do not allow you to have your dog with you while tasting.

DF	Winery	2006
DT	Seghesio	6
DT	Gary Farrell	9

As I said, a few dog owners ruined it for the rest of us. The following wineries are no longer on the list because they do not allow you to have your dog on the grounds.

DF	Winery	2006
NP	Iron Horse	7
NP	Hop Kiln	8

And finally, we did not evaluate Joseph Swan Vineyards because they are closed weekdays, though they were very nice about it even after I totally misread their hours on their web site!

Dog Friendliness Rating: DW=Dogs Welcome, DF=Dog Friendly, DT=Dog Tolerant, NP=No Pets

Wilson, Matrix, and Mazzocco

If there is a common dog/dog owner heaven it probably feels a lot like Wilson, Matrix and Mozzocco. Award winning wines, great views, tables for picnicking and cool concrete floors for hot dog tummies make these sister vineyards our top pick. If that were not enough the staff are dog people as well as wine people. Their passion for both infused our conversations with equally disparaging comments about wine snobs and bad dog owners. Pick up a sandwich and some pasta salad from Big John's Market on the way to Wilson.

Donatiello

Crisp wines and an amazing garden make Donatiello another great stop for a picnic with your four footed friend. The water falls and English garden steps make for a picturesque backdrop for wine tasting and picture taking.

Bella

You may be surprised by how hot it can get in the summer in Sonoma. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves offer a cavernous tasting room that stays cool on the hottest summer day. The concrete floor feels great on a dog belly. Great people, great wines.

Taft Street

Taft Street started in a garage in Berkeley (or is it Oakland?) "As long as Finnigan is OK with it..." you can bring your friend into this tiny tasting room. Though Willa ignored the cat, Finnigan would not leave her alone, playfully patting at Willa's paws and sniffing her in a very canine way.

Russian Hill

More great views and a very cute winery dog named Kiri (after the famed opera singer) greet you as you reach the top of the hill. Russian Hill has a nice variety of wines including Port.

Honorable Mention

We have to give Iron Horse Vineyards honorable mention for their very gracious and welcoming winemaker David Munksgard. We arrived late and spotted the "No Dogs" sign. After telling us he was closed, he paused and with a "what the hell" opened a bottle of their terrific 2003 Classic Vintage Brut. I inquired about the "No Dogs" sign mentioning the Top 10 list and he told us why he changed his policy...suspicions confirmed...bad dog owners.

Dog Friendly is not binary

As my wife and I travel around with our dog we find many places that tout their "Dog Friendly"-ness. To our disappointment we usually find that they are "Dog Tolerant" or "Dog Accessible" but far from dog friendly. There are two important concepts that the owner of any so called dog friendly establishment must understand before laying out the welcome mat:

1. Understanding the attachment of a dog owner to their dog. Dare I say...actually owing a dog yourself.
2. Understanding what it is like to travel with a dog. Dare I say...that you actually traveled with a dog...outside your city limits...for at least a few days. (Extra points if you have taken you dog through one bath cycle away from home.)

Once you have the basics understood the next step is to evaluate your "offering" based on how far you (or the local health department) will allow dog owners to go. This is where the gap exists in the definition of "dog friendly". After minutes of consideration we have developed the following scale:

No Pets

This is the clearest category. Simply put, leave your dog in the car. There are many reasons why proprietors choose this designation. I respect the clarity of this designation. I also choose not to spend my money at these establishments unless there is an overriding reason. Examples include National Parks (dogs in parking lots only) and restaurants without outdoor dining facilities.

Dog Tolerant

Dog tolerant establishments pretend to be dog friendly but really aren't. Dog tolerant means that you can have your dog present with you on the grounds but must never be off leash (see my point about your responsibility when taking your dog off leash). Dog tolerant hotels generally make you pay extra for keeping a dog and you have to sign some huge contract. Well behaved dogs are welcome most places but there are restrictions imposed by the proprietors that have nothing to do with the health department.

Dog Friendly

Dog friendly establishments allow you to keep your dog as you would at home. The only way a joint can be labeled Dog Friendly is if I have equivalent access to the establishments offerings while I have my dog at my side. For example: restaurants that serve me on a deck or patio, wineries that allow my dog in the tasting room or serve tastes outside. Many of the so called "dog friendly" wineries did not allow tasting with a dog by your side.

Dogs Welcome

Establishments that open their doors to good dogs and good dog  owners allow access to all areas under the health code. This means that unless the establishment serves food, dogs are welcome everywhere (except on the tour). This designation goes beyond physical access, it also indicates a mind set that some thought and consideration has been put into the accommodation for dog visitors. Whether it is water dishes and water for those who may have forgotten or biscuits behind the bar, it is that good dogs are welcome without hesitation, indoors and out.