Dog Friendly Party at Hawkins Cellars in the Columbia Gorge

I’ve been a bit sad lately because some of my coonhound friends from Urban Coonhounds have passed over the Rainbow Bridge. So my owner decided to treat me to a Sunday drive and a wine tasting party. Dogs were invited. The invitation said “bring your family, hiking friends and furry friends.” We were invited to Hawkins Cellars on the Washington side of the river, just across from Hood River.

So I was really excited when our friend Don showed up and took me to the car. I love lounging in the back seat while he drives. The last time we went wine tasting it rained the whole time so I didn’t get out to explore much. But this day was different. It was sunny and beautiful.

We took off down Hwy 14 along the Mighty Columbia River. We drove about an hour and stopped to see some wind surfers. I thought I might sniff around but the stop was only to take pictures. Drat! Some of the windsurfers had lunches in their vans it that smelled pretty interesting.

Wind Surfing works up an appetite so the windsurfers
had snacks and lunches in their vans. But I didn't get any!

Then it was up the hill to Hawkins Cellars where I was greeted warmly and given a big bowl of water. I lapped that up!  I checked out their new tasting room and thought I might like to relax on the cool floor, but they said I couldn’t stay because they were bringing in the lunch. So I wandered outside and found some children to greet.

I checked out the new Hawkins Cellars tasting room.
It was very nice and, on this hot day, there was a cool floor.
I gave the tasting room my stamp of approval.

The party was on beautiful green grass shaded by large trees. There were fabric sails to shade us too. I settled down and rested in the grass.

Here I am at the party. After the photo op, I went and rested in the shade.

All of a sudden I smelled something… pork, cilantro and tortillas. They were speaking my language… food! I kept trying to head into the tasting room where the food was being served but didn’t get very far. Drat!

My favorite part of the day was when they brought in The Huck Truck lunch.
They are usually at Bingen and I think I might visit them on my next trip.

I did get some tidbits of shredded pork after everyone ate their lunch but I didn’t get any of those house-made tortillas that The Huck Truck brought. I guess I didn’t show them my sad-eye look enough.

The pork was excellent!

The whole time everyone was tasting (and enjoying) the selected Hawkins Wines. I thought they might pour me a taste but noooooo! I did get to walk around the grounds, check out the trees and look at the view. Mt. Hood was beautiful. 

I was tired and started yawning.

All too soon it was time to leave. I guess I was glad because I was getting hot… and sleepy too. I was ready to go home and tell Francesca all about the big party I attended on Underwood Mountain. I was certain she would be jealous!

Love, Cinnamon

When You Go

The Hawkins Cellars

Underwood Tasting Room

10401 Cook Underwood Road

Underwood, WA 98651

503-554-9885

Tasting Room hours change seasonally.

Current Hours:

Thursday to Sunday, 12pm to 6pm

Wine Country is Not Always Dog Country

I've always loved going wine tasting with my owner. Why? Well, I don't taste wine but I did find out that many wineries like dogs and let them come in the tasting rooms. Once I get in there, I usually get all kinds of attention! I like that.

So I was thrilled when I was invited to go along on a rainy day wine tasting adventure to the McMinnville area in Oregon. I got my harness on. I had a sheet and towels in case I ended up with muddy paws and I was so excited to jump into the car.

It was a long drive to wine country so I just slept most of the way.

First Stop
Our first stop was at Maysara Winery. It was beautiful, even on a rainy day. I got to get out and walk around a bit. I looked up on the hill and saw vineyard workers and some cattle. I kind of stared at the cattle to make sure they weren't going to chase me!

I got really excited when we went over to the tasting room. We opened the door and I stuck my head in. But then we found out there were NO DOGS ALLOWED. Just service dogs. I got a good enough look to know I would have loved to go in. There were dark red Persian carpets on the floors and nice people at the bar. I suppose they didn't want me in because of the carpets.

So it was back to the car for me and another nap.

After they enjoyed their time at Maysara, I did get to walk around the huge building and check things out. There was water running in ditches. I waded a little bit. I tried to eat some grass but they wouldn't let me!

Second Stop
Our second stop that day, after driving down roads that were beginning to flood, was at the St.
Innocent Winery. I got out and walked around a bit. They had a pretty fountain going... even if it was raining. And, I found out that THERE WERE NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THE TASTING ROOM!

But the reason, this time, was not the carpets. It was that there was a winery dog. A little poodle who was 18 years old was hanging out in the tasting room. I think I would have scared the little dog if I came in. So I stayed in the car, once again!

So after a day of riding around in the car, I slept all the way home. I got to go to wine country but didn't find any dog-friendly wineries that day. I wasn't sad, though. I had the company of people and I got to go on a car trip!

If there are wineries out there that love dogs, please leave the name of your winery in the comments. I'd love to visit your tasting room!

Love, Cinnamon

On Wine Dogs and Winery Dogs

There's a book out... Wine Dogs of the USA. My owner saw it at Wy'East Vineyards when she visited recently. I always thought I was a Wine Dog and the dogs that lived at wineries were Winery Dogs. Well, that's certainly something I need to study up on. I decided it would be a fun thing to do when I started looking at my owner's Instagram photos from last week. There were lots of dogs in those photos and I wasn't in one of them!

In fact Francesca and I were at the Doggie Country Club (AGAIN!) while she toured, did her research, took photos and tasted wine.

My interest in being a wine dog started several years ago when I got to go to Canada. We visited some wineries in the Okanagan area. I usually waited in the car but at one winery things looked so relaxing I decided to bark my head off and invite myself to the party.

Here I am out of the car and joining the party.

Then I really got into it. At the next winery I was invited inside. It was a dog friendly winery and people even wanted to pet me! There's something about wine that makes people really nice!

Here I am getting petted at the winery

I also liked to walk in the vineyards. Here I am sniffing around while my owner takes photos of the view. So the Okanagan Wine Country of Canada was my first experience of being a wine dog.

At another dog friendly winery, I spotted this calendar... Winery Dogs of B.C. No one would buy one for me but I put it on my Christmas list. You see... this is where I decided that Winery Dogs lived at wineries and Wine Dogs just visited. I was a Wine Dog.

So I guess my owner forgot about all of this when she went touring in the Columbia Gorge Wine Country. She went to Wy'East Vineyards and was greeted by one of their winery dogs, a white dog with blue eyes. The dog was so loved, and so famous he had his picture painted. It was hung on the tasting room wall.

And that wasn't the end of the dogs during that trip. She saw dogs out hiking, dogs visiting wineries, dogs at restaurants and dogs on farms.

This dog is on the patio at Mt. Hood Winery
This is a Wine Dog who is just visiting.

So I wasn't a bit surprised when she included some pictures of dogs in her article about the Columbia Gorge Fall Wine Trail.

This all got me thinking. I think I want to go with her next time she follows a wine trail or goes to a winery. Many wineries are dog friendly. And I, Cinnamon, am an INTERNATIONAL WINE DOG!
  

This Weekend is Dog Days at Maryhill Winery

I was lazing around yesterday while my owner went out to visit Maryhill Winery in Goldendale, Washington. That’s right along the Mighty Columbia River. I didn’t get to go because they also went to the Maryhill Art Museum that doesn’t allow dogs.

But I found out something really exciting. This Saturday and Sunday Maryhill Winery is having a dog event.

Event:

Dog Days at Maryhill

Saturday May 14, 2016 and Sunday May 15^th, 2016

12:00pm to 4:00pm

Its really pretty out there. A winery dog paradise!

 They invite you to bring your best four-legged friend to Maryhill and receive a complimentary tasting. (Just bring your leash!) Throw a frisbee for Fido and romp and play. Top off the day with a glass of wine on their beautiful terrace.

At the Maryhill event, Home At Last Humane Society, a non-profit animal shelter in The Dalles, Oregon, will be on-site with dogs for adoption. They will be accepting donations to support HAL. Your contributions from donors help to find forever homes for hundreds of animals in need.

Here I am at the winery in the Okanagan

And don't forget, Maryhill is dog-friendly all year long!

Well, I checked my calendar and, unfortunately I will be at the Doggie Country Club on that day. Drat! I love wineries. I had a great time visiting wineries in the Okanagan Wine Country in B.C.

Love, Cinnamon

Cinnamon goes Wine Tasting in the Okanagan Valley of BC

Here I am in the car again.

It's my last day of this great Canadian adventure. I've seen bears and eagles. I've had rides on big and small ferries. I've gone fishing and sightseeing. But now I am on the way home. I'm getting tired of being in the car even though I often doze off during the trip. So, I wasn't sure what to expect when we arrived in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

I sat up when we got there. I saw huge lakes and hills full of vineyards. A great place to romp and play, I thought! So when we got to a beautiful vineyard and tasting room overlooking a huge lake I was ready to get out of the car. Enough winding roads for me! It's time to play, right? WRONG!

Here I am out of the car at Ex Nihilo Winery. Yay!

They got out and LEFT ME with the windows slightly cracked just so I could hear them talking about Ex Nihilo Vineyards. Now, I'm a smart pup. I know that Ex Nihilo means "creation out of nothing." It didn't look like nothing to me! They had a big patio with cushy couches. I decided ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. They went into the tasting room where I fantasized that they had lots of dog treats available. I got so upset I bayed and howled and made a complete fool of myself in the car. I wanted OUT. And, I wanted OUT NOW!

They came running out to see what the fuss was all about. It was just me being FED UP WITH BEING LEFT IN THE CAR. They took a look and got me out of the car, went for a walk in the vineyards so I could calm down and then we went over to the nice patio area.

The really nice lady in the tasting room brought their tasting outside! She also brought a book that told about the art that represented the creation story and inspired the name of the winery. They were nice to me and took my picture. They, however, gave me neither treats nor wine. But it was nice to be part of the tasting experience. After purchasing two bottles of wine AND NOTHING FOR ME it was off down the steep roads to another place.

Here's the nice lady telling me the story about the winery.

Here I am sniffing around the vineyard.

But first we passed some interesting wineries with creative names. There was Clean Slate Winery, Black Widow Winery,  Laughing Stock Winery and more. I kept occupied looking at the names and wondering what was down those country roads.

Soon we pulled in to a place called Therapy Vineyards.  It was therapy FOR ME when they invited ME into the tasting room! They even had a dog water bowl outside. I loved it. The people tasting wine petted me and told me how pretty I was. I think I like wine tasting after all!

After a brief walk in the Therapy vineyards, we were off for a longer drive with lake views. I had taken to laying down in back with my eyes open watching the scenery go by. Sometimes I dozed but I was always alert, just in case we went someplace I wanted to go. (Yeah, right!)

Here I am getting some petting therapy at Therapy.

So we headed out a country road and turned toward a massive hillside estate surrounded by acres of vineyards. This would be a great place for romping and chasing a ball! As we parked at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. I noticed that they had a restaurant with a deck overlooking the valley. I would be happy to wait there, in the shade while they went wine tasting... really! Naaah. I stayed in the car, even though they were dog friendly in there.

They even sold Winery Dogs of BC Calendars in the gift shop. Now that would have been a GREAT GIFT FOR ME! But no, NOTHING for poor Cinnamon. :(

I wish I had this calendar as a souvenir.

I was happy when we left and drove across the border back to the good ol' USA and a really nice motel with lots of grass and a place where I could stay outside and watch the rain clouds gathering. It was a nice evening, they cooked dinner outside and even shared a piece of smoked salmon WITH ME! The next day I would be home to tell my friends at the dog park all about my adventure to Canada.

But for now, I just want to sleep.
Photography copyright: Elizabeth Rose Photography

Cinnamon tries to go wine tasting and chocolate tasting in Carlton, Oregon

Here I am in front of the Troon tasting room.

I was excited. It was another day of adventure and I was invited! We headed for the countryside outside of Portland, Oregon toward a valley named Yamhill. I suppose they grow yams in those fields. We took the scary route... over Bald Mountain. From that high road we could see the whole valley and mountains beyond. But no biggee. I didn't get to go running on the mountain (or hunting either.)

Soon we descended to the valley floor and headed for the little town of Carlton, Oregon. It was a country town that had been transformed into a cutesy little village with wine shops, gift shops and a chocolate shop.

I got to get out, finally. We were in front of Troon Wineyard's tasting room. I had a look at the seedier side of town and looked forward to the tasting room and jumping up on one of the cushy couches they had there. A great place to take a nap while the humans tasted wine. (I have learned that wine is not for dogs).

But no... it was back in the car so they could taste wine WITHOUT ME! I laid down and napped anyway. Soon they came out with a big box of wine (and no dog treats). I got to get out again because we were going walking down the main street of Carlton.

There was a little park with a mural of Carlton and the Yamhill valley. I liked the park. But as we went down Main Street I stopped in front of one shop because the kind shop owner had put a big bowl of water out for dogs like me. I had some. It was refreshing. I decided this must be a dog-friendly town.

Here I am trying to get into the Honest Chocolates Shop

So when we approached the chocolate shop, I had high hopes. It was called Honest Chocolates. I thought they would let me in but no..... they had heard the story about how chocolate is bad for dogs. I stayed outside while they bought some dark hazelnut chocolate (and no dog treats). Honest Chocolates was honestly NOT for dogs.

After that it was back in the car and back to Portland. I'll tell you more, but for now, I need to take a nap!