Wine Enthusiast Magazine / Web 2012 / Boisset’s Dog-Friendly Tasting Room Debuts

Boisset’s Dog-Friendly Tasting Room Debuts

Located at Napa’s Raymond Vineyards, Frenchie Winery opens its doors to dogs everywhere.

This is about as dog-friendly as it gets.

Frenchie Winery, the first tasting room designed exclusively for dogs, opens its kennel doors today. Located at Raymond Vineyards in the Napa Valley, it’s named for and inspired by the French Bulldog of Raymond Vineyards Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset.

With more than 46 million dog owners in the U.S., Frenchie Winery is likely to be packed with puppies in no time, and taps into the trend of wineries as destinations offering more than just tastings, but addressing consumer lifestyles.

“Frenchie was a gift to my beloved wife to ensure that she would always be in the company of a French gentleman,” said Boisset, who named his dog after the French Revolution. “Frenchie’s playful, debonair and aristocratic style is reflected in the winery and the wines.”

Indeed, the dog-friendly property features five individual kennel spaces containing specially designed wine-barrel dog beds. Above the beds, in the “Gallery of Frenchie,” hang canvas portraits depicting Frenchie as various historical icons, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Julius Caesar and Marie Antoinette, to name a few. Overhead, a “Barkarrat” chandelier hangs above a dog-friendly tasting bar, which is designed to dispense water for its canine guests. There’s also an outdoor play area, with views of the biodynamic vineyard.

But it doesn’t stop there. Each wine available in the tasting room features a label depicting Frenchie as a historical figure, inspired by the paintings of artist Carol Lew. The wines available at the property now include the 2009 Frenchie Napoleon Red Blend, a special blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (SRP $30), and the 2009 Frenchie Louis XIV Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 61% Sonoma County and 39% Napa County fruit (SRP $30).

As for human guests? The winery does offer a small tasting bar, where you can sample Frenchie Wines.

To check out the Frenchie Winery special video, click here.