WINE, WOOFERS, AND GOOD TIMES: Many of us like have a comfy at-home outfit we slip into when a friend is joining us for a glass of vino. We have the fuzzy slippers, and the comfy cardigan, and the special squishy spot on the sofa we like. We like our friend being close, too, and some music, and, of course, our pup at our feet, lending quiet comfort. Several of these features can be replicated in a tasting room -- maybe not the fuzzy slippers, but absolutely the friend part, and a favorite casual outfit -- and yet... dogs are typically not part of the sipping scene. Oh, at wineries, sure, you're apt to see the head winemaker's hound trotting around the place, but a tasting room brings a different vibe. That vibe'll change up, charmingly, on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 3, at a Solvang glass-nice go-to. It's the very aptly named Wandering Dog Wine Bar, and its hosting Pinot for Puppies, a fundraiser for Shadow Fund's Bright Beginnings: A Pit Bull Puppy Ambassador Program.
YES, THERE SHALL BE PUPPIES... to coo over during the afternoon affair, there shall be wine and "light apps" as well as an auction involving vintages under the Wandering Dog label. Can you leave with a canine you connect with that night? You cannot, but you can sign up to make a date to make it all official later on. Can you buy a ticket? Yes, you can, for thirty five dollars. Can you wish that more things involving wine and waggers came together out in public, and not just on your sofa at home? You can -- it is a great combo on the domestic scene, and one that delights when it pops up in a tasting room.
NEW PRIVATE LABEL PROGRAM: The urban wine bar is staying busy. Apart from its barker-themed bash, has recently introduced a private label program. Formerly the bar boasted a quartet of private label wines, but now there are 14 in all, and each is lavish with the local love, spotlighting local vineyards and winemakers and what's happening in the Santa Ynez region wine scene. Get to know the bottles and vinologists and more about the program here.