Going Wine Tasting? This Winery Welcomes Your Furry Best Friend!
"When you come to visit, you're treated like you come to my house," said Ed Sbragia, the President of Sbragia Family Vineyards. Contributing to this 'sense of home' is the winery's acceptance toward our beloved furry friends, which benefits both employees and customers.
This dog-friendly winery is tucked away in the heart of California's wine country and has a special history, dating back to 1904 when Ed's grandfather moved from Tuscany, Italy to Sonoma County. The Sbragia family has been in the wine industry ever since.
About a century later, Ed fulfilled his family's dream to establish their family winery, a winery surrounded by breathtaking rolling hills in Geyserville, CA.
"My wife used to ride her bike and come up here to have a glass of wine," and she one day noticed that the old owners had shut it down. Ed went up to take a look and decided "If we're ever gonna have our name, 'Sbragia', on a building, this is it." They bought the property, and started to crush grapes in 2006.
Customers visiting Sbragia enjoy its dog-friendly family atmosphere, as they soak up its beautiful vistas and savor award-winning Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dogs visiting or accompanying employees at Sbragia are a benefit to everyone at the winery. Dogs are allowed in the tasting room and the Sbragia staff encourage customers to roam the vines with their dogs.
Sbragia's COO, Steve Cousins, said, "there are just no downsides as far as I'm concerned. I've just seen nothing but positive." Employees get to destress by seeing and petting dogs throughout the day. And, customers love the 'winery dog' and are thrilled to learn that their furry best friends can join them on a lovely wine tasting afternoon.
Dogs at Sbragia set a special positive tone. According to Steve, "When people see a dog, they smile. When you smile, you feel differently."