JJ’s Biography
JJ, our Black Labrador, came to the winery after the harvest of 1999. She was given to Vincent as a gift from a customer and has been the center of attention ever since. Her initials stand for “Joy Junior” due to her being the successor to Vincent’s first Black Lab, Joy. Several of our long-time customers may still have a few bottles of “Joy’s Choice” in their cellars and will remember her as the dog who jumped up onto the wine barrels to chase golf and tennis balls thrown by visitors. Sadly, Joy passed away in 2001, but she passed on all her tricks, wisdom and knowledge to the younger dog.
JJ started making wine in the Arroyo tradition with a 2002 Chenin Blanc called “JJ’s First.” Vincent quickly realized that JJ was a natural winemaker, so he quickly advanced her to the red program where she has been making “JJ’s Blend” ever since. JJ changes her signature blend a bit every year, but she always chooses to include Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc. It is usually the first wine to sell out on futures each year, well in advance of bottling.
The winery has recently changed its barrel configuration which prevents JJ from jumping up onto the wine barrels. This has caused her to threaten to go on strike, so Vincent is quickly working to create a small “playground” in the tasting room with barrels arranged the old way so the fun interaction between dogs and visitors can continue.
Like many celebrity dogs, JJ has launched her own clothing line and her items can be purchased in our retail shop at the winery. She is also included in the Winery Dogs of Napa Valley book and will be happy to autograph her page for her loyal fans. Unlike Bodega, JJ is a resident winery dog, and when not sleeping in her barrel outside, she can be found gathering up tennis balls in the vineyard or lounging in the creek. By bringing a tennis ball on your visit to our winery, you will instantly find a friend…