James and Co. Wines

James and Co. Wines sits at 136 Main Street in the middle of Rutherglen, a small cellar door with a relaxed, wine-bar feel and a quiet garden courtyard out the back. It pours a mix of classic Rutherglen styles and lighter Italian-leaning varieties such as tempranillo, sangiovese and nebbiolo, and dogs are welcome, which fits the informal mood of the place.

The dog setup

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the outdoor garden and courtyard seating, and the intimate scale of the cellar door means dogs are generally tolerated indoors too, though it is worth confirming with staff on arrival rather than assuming. Water is usually easy to arrange, but bring your own bowl at a venue this size.

Max: this is a tasting that runs at talking pace. Settle the dog in the garden, order the cheese board and let the hosts walk you through the list.

Worth knowing

The garden has misting fans for hot North East Victoria afternoons, and wine by the glass is available if you would rather linger than taste through flights. Cheese and gourmet platters are on offer, and tastings are often hosted by the owners, so the whole visit stays personal. The garden is the pick on warm days; the indoor space is compact.

Getting there and parking

Being on Rutherglen's main street, the cellar door is walkable from town accommodation and cafes, with street parking out front. Hours run roughly 10am to 6pm most days, closing early on Friday evenings and shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so check current opening days before going.

Close by with the dogs

Campbells Wines on the Murray Valley Highway is famous locally for its welcome, with dogs often coming right into the tasting room, and Anderson Winery and Stanton and Killeen Wines are both an easy drive out of town.

Start here for a town-based dog trip and fan out to the highway cellar doors after. More stops are on the Rutherglen destination page and the Victorian dog-friendly wineries list.