Introducing Suki, the Shiba Somelier

I enjoy wine with my humans (I only get to smell it, not drink it), so it’s a great treat to interview an office dog in the wine business. Suki runs a wine rating website at Shiba Sommelier

introducing suki, the shiba sommelier

Napa: What breed are you?

Suki: I’m a Shiba Inu.

Napa: Tell me more about Shiba Sommelier.

Suki: Well, being a Shiba, I love the finer things in life. I wanted to use my exceptional nose to help my human parents explore wine. So, I sniff the wine and give them my review, which they type up for me and put on my site. (I never drink the wine because grapes and wine are bad for dogs!)

I hope that people who might be turned off by stuffy wine reviews will come to my site and enjoy it! My ratings are from 1 to 5 bones. The rating is simple in that a wine scoring 3 is a wine that is fair value for its price, quality, region, etc. A 4 is obviously very, very good and 5 is outstanding.

Lastly, my wine reviews are price adjusted. I expect more from a more expensive wine (and you should too) so a 5 is a higher bar for a $100 wine than a $10 wine.

I am the world’s first and only canine sommelier in a human-dominated industry. I’m just one piece in the cog that ends in Shiba world domination.

Napa: What is a typical day like in the office?

Suki: Well, I think exercise is important, so I get a workout in first thing in the morning to clear my head. Then I have a balanced breakfast and a nap. Then I’ll wake up and play and have a nap. Later in the day, I’ll move to a different room and nap.

Napa: Whose desk do you sit under most often?

Suki: I don’t allow my humans to use desks. Sitting is bad for humans and I don’t want to incur the added healthcare costs.

Napa: When you get bored around the office (in between important in the office tasks), how do you keep busy?

Suki: I have a few awesome toys that I like to chew. I also use my Shiba Mind Control powers to hypnotize my humans into giving me cheese and other noms.

Napa: What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten around the office (even if you weren’t supposed to)?

Suki: While I’m Japanese – and, therefore love Japanese food – I also am a bit of a Francophile, so I love French food, too!

A quick way to my heart is Salmon sashimi. Luckily that goes very well with Champagne, so that makes me happy. I also love Salmon skin and nori!

On the French side, CHEEZ makes my tail wag and I will never say no the crunchy end of a good baguette!

Napa: Where are you from? What’s your favorite trait about the area you live in?

Suki: I’m a cultured lady from all over! My ancestors hail from Japan, but I was born in Rhode Island. I’ve lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn and I now call Madison my home.

Napa: If you could tell your human co-workers anything, what would it be?

Suki: Get back to work!

Napa: Can you share any advice for other office dogs?

Suki: Don’t let your humans get too presumptuous. Keep them in line early and often, remind them who is boss.

Napa: I love how you created your own rating system for wine. We celebrate #WineWednesdays in the office. Any recommendations for us?

Suki: While the weather is still nice, I like to  break out the rosés and crisp whites!

  • 2014 Espelt Corali Rosat
  • 2014 Red Car Rosé of Pinot Noir
  • 2013 Domaine de Triennes Rosé
  • 2011 Matello Clover Reserve Pinot Gris
  • 2013 Château Chavrignac Blanc
  • 2012 Bodega Domingo Molina “Hermanos” Torrontés

You can also follow me on Instagram to keep up with the latest reviews.

Are you an office dog? Is your co-worker a canine? Get in touch on Twitter or leave a note in the comments section if you’d like to be interviewed!


Side note: Do you run a business in the pet industry? Would you like to drive more traffic and sales to your site through a search-optimized pet blog? Get in touch with my office-mates at Lantern Content Marketing!

About Napa 'ze Dog

My name is Napa and I'm the Lantern Content Marketing Adventure Company office dog. They create content for business blogs, so I do my part by blogging about pet stuff. My favorite topic is poop! Since you asked, I'm an F2B Miniature Goldendoodle. Everything else you want to know about me is right over here!

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