Cameron Winery -- sustainably farmed, non-irrigated, Oregon pinot noir and chardonnay

Guido, our 18 year old Tuxedoed cat, who some will remember as the greeting committee at Cameron Winery and others will remember as the sheriff, quietly passed away on August 18.

Guido & John in the cellar

Guido helping in the vineyard

In the cellar, he was a fixture on the top of barrels when we were tasting or racking wine, often issuing his opinion about things.  In the warehouse, he rode on pallets of wine as they were being forklifted and flopped down on newly bottled cases while we were bottling to supervise the activity and cheer us on.  In the vineyard, he would always appear while we were pruning, pulling leaves, or picking fruit, insisting that we stop our activities and give him some love.  In the yurt, he was a fabulous host, warming our pillows and purring us to sleep.

In his youth, no rodent within a quarter mile was safe.  He emerged from the vineyard with a throaty growl to announce every catch.  And yet, he warmly greeted visitors, often inspecting the inside of their car while they weren’t looking.

The mighty hunter

Guido will be missed by many, here are some reflections from those who knew him well:

Mighty Guido, what a cat, like no other, it was a pleasure to know him:  Kyle Cheney

Guido was a remarkable cat, best cat ever:  Bill & Julia Wayne

He has left a cat-shaped hole in our hearts:  Cheryl Cappellin

A cat with a two squirrels shaped hole, I would say:  Tom Sivilli

A man among cats, he will be missed:  Chad Hageman

He was such a character, I can’t imagine it feels the same right now:  Tyson Crowley

What a great life he had out in the farm, chasing whoever he pleases:  Martina Ralle

He was definitely one of a kind: Dan Eliot

He was a special animal for sure:  Star Black

He was the sweetest and definitely a big part of being out at Cameron:  Elaine Skinner

Guido is survived by the other member of the A-team,  our dog Jackson Pawlick, who he actually tried to kill by tipping a palate on top of her when she was a puppy.  We will never forget him.