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Seattle Magazine

Sunset Magazine

November 2009
Best Winery Tasting Room
J Vineyards & Winery, Healdsburg, CA - Winner
Dunham Cellars, Walla Walla, WA - Runner Up
Robert Sinsky, Napa - Runner Up
Press Club, San Francisco - Runner Up

Dunham Cellars Tasting Room
The Vibe: Ghosts of "airplanes past" in this casual hangar space near the local airport.
Sips to Try: Three Legged Red and Lewis Vineyard Syrah
Extras: Sit down in the funky Hangar Lounge for wine paired with a multicourse meal prepared by local chefs on Nov. 7 and 14, 2009 $125/pp. $5 tasting fee

Sunset Magazine

August 2009
Best Trips with Your Best Friend (Fido)
#10 Walla Walla, WA
At funky, dog-friendly Dunham Cellars, two wines are named for dogs:  The "Three Legged Red" ($19) is a meaty red blend; the "Four Legged White" ($14) is a lush, balanced Riesling ($5 tasting fee; 150 E. Boeing Ave.: dunhamcellars.com or 509/529-4685). Later, crash comfortably at downtown's Marcus Whitman Hotel (from $129, plus $20 per night pet fee; marcuswhitmanhotel.com or 866/826-9422).--Sara Schneider

Wall Street Journal

January 2009
Gorgeous Giants of the Northwest
Dunham Cellars 2004 Syrah
Delicious! Best of tasting. Another big winner from a top winery. Big yet lean, perfectly balanced, with rich fruit, lemony acidity and tightly controlled, edgy tastes, with a great finish of minerals. Intellectual yet brawny, walking every line without a misstep.

In the last two WSJ broad blind tastings of American Syrah, in 2004 and 2006, their favorites were also from Dunham Cellars. Both their 2001 and the 2002 vintages rated "Delicious!" in those tastings.

Wine Press Northwest

2008
Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year
By Andy Perdue Photos by Jackie Johnston
Dunham Cellars was choosen for the 2008 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia). A panel of industry judges select the winery based on a set of criteria, including longevity, quality, reputation, industry involvement, facilities and other considerations.  A winery may win the award only once.

When Eric Dunham was just a kid, his dad would dress him up in a tuxedo and have him help a couple of local Walla Walla winemakers at events. Back then, there were only a couple of Walla Walla wineries: Leonetti Cellars and Woodward Canyon. Talk about inspiration. "They let me taste some of the wines," Dunham admitted with a sly grin. "I started asking questions. I've wanted to make wine since I was 10." said Dunham, co-owner and winemaker of Dunham Cellars, our 2008 Pacific Norwest Winery of the Year.
After serving in the U.S. Navy, Dunham...

Wine Press Northwest - Winter 2007
2004 Syrah, Columbia Valley
This should be no surprise to anyone who has followed the career of winemaker Eric Dunham. This is the third time in our eight best-of-the-best competitions that a Dunham Syrah as earned a Platinum--with two of them being unanimous Double Platinum’s. The grapes come from Dunham's favorite source, Lewis Vineyard in Washington's Rattlesnake Hills. The resulting wine reveals aromas of ripe plum, leather, chocolate, cola and a trace of dried herbs, followed by elegant, complex flavors of dark fruit and black pepper with beautiful balance. This has a bit of oak showing, but it's carried off with charm.

Wines of the Week
October 11, 2007
by Chuck Hill
2005 Dunham Cellars Merlot Lewis Vineyard
Columbia Valley $75.00
When Eric Dunham started working with Lewis Vineyard, he certainly couldn't have believed how important the site would become to Dunham Cellars. I barrel tasted with Eric through some of the first Lewis Vineyard Syrah and his excitement was palpable. Other varietals followed as the vineyard has matured and this Merlot is a blockbuster. It is graced with a label featuring one of Eric's paintings which makes it even better. Look for complex aromas of minty black cherry, berry, anise, cedar and floral notes. The palate is bursting with fruit and needs a few years to marry completely. http://www.winesnw.com/chuckhill_winesofweek.htm

Walla Walla Union Bulletin
April 24, 2007
Dunham 2006 Four Legged White, $20. This companion wine to Dunham's popular Three Legged Red showcases a different dog and different grapes. Though the bottle is labeled simply as white, it is actually a Lewis Vineyard Riesling, with a splash of Chardonnay in the blend. Succulent with sweet fruit, buoyed by fresh acids, it's a fine springtime sipper.

Fall 2006
2003 Syrah, Columbia Valley $45
Eric Dunham gained a cult following in the 90's for his Cabernet Sauvignons. Yet his skills with Syrah are what catch most of our attention. His efforts with the noble grape of the northern Rhone consistently rise to the top of our judgings, so much so that it's bigger news when they aren't there. This is his mainstream effort, and it's a dandy, thanks to complex aromas of blackberries, chocolate, oak, mint and an intriguing floral note. On the palate are dense, intense flavors that reveal no flaws. Said one judge:
"This is the kind of Syrah I like to drink." --1,570 cases

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST

Fall 2006
2003 Lewis Vineyard Syrah, Columbia Valley $75
Winemaker Eric Dunham has been using grapes from this 8-year-old vineyard near Rattlesnake Ridge as long as he's been making Syrah, and his results are consistently stunning. This highly allocated offering reveals stylish aromas of candied cherries, sweet pipe tobacco, spices and hints of coffee, followed by full-bodied flavors of black cherries, dried currants and chocolate overtones. --297 cases

October 2006
2005 Lewis Estate Shirley Mays Chardonnay
Columbia Valley $35
Soft and buttery, this is thickly flavored with caramel, traces of pineapple, and loads of rich, tropical fruit.  It's big, delicious, spicy, round and full, and it resonates nicely if you give it a little chill before pouring, to sharpen up the acids. Distinctive and appealing, as are all Dunham wines.

April 2006
2002 Lewis Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley); $75
From the winery's favorite vineyard, this limited (242 cases) production, 100% Cabernet is inky black, dense and tannic. Tight layers show many different berries, black cherry, pomegranate and mint. The tannins are ripe and firm, with black tea and graphite flavors. Very fine effort, big but not showy, nor is it a palate-fatiguing high alcohol fruit bomb. Great fruit from a top vineyard, handle with extreme care and sensitivity. Decant this.

February 2006 
2002 Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon VIII
Dunham's profound 2002 bottling offers more proof that Cabernets from Washington State's Columbia Valley can challenge the best of Napa at half the price.  It's exotic and seductive, full of spiced cherry flavors outlined by black mint.