By Paul Gregutt
Special to the Seattle Times
September 26, 2007

I knew there was some magic to dog wines when I noticed at last month's Auction of Washington Wines that one of the most popular lots consisted of a mixed case of dog-themed wines, a dog painting, six nights for your pooch at the Seattle Canine Club and a copy of Wine Dogs USA. The package, valued at $2,600, fetched an impressive $3,500.

The Wine Dogs series of books (created by a pair of Australians, the kings of critters) have become tasting-room best-sellers overnight. And at www.winedogs.com you'll also find calendars, greeting cards, baseball caps and, soon, still more books featuring the "hardworking" wine dogs of New Zealand, South Africa and Italy. Not wanting to hound you with wines that truly are, well, dogs, I've set out to work my way through a wide selection of canine cuvées to find those that I feel comfortable unleashing on the world. Here you go:

The best-loved, best drinking dog wines by far are Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red ($16) and Dunham Cellars Four Legged White ($20). The red is a tribute to Port, Eric Dunham's much-loved mutt, who is, indeed, missing a leg. The white (for a Bordie Collie named Mazie) is a Lewis vineyard riesling, with a splash of chardonnay in the blend. Different dog, same great winemaking… see continuation in the Seattle Times