I want to congratulate Dunham Cellars on an amazing 30 years in the Washington wine industry. Last weekend they celebrated their 30th anniversary and I was so sad to not be able to attend, as I had family in town. Dunham is one of the first wineries I ever visited back in the 2000s. This location was a seminal wine memory I have tasting with my father and trying the consistently great lineup. Founded by the Dunham family in 1995 these are wines that tend to completely over-deliver for the price. They have a range of wines starting with their entry level ‘Three Legged Red’ up to their top Artist Series wines that are truly beautiful.
Rob Campisi stands at the helm and was formerly assistant winemaker at Dunham. Rob trained under eminent Washington winemaker, Dan Wampfler who is now at Abeja. He did another amazing job with his Cabernet. The 2021 Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) is a gorgeous effort that is slightly tannic now and needs a bit of air. It is a beautiful, dense and well-structured effort that will live on for decades. Learn more about these beautiful wines at dunhamcellars.com Here are the great new wines by Dunham Cellars.
2024 Dunham Cellars Sauvignon Blanc- The 2024 Dunham Cellars Sauvignon Blanc was sourced from the McNary and Gamache vineyards. Peach, kiwi and passion fruit flavors mingle well with flinty undertones and a smooth texture on the palate. This is seriously good stuff with awesome weight and underlying finesse. Enjoy now on a warm summer day. Drink 2025-2030- 92
2024 Dunham Cellars ‘Shirley Mays Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Dawning a brand new label for ’24, the Dunham Cellars ‘Shirley Mays’ Chardonnay was stored in roughly a third new French oak prior to bottling. Sourced from the Kenny Hill and Lewis Vineyards, this is dense and delicious on the mouth, with bright acidity. This is elegant throughout the drinking experience, with nutty and earthy tones giving it a very Washington meets Montrachet feel. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Dunham Cellars ‘Three Legged Red’ Red Wine- A juicy and delicious 2023 bottling for 20 bucks, the 2023 ‘Three Legged Red’ offers candied red fruits that mingle well with sweet pipe tobacco and black licorice notes. Drink 2025-2030- 90
2022 Dunham Cellars ‘Trutina’ Red Wine- This stellar edition of Trutina was stored in mainly natural oak barrels (30% new French oak) before bottling.Mocha, tar and anise flavors mingle well with dark currants and chocolate on the palate. A killer value, with good mouthfeel and mid-palate depth and complexity, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2021 ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in 40% new French oak before bottling. This needs about 30 minutes of air for tannins to soften. Kirsch and sagebrush notes collide with espresso bean and shades of dark chocolate shavings on the palate. The combination of weight and finesse here makes this impeccably balanced. This is easily going to go for another fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2022 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah- A really good bargain in Washington wine, the outstanding 2022 Dunham Cellars ‘Columbia Valley’ Syrah hails from the Lewis and Kenny Hill Vineyards. Stored in mostly neutral oak, this offers garrigue and violets on the nose alongside dark cherry and black raspberry tones. The palate is plush and rich with a smooth mouthfeel and great smoky accents. Drink 2025-2037- 93
2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Artist Series’ Syrah-You are going to adore the beautiful 2021 Dunham Cellars ‘Artist Series’ Syrah — a totally head-turning bottling that is up there with the finest editions of this wine that I have ever tasted. Mocha, asphalt and cassis flavors mingle well with creme de violette notes on the palate. Very dense and heady, with bright underlying acidity, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2039- 96