A Wine for Tonight: 2011 Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red



By Kori ~ October 25th, 2012.

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2011 Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

  • A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
  • A price tag of <=$20
  • Must be widely available

Dunham Cellars is a family-owned winery located in a remodeled World War II airplane hangar in Walla Walla, Washington. Eric Dunham began making wine in his spare time under the Dunham Cellars name in 1995. By 1999, he decided to devote his full attention to his wines and together with his parents, Mike and Joanne, they opened the winery at Walla Walla Regional Airport. In 2008, Dan Wampfler joined Dunham Cellars as winemaker and now Eric serves as Senior Winemaker. Three Legged Red was named for Eric’s three legged dog, Port, that passed away in 2008.

“Each year, Dunham Cellars blends a portion of its wines into this red table wine. Using fruit from all of our estate vineyards and using the same barrels in which our finest Cabernet, Merlots and Syrahs are aged, we are able to maintain the consistent high quality of our top wine, as well as create a great everyday wine that is price-friendly.” –Dunham Cellars

2011 Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep purplish red. Aromatic with red cherry, plum, and pencil lead on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $17.49; Available elsewhere, $18 to $20


Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, American Wine, Red Wine, Washington State Wine, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25

Reader's Comments

  1. Bob | October 27th, 2012 at 7:20 am

    That label kind of makes me sad…

  2. Kori | November 4th, 2012 at 5:35 pm

    Bob,
    I know what you mean. It’s the kind of label that some people will like and some will not. Cheers!

  3. venessa long | May 26th, 2014 at 1:11 pm

    This wine label is a tribute to their best friend who is a tripawd. They are honoring him by bottling one of their wonderful wines and labeling it as such. Animals can become tripawd for many reasons. The main ones are cancer, or born with a deformity on a limb. They go on to live full and lively life with owners that love them dearly. Dogs are not like people there is no vanity. They run, walk and even dig like other four legged dogs. I have seen this first hand by adopting a tripawd into our family. We are in the process of getting her a prosthetic for her front limb. She meets the criteria so this is an option for her. Some pups it doesn’t work but they still live a great life. Please show your support of Dunham Cellars and their tripawd and try a bottle of two! Thank you.