Winemaker
Eric Dunham
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Walla Walla, Washington, United States
i. Biography
His work in wine comes out of the disciplined cadence of the U.S. Navy and into Cabernet, where Eric Dunham set a clear aim: "I want to make wine." That kind of directness matters in the cellar. It marks a maker who did not wait for the trade to come to him, but moved toward it with intent, learning each task from the ground up until the practical side of the work could hold its own alongside instinct.
Coming Up
The early shape of Eric Dunham’s career runs from service in the U.S. Navy to a winemaking assistant role at L’Ecole No. 41, then on to the founding of Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla Valley, Washington. That sequence is plain enough, but the craft inside it is not: years of repetition, tasting, and cellar work turned aspiration into method. Cabernet became his specialty, which points to a focus on structure and detail rather than breadth for its own sake. At L’Ecole No. 41, the work sat close to the source, in the practical spaces where a winemaker’s judgment is tested and formed. By the time he founded Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla Valley, Washington, the choice had already been made to build a house around that discipline. As founder and winemaker at Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla Valley, Washington (1995–2014), he spent nearly two decades shaping the estate’s identity through continuity of work. That kind of tenure matters in wine: style, structure, and reputation are not declared, but built bottle by bottle. The role required both patience and control, and the span from 1995–2014 shows the length of time needed to keep a house’s voice consistent while letting it develop.
Signature
Eric's signature wines include 1995 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon I, Pursued by Bear Cabernet Sauvignons, and Baby Bear Syrahs. Taken together, they show a portfolio anchored in Cabernet but not limited to it. The 1995 Dunham Cabernet Sauvignon I reads as an early reference point, while the Pursued By Bear Cabernet Sauvignons and Baby Bear Syrahs show how that same intent carried into later bottlings. Across the range, the throughline is deliberate work: wines built with concentration, focus, and a clear sense of purpose.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Eric
Where did Eric Dunham work before?
Eric Dunham's earlier career included U.S. Navy, L’Ecole No. 41, and Dunham Cellars.
What is Eric Dunham known for?
Cabernet.
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