Last summer, I had the pleasure of visiting lovely Whidbey Island to attend a dear friend's wedding. Between the nuptual activities, we found time to visit Spoiled Dog Winery - so named because of two very friendly (but a bit spoiled by all the guests that come by) Aussie Shepherds who were the winerie's greeters. Not only was the winery lovely and the owners friendly, the wines were just beautiful! If you are visiting Washington State any time in the near future, I highly recommend visiting Whidbey Island!
The absolute best wine I had the pleasure of tasting on this amazing June day was the 2012 Deception - named after Deception Pass which connects Whidbey Island to the mainland. This soft yet powerful red is 57% Merlot which gives it the softness, with 36% Cabernet Franc and 7% Malbec, which gives it some punch.
Aged in French Oak, this amazing red has structured tannins yet still maintains a lovely floral nose and rose scented forenote. Deep and rich with garnet color, it has exceptional clarity and nice legs, showing a decent amount of residual sugar. I tasted main notes of boisenberry, ripe cherry, and strawberry jam, with a bright cedar finish.
This wine is drinkable now - we enjoyed it at McCormick and Schmicks where I had a Lobster topped Filet Mignon and husband Bert had a nice Stuffed Shrimp dish.
Food Pairings - This wine is soft enough for seafood for those of use who like both seafood and red wine, yet sturdy enough to stand up to the richest Filet Mignon or Beef Wellington. I recommend it with a special dinner, as it is a very special wine.
Music Pairings: Rich and enchanting, I see this as an excellent wine to drink while listening to the trumpet magic of Tom Harrell. I taste the tune "Sail Away".
Activity Pairings: This is an art gallery opening wine, a wedding dinner wine for the bride and groom, or a sit down jazz concert wine for sophisticated patrons.
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