Winery dogs

Now before you think I'm talking about bad wine, let me explain. One common theme at many wineries is that they have a resident dog. A real dog, the four-legged variety. They come in all colors, shapes, sizes, and breeds. There's even a book about winery dogs, which you'll see displayed at many of the wineries throughout the Yakima Valley. Some of the more famous winery dogs appear on wine labels, like Murray, a yellow Lab at Hightower Cellars. Murray is sadly no longer with us, but his brother, Riley, is taking over dog duties with enthusiasm and flair. I expect to see his face on a label in the future.

The prize for largest winery dog goes to Coyote Canyon, one of the boutique wineries in Prosser's wine village. Their huge shaggy dog would make two (or three) normal-sized dogs. He's reluctant to move, thus easy to trip over. He reminds me of a Bernese Mountain dog, without the brown markings. The owner said he's about 160 lbs, and has recently lost weight.

We also like the three dogs at Two Mountain, and this pair of pooches is on duty at Cultura Wines. Both wineries are in Zillah.