FIVE-STAR HOSPITALITY and a host of festive events combine with first-rate wines in an elegant country setting at this Whidbey Island winery in the town of Freeland WA. Founders Brad and Nancy Thompson have retired and passed the torch to new owners Ross and Erin Egge.
Ross spent much of his youth at a family home on Whidbey Island before embarking on a career that involved international humanitarian work in Latin America. There he met Erin, who worked for the same non-profit organization. “Erin and I both had dreams of having a place that could bring people together around things that we love. Wine, good food, celebrations, and time well spent with friends,” says Ross. Their careers led them stateside in 2016, making a new home on Whidbey Island and shortly after becoming wine club members at Dancing Fish Vineyards.
“Brad and Nancy, as founders had built something truly special. We loved visiting, tasting through the wonderful wines or grabbing a glass and roaming the property. We knew it had been for sale, and had joked a time or two about how great it would be to be able to buy it,” remarks Erin. “It was in the spring of 2021, the pandemic had entered a new phase and we now had a seven-month-old little boy. Dancing Fish was the first place we were able to go as a new family and ‘be out in the world’ again. It felt like perfection.”
The new owners possess the unique skillset to take Dancing Fish to the next level. Erin has past experience managing large-scale events and gatherings, communications, social media and marketing duties. Ross spent years managing a large property with multiple programs, including farms, gardens, and overseeing staff, as well as community and government relations.
“It is our goal to honor the history and traditions of this place to ensure those that know and love it like we do, can continue to do so for years to come. We can also provide more opportunities for people to connect, find us, enjoy our wines, celebrate special moments and enjoy the magic of our island vineyard.” Visitors can roam the vineyard, grab a seat around the Adirondacks, enjoy picnic on the lawn, play ladder ball or a game of bocce in a family-friendly environment.
Although a small amount of white wine is harvested from the vineyard on the property, the winery continues to operate as a négociant, a centuries-old French model of wine production that allows small family wineries to participate in the wider wine industry through partnerships with select vinters. The wines are expressive and solidly crafted, made with fruit from a mix of Eastern Washington AVAs and single vineyard sites.
Visit the winery and venue at 1953 Newman Rd, Freeland, WA; (360) 632-4190, open Thurs-Mon (closed Tues-Wed), www.dancingfishvineyards.com
Below are three releases we recently reviewed:
Dancing Fish Vineyards 2019 SLKR Red Wine
93 pts.
Smooth and rounded, this Mourvèdre from the Walla Walla Valley delivers harmonious dark plum and blackberry balanced by an underpinning of fine acidity and well-integrated tannins. Suave spice notes of cardamom and white pepper mingle on the complex finish. $39
Dancing Fish Vineyards 2021 Olsen Vineyard Chardonnay
92 pts.
Ripe and creamy in texture, with toasty nuances to the lush apricot, pear and pineapple flavors that ripple through the honey-accented finish shaded by hints of baking spices. This single-varietal was sourced from Olsen Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. $28
Dancing Fish Vineyards 2019 Cabernet Franc
92 pts.
Broadly structured with a textural feel, evoking mulled plum and cherry infused with savory expressions of forest floor, bits of tar, loamy earth and spice that end with fine concentration. Sourced from the Walla Walla Valley AVA. $39