HOOD RIVER, Ore. — The Columbia River Gorge is a marvel of nature known for spectacular waterfalls, scenery and hiking. But it’s also famous in the world of wine.
The region’s geology has given rise to a wine industry that’s growing in both number and reputation, with more than 40 wineries within a 40-mile stretch. In 2004, the Columbia Gorge was designated an American Viticultural Area, a wine grape region distinguished by geographic features.
Falls and the fire
The gorge is an 80-mile-long canyon with dozens of waterfalls spilling down towering cliffs. The most famous is Multnomah Falls, 620 feet high
Interstate 84 on the Oregon side of the river and Highway 14 on the Washington side offer easy access to trailheads, viewpoints and rugged parks. The windy gorge is also a favorite spot for wind- and kite-surfers.
A wildfire burned more than 20,000 acres of the gorge last fall. But little evidence of it can be seen from the road, aside from a very few scorched trees cut down just east of Multnomah Falls. The lower viewing platform at the falls has reopened, though the trail to the upper platform remains closed. Elsewhere, Horsetail and Wahkeena Falls are also closed and not expected to reopen until at least this summer, but others like Latourell Falls are open. An updated list of the status of hiking trails and recreational areas can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/crgnsa/recreation.
At COR Cellars, in Lyle, we were treated to a lovely view of Mount Hood. The winery, founded in 2003 by Luke Bradford, produces 10 wines just west of the boundary between the Columbia Gorge and Columbia Valley AVAs, and uses grapes from both regions.
COR has won acclaim for its cabernet franc, malbec, cabernet franc rose and Alba white, a blend of gewurztraminer and pinot gris. We especially liked the 2015 cab franc. Picnicking is welcome in the courtyard garden.
Next, we headed west and crossed the Columbia to Hood River. Of Hood River’s 15 wineries, we chose two: Viento Wines and Cathedral Ridge Winery. Viento’s winemaker, Rich Cushman, is a Hood River native who founded the winery in 2007. Viento sources most of its grapes from several area vineyards, but the winery grows its own riesling in a vineyard planted by Cushman in 1981.
Viento has earned high marks for its Verona, a blend of pinot gris, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, and for its syrah and sangiovese. We thought the 2014 pinot noir was delicious.
Of the three wineries, Cathedral Ridge had the largest selection, including several reserve wine options. The winery has won numerous awards, primarily for its reds. Winemaker Michael Sebastiani hails from the famous California winemaking family. We were drawn to the reserve reds — the 2015 Daughter’s Rhome, 2015 Rhett’s Red, 2014 Rock Star Red (a blend of cabernet sauvignon and syrah), 2014 and 2015 pinot noir, and 2015 cabernet sauvignon/merlot blend.
