Starting about sixty miles east of Portland, the Columbia Gorge AVA spans both sides of the Columbia River. On the north shore, the Washington wineries are able to grow over thirty different wine grape varietals thanks to a combination of warm weather and cooling winds.
As a wine tourist to the gorge, you’ll enjoy a traffic-free world of beautiful wines and stunning views of Mt. Hood, the Columbia River, historic waterfalls, and riverside vineyards. Hood River and The Dalles on the Oregon side and Stevenson and White Salmon on the Washington side all serve as the hub for your adventure. With visits to the three Featured Wineries on this tasting itinerary, you’ll experience the best this winegrowing region has to offer!
71 Little Buck Creek Rd, Underwood, WA 98651
Wines: Over 25 varietals. Primarily Syrah blends, Cabernet Blends, Barbera, Grenache and Albarino
AniChe Cellars is a family-run winery on Underwood Mountain in the Columbia Gorge. The all-female winemaking team is wicked talented with a flare for understanding the truth in beauty, vintage and place. The focus at AniChe is to make memorable blends in a signature style reminiscent of old world wines… to do this, AniChe sources over 30 varieties of grapes from a myriad of Washington AVA’s. The wines are almost entirely sold direct to consumer through the tasting room.
AniChe Cellars offers beautiful views from their garden patio, or taste through your flight of wine from the whimsical tasting room in a refurbished horse barn. Picnics are welcome, large parties are welcome with a reservation, and children and dogs are also welcome.
10401 Cook-Underwood Rd, Underwood, WA 98651
Wines: Chardonnay, Viognier, Rosé, Pinot noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Thane Hawkins got his boots wet as the Assistant Winemaker at Methven Family Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills of Oregon. He started making small batches of wines for his own label – Hawkins Cellars – in 2007. With a small tasting room established in Dundee and the Columbia Gorge winds at his back, Thane decided to leap completely into his winemaking in 2012 and planted the estate vineyard, Cloud Cap, in 2013.
Visit the estate tasting room at Cloud Cap vineyard on Underwood Mountain to enjoy fantastic views of the Hood River valley and Mount Hood while you sample Hawkins wines.
9774 WA-14, Goldendale, WA 98620
Wines: Merlot, Pinot noir, Mourvedre, Red blends, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cinsault, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinandel, Riesling, Viognier, Semillon, Gruner Veltliner, Chenin blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Pinot gris, Roussanne, White blends, Rosé, Sparkling wine
Opened in 2001, family-owned Maryhill Winery is one of Washington’s largest, and most visited, wineries, producing 80,000 cases annually. Discover “a world of wine in 40 miles” and spend the weekend exploring America’s most unique wine region which features world-class wines, wild beauty, low-traffic wine touring and relaxed tasting rooms in the spectacular Columbia Gorge and Columbia Valley AVAs.
Visitors can enjoy wine tastings, picnicking on our grounds, tours and special events and four tournament-quality bocce courts to play a round of bocce on. Our winery is family friendly.
801 Scoggins Rd Box 235, Underwood, WA 98651
Wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, Rosé, Pinot Gris, Red Blends, Semillon, Grenache, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
How To Reserve: No reservations required
South Hill Winery sits on Underwood Mountain above the Columbia River and offers spectacular views and solid wines. Owners Philip & Sheryl Jones had been making wines in New Zealand for years and in 2006 opened South Hill. Their son Spencer now makes the wine with assistance from a crew that visits from New Zealand each year. This is definitely a hidden gem of a winery, located as high up Underwood Mountain as you can go. The result are unparalleled views and amazing cool-climate wines from the highest altitude winery in the Gorge.
Why Featured: Who doesn’t want an excuse to spend a day in the Columbia Gorge soaking up views and great wine?
