Many people who arrive in the Portland, Oregon area plan a trip to Wine Country to experience the amazing Oregon wine. For many, that means the popular Willamette Valley but there is a very scenic area just an hour east of Portland that is worth wandering. The Columbia Gorge and Hood River wine country provides visitors with fine wines and natural beauty. I wandered their seasonal two-day itinerary and came away relaxed, impressed and toting a few extra bottles of wine for my cellar.

Fall for the Natural Beauty on Your Way

I was a guest of the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers in late October. Rain was predicted for part of the trip but I was reassured that there would be much to see rain or shine.

The trip from the Portland area was filled with golden leaves and waterfalls. Just an hour’s drive east on I-84 will take you to the iconic Multnomah Falls, and smaller water falls like the easily accessible series of falls on a new trail at Starvation Creek State Park. A trip on the Washington side, Hwy 14, will take you by stunning viewpoints and a view of Bonneville Dam. There is a bridge at Hood River where you can cross the Columbia (remember the $1.00 toll!).

A viewpoint on the drive up the Columbia Gorge. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Day 1 – Fine Wine and Winemakers of Hood River

I arrived in Hood River and by the time the tour reached our first stop Viento Wine we were ready for wine tasting and the warm shrimp curry they served. We met owner and wine maker Rich Cushman who told us about winemaking in the Hood River Valley. He and his family have deep roots in the area and collaborate with other area wineries.

Rich Cushman, winemaker and proprietor, our host at Viento Wines. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

We traveled and saw evidence of this collaboration and friendship throughout the valley. We also sensed the pride that the winery owners take in their wine and their tasting rooms. Viento’s simple industrial architecture and tall windows bring the oak woods right into the tasting room. A local artist created a lighting fixture that looks like the wind. But of course that makes sense: Viento means wind in Spanish.

This wind inspired light fixture was made by a local artist. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Viento’s tasting room provided us with a wonderful introduction to local wines. They make wines ranging from Pinot Noir to Riesling, they have sparkling and dessert wines too. Grapes are sourced locally taking advantage of the range of soils and climates.

A marvelous curry awaited us at Viento Wines. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

We left the warm hospitality of Rich and his family and traveled to two more wineries in the area. The country roads were lined with farms and fall foliage. Horses and even llamas grazed in the dewy green grass.

A llama grazed across the road from Cathedral Ridge Winery. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Our next stop, Cathedral Ridge Winery, showcased a wide range of wines, offering 27 different award-winning wines on their gorgeous grounds. At Cathedral Ridge you can select the wines for your flight.

The rain stopped at one point so we were able to soak up the sights of their beautiful vineyards. The view, we were told, often includes Mt. Adams, but that day the ever-changing clouds didn’t afford us a peek.

Cathedral Ridge view. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

The third winery we visited is located on the Hood River Golf Course, the Phelps Creek Tasting Room showcases wines produced from their nearby estate vineyard.

Winemaker Alexandrine Roy makes special visits to Phelps Creek from her home in the Burgundy region of France to create these food-friendly and well-balanced wines. We chatted with owner Bob Morus, as we tasted, the sun came out and warmed the quaint tasting room.

Bob Morus , owner of Phelps Creek Winery, explains how his wines were named as he pours each one. Photo: Elizabeth R Rose

It was getting to be time for dinner and, per our itinerary, we headed back into the town of Hood River to Solstice Wood Fire Café and Bar. It’s a bustling local favorite, seasonal and organic dishes can be found on their inventive menu ranging from pizza to dinner entrees such as pork loin made with Payne Family Farms pork loin, spaetzle and chanterelles, with a blueberry sauce. Wood fired pizzas with unique toppings are their specialty so it was suggested we try the Country Girl Cherry pizza with locally grown cherries… a local must-have.

Country Girl Cherry pizza, a Solstice specialty. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Day 2 Mount Hood and More Wine

The seasonal itineraries provide visitors with a good mix of recreation, sightseeing, shopping and wine tasting. On our second day we headed up to the east side of Mt. Hood. There are many wooded trails and the one the itinerary suggested was Tamanawas Falls.

Scenic Drive in the Mt. Hood area. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

It was a beautiful drive through a bit of rain and fog to a sunny area with a rushing river.  We took the wooded trail along the creek, across bridges and through the woods and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was good exercise on an easy trail… a little less than three miles!

We hiked along the beautiful creek at Tamanawas Falls. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

On the way back we stopped at some farm stands and the Apple Valley Country Store, known for their local jams, jellies and pies. The Hood River Valley provides Oregon and beyond with produce such as apples, pears and cherries. There are U-pick orchards and quaint shops where you can purchase gifts made with local produce.

Taste gourmet jellies and jams at Apple Valley. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

After a visit to the Mt. Hood area it made sense that our next two stops would be to Wy’east Vinyards and Mt. Hood Winery. Wy’east is the native name for Mt. Hood. In perfect weather the mountain is visible from both wineries.

Wy’East Vineyards. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Wy’east Tasting Room is surrounded by oak trees, pastures and gardens. In warmer weather visitors can sit on one of their many patios and sip wine while enjoying their sculpture collection and looking up into the wooded hills. All Wy’east grapes are sourced locally – most within 4-20 miles from the tasting room…though the majority of wines found there are estate grown. We enjoyed learning about the wines from the co-owner Christie Reed and laughed at the antics of their wine dog, hoping for a treat. We noted that Peter Cushman is their winemaker, son of Rich Cushman of Viento Wines. Like I mentioned, the friendships and collaborations between wineries is evident and adds the personal warmth is felt feel during the visits.

View from the relaxing Wy’East patios. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Then it was off to our last stop, the impressive tasting room of the Mt. Hood Winery. Located on a Historic Century Farm, Mt Hood Winery is a spectacular place for a wine tasting and vineyard touring. Their tasting room features a beautiful 30 foot long bar, fireplace and massive windows overlooking the vineyards and Mt. Hood. Enjoy sampling award-winning wines from a broad selection of both estate and locally sourced grapes. With over 15 different wines to choose from, you’ll probably be bringing home a bottle or two.

The soaring windows brought the view inside the Hood River tasting room. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Elegant as Mt. Hood Winery is, we were reminded that it was part of the agricultural heritage of the area. The Bickfords were farmers before they had a winery. The orchards they owned were turned into vineyards. Many of the wineries we visited in the area were part of the farm to table fabric. As we traveled the Pacific Northwest we encountered wineries in some other areas that were started as hobby businesses by retiring professionals “from the big city,” lacking the multi-generational agricultural history. We also were told that many of the Hood River area wineries self-distributed to their club members, local restaurants and tasting room visitors. You won’t find most of these wines in Costco or Safeway!

We were invited to tour their production facility with owner Steve Bickford and were surprised to see winemaker Rich Cushman there. Yep, he is one of their winemakers! We found out what new wines taste like as they age and learned a bit about the science of winemaking.

Rich Cushman and Steve Bickford explained the winemaking process and gave us samples of very new developing wines. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

By this time the sun had come out and the Adirondack chairs on the patio were filling with people enjoying wine and the view. Mt. Hood even popped out for a few minutes… a perfect end to a two day wine adventure.

Relaxing and enjoying the scenery at Hood River Winery. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

More Itineraries – More Ideas

The fall itinerary was different from the spring itinerary I experienced. Last spring it was cherry harvest time and the wineries on the list were in the east end of the gorge, including women-owned Aniche Cellars across the bridge in Washington.

Last spring we discovered Hood River’s Celilo Restaurant & Bar known for their farm to table cuisine and exceptional wine list.

On the Spring Wine Trail we enjoyed the cuisine at Hood River’s Celilo Restaurant. Photo by: Elizabeth R Rose

Visitors can pick and choose to make your own itinerary or take a tour on any one of the three seasonal itineraries available. All take you to excellent wineries where you can pick up wines suitable for even the most elegant dinner. Plus, to keep your visit balanced, the itineraries suggest fun outdoor adventures and visits to museums and shops. To help plan your trip, have a look at their brochure and map.

This experience was part of a media tour provided by the members of  The Columbia Gorge Wine Growers Association. While this has not influenced this content, the writer believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.