Wine 101: Gorgeous Grapes: Wines of Columbia Gorge AVA

Have you ever driven through the Columbia River Gorge and seen vineyards? The Gorge serves as a border for much of Oregon and Washington States. Traveling east from Portland, vineyards are easily spotted on both sides of the river starting about an hour east of Portland and continuing in patches well into the Columbia Valley plateau (closer to Hermiston and the Tri-Cities area).

A special segment of the river produces so many distinct grapes and styles of wine that it has earned its own American Viticultural Area: The Columbia Gorge AVA! This is a highly-focused region, located approximately west of Hood River all the way to The Dalles, and extending north into Washington along the same longitudinal lines.

Here, climate, geology, and soil combine to create a wild and diverse terroir that produces some of the most incredible range of white and red varietals. Blustery winds cause the grapes to grow thicker skins. Rich, volcanic soils infuse grapes with properties that bring out intense and spice-driven fruits. Wines can be produced in myriads of ways, using stainless steel, concrete, lots of oak, and everything in between!

If you’ve ever wondered what kinds of wines come from these vineyards, this is your class! We’ll touch on eight distinct varietals, styles, and blends of wines exemplifying the diversity of the region, looking at site-specific factors, and address environmental concerns like wildfires and droughts, and perhaps even the mystery of why this winegrowing region, no further out than a drive down to the Willamette Valley, gets so little attention. It’s sure to be fun, informative, and delicious!