Where can I eat?, Wineries/Vineyards
Wineries & Vineyards in the Columbia River Gorge
About wine in the Gorge:
“Wines of the World in a 40-mile stretch!”
There are over 50 different vineyards growing Columbia Gorge grapes right now! The Columbia Gorge region is an official American Viticultural Area or AVA. Meaning the area is certified to grow grapes and produce wines. The vineyards are located in portions of Hood River, Wasco, Skamania and Klickitat Counties. The Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (ATTB) designates viticultural areas to allow bottlers to better describe the origin of wines.
The 280 square mile Columbia Gorge viticultural area straddles the Columbia River for 15 miles, and extends into south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. The area surrounds Hood River, Oregon, and White Salmon, Washington, and is generally bordered by B Z Corner, Washington, on the north; Lyle, Washington, on the east; Parkdale, Oregon, on the south; and Vinzenz Lausmann State Park, Oregon, on the west. The area is just west of the established Columbia Valley viticultural area.
Growers have raised grapes in the Columbia Gorge for over a century. In the 1880s, the Jewitt family, founders of the town of White Salmon, built terraces on a wide south-facing slope on the bluff above Bingen, Washington. They planted American vines that they had brought with them from Illinois.
The primary grape varieties grown in the Columbia Gorge are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris. Some Lemberger, Merlot and Zinfandel are also planted. In general, the whiter grapes grow better on the west side and the deeper reds grow better to the east.
There are also over 25 different wineries in the Gorge offering a variety of wines as well as tours and tastings. The Columbia River Gorge has a diverse wine community with a number of connoisseurs and novice wine drinkers. Taking a winery or vineyard tour may turn out to be a lifelong memory here in the Gorge.
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