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| www.columbiagorgewine.com |
Say “Columbia River Gorge” to a native and a few things
might come to mind: the three-day music and, uh, plant festival also known as
Dave Matthews Concert weekend at the Gorge Amphitheatre or the engineering
wonders of our myriad hydroelectric dams, perhaps. Or maybe the ridiculously
breath-taking views that made it the first recognized National Scenic Area.
Much like Ben Franklin supposed that “beer is proof that God loves us, and
wants us to be happy,” the 80 mile stretch between Portland and The Dalles
seems proof positive that God loves the Pacific Northwest just a little bit
more than other places. Between the waterfalls, the perfect windsurfing
conditions and the dramatic canyon walls only a badass Ice Age flood could
produce, the Columbia River Gorge is a bona fide treasure.
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| The author, a little too excited about the sweeping vistas... |
So the fact that it’s also home to over 35 stellar wineries,
well…it’s hardly fair, right? The Gorge wineries run the gamut from
torchbearers like 2009 Washington Winery of the Year Maryhill, to boutique
wineries like Piedmonte-inspired Marchesi Vineyards of Hood River and the
slightly-scandalously-named (and unsurprisingly popular with the young folks)
Naked Winery. The Gorge AVA is relatively new, but packs a wallop into 40 miles
of real estate, with a wide range of terroir that has earned it the tagline “a
world of wine in 40 miles.” The impressive geological realities that make the
Gorge gorgeous and windsurfer-friendly (varied elevation, varied rainfall and
some serious wind gusts) also allow a wide variety of grapes to be grown
throughout the Gorge.
While they can’t bring you the windsurfing, the Columbia
Gorge Winegrowers are bringing Seattleites the nectar of the Bridge of the Gods
on May 6th at Wine World Warehouse. From noon-5:00pm, Columbia Gorge
Wineries will be pouring a variety of wines that showcase the depth and breadth
of varietals coming out of the region, with winemakers on hand to serve as your
virtual terroir tour guide. Solstice Woodfire Café will be serving up hors d’oeuvres
to pair. Tickets are on sale now, and just $25. Get inspired for your next
weekend road trip and preview the best the Gorge has to offer.
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