Watch out California…Washington is giving you a run for your money! In fact, the entire Pacific northwest is booming when it comes to wine production and quality but affordable wines and wine tasting. For a traveling wino, the Washington state side of the Columbia River gorge is an amazing find.
Gazing at the Columbia River while wine tasting up the Gorge.
Not only does this region offer fantastic wine at affordable prices, it also has wineries located in one of the most stunning outdoor locations we’ve been to so far. With the majestic cliffs and mountains of the gorge cradling the massive Columbia river as your backdrop, you can gaze over the valley while sipping on your favorite wine overlooking the river. It doesn’t get any better than this!
It’s only fair to note, Mr. Wino and I have only visited the Washington side of the Columbia River gorge, but there’s a whole other section of wineries on the Oregon side too! Stay tuned for our upcoming visits there and we’ll let you know which side is our favorite.
Washington’s Columbia River Gorge wineries let you wine taste with breathtaking 360 degree views!
The entire river valley has over 30 different wineries stretching over 40 miles down the banks of the Columbia River. There is lodging throughout the area in White Salmon and in Stevenson Washington, and in Hood River, Oregon. Over 40 different varietals are served, so you have tons of wine choices to suit any taste. Tasting fees are extremely affordable too. We found most to be less than $10.
To get there, take Highway 14 east out of Vancouver Washington and after about an hour long breathtaking ride, you’ll encounter your first wineries. We should note, one of the best times to visit this area is autumn. The changing trees in their vivid red, orange and yellow hues adds yet another awesome element to the trip. Below are details of the wineries we visited to give you our take on what we liked best.
Cascade Cliffs Vineyard & Winery
This was one of our favorite stops of the day. Although the tasting fee was on the higher side of our preferred range, the friendly, welcoming atmosphere was worth it. For $10 you get to taste five wines and the fee is waived if you purchase a bottle.
Washington Winery Cascade Cliffs Offers a Rustic Tasting Room .
The tasting room is on the small side, but it fits nicely with the rustic atmosphere of the place. It is reminiscent of a bar room from the old West and is cozy and quaint. We were there with a whole group of family members (eight of us) and we filled most of the room. However two more couples came during our visit and the server was masterful at finding room where we thought there wasn’t any.
Our server gave us the history of the place, explaining it was the oldest winery in the Columbia River gorge area. He explained the wine making process and was very informative. We even got a chance to take a look at the cellar room where the barrels of wine were being stored. He was fantastic at juggling our group with the two other couples and before we all knew it, we felt like we were all a part of the Cascade Cliffs family. One thing to note about this winery is that their wine club is one of the most reasonable we’ve seen. We were visiting from out of town but for locals it is worth checking out.
Cascade Cliffs Offers a Great Spot to Enjoy Lunch and Wine
The feature we loved the best about Cascade Cliffs even more than all of the other fantastic offerings, was the outdoor space. This winery sits nestled between stunning rock formations and the river. Knowing how cool this is, they have set up a row of rustic picnic tables with a vine wrapped trestle above. It is the perfect place to bring lunch and enjoy it with a glass of their wine (which is exactly what we did). The entire experience was outstanding for us from the friendly atmosphere, to the affordability, to the amazing outdoor views. We think Cascade Cliffs hits the mark as a “must see” and is definitely a wino pick.
Winery Overview
Information current as of January 2018
Tasting Cost:Â $10 for 5 wines; fee reimbursed with purchase
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. dailyÂ
In town/Rural/Remote:Â Rural but near other wineries
Location:Â 8866 Hwy 14, Wishram, WA
Quality of Wines (1-5 smiley faces): 🙂 🙂 🙂
Winery Style:Â Rustic & Low Key, Friendly & Fun, Educational
Space for Weddings & Events:Â Not formally but possibly outdoors with stunning views as backdrop. Contact winery for inquiries.
Website:Â cascadecliffs.com
COR Cellars
Cor Cellars in the Columbia River Gorge is ultra modern but super friendly
COR Cellars is one of those rare wineries that looks very stylish but is not stuffy like other fancy-looking places can be. When you pull up to the tasting room you might wonder why a wino would go here. Its ultra-modern, sleek exterior gives the impression you might be entering an expensive, glass swirling, high falootin’ lounge. But what really happens is that you are greeted with a smile and friendly servers that make you feel welcome and at home. It’s like visiting a neighbor who has great taste in high end furniture but is totally down to earth and super friendly.
The wine tasting fee is on the higher side of our range but it is still in the range! It’s $10 for 6 wines, which is pretty good. The wine is nice and bottles are reasonable as well with many in the $20 range.
Cor Cellars offers abundant outdoor space to enjoy your wine tasting
Our server was very attentive despite having a few different groups to serve. We had eight people in our group and it’s not an easy task to “herd the cats” in our family 😉 The tasting room is very spacious and we had the feeling it can get quite busy on the weekends. However, there is also an outside patio area that is also roomy so there is plenty of space to spread out if there’s a big crowd.
Overall, we found COR to be a pleasant surprise for us. With a modern atmosphere, spacious tasting room, friendly staff, and affordable, tasty wine, it was a great stop along the Columbia River gorge wine trail.
Winery Overview
Information current as of January 2018
Tasting Cost: $10 for 6 wines
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday -Monday; groups of 10 or more need reservations
In town/Rural/Remote: Rural but near other wineries
Location: 15 Old Hwy 8, Lyle WA
Quality of Wines (1-5 smiley faces): 🙂 🙂 🙂
Winery Style: Elegant
Space for Weddings & Events: Yes, small to mid-sized groups in patio area.
Website: corcellars.com
Jacob Williams Winery
Jacob Williams Winery has one of the best views overlooking the Columbia River gorge
Oh Jacob Williams…how we adore your view!! And we love your wine too…but the view of the Columbia River gorge truly overshadows pretty much everything else because its that fantastic! Reminiscent of our other stop at Cascade Cliffs, Jacob Williams winery has a very rustic feel from the outside. The tasting room looks a bit like a modern barn as you enter, but inside It has the feel of a stylish Napa-style tasting room. It is located directly off Highway 14, so it’s an easy stop in.
The tasting room is on the smaller side, but can accommodate a fair amount of people. Across the entire South wall of the room are large windows that highlight the tasting room’s biggest perk…an amazing view of the river. In fact, its one of the few tasting rooms we saw that had a direct, close, overlook pretty much right on the river. Its not uncommon to find yourself gazing out at the view as you enjoy the tasty wine. Its a fantastic way to feel like you are miles away from everything. In addition to having several tables inside the tasting room, Jacob Williams also has a small picnic table area and a patio with tables, which we found to be the perfect place to sip wine and admire the unforgettable river view.
Our “wino in training” (aka daughter) enjoys the amazing views at Jacob Williams Winery
Jacob Williams seems to share a strong sense of family at the winery. Its name actually comes from the owners two sons, Jacob and William. And they even have a wine option that is named after the family dog. The servers seem to embody this sense of family as well. During our visit our server was friendly, approachable and seemed to really enjoy sharing the delicious wines with us.
What was icing on the cake for our visit was how great and affordable the wine was too. Tastings were only $5 per person and many bottles were in the $20 range. They poured fantastic whites and reds and were solid across the board on good quality wines. We found this winery to be a solid pick and will definitely be back.
Winery Overview
Information current as of January 2018
Tasting Cost:$5 per person
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily (May-October); 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thurs.-Sunday (Nov-April)
In town/Rural/Remote: Rural but near other wineries
Location: 3 Avery Road (Avery Park On Hwy 14), Wishram, WA
Quality of Wines (1-5 smiley faces): 🙂 🙂 🙂
Winery Style: Friendly & Fun, Rustic & Low Key
Space for Weddings & Events: Yes, up to 40 people but option to rent for more. Barrel Room, Crush Pad, Tasting Room, Patio, Club Member Lounge all available to rent. Weddings may not be available due to expansion project (contact winery for details)
Website: jacobwilliamswinery.comÂ
White Salmon Winery
Out of all the wineries we visited on our day at the Columbia River gorge, White Salmon had the most “down home” feel. The tasting room is located right off Highway 14 and overlooks the Columbia river. It is housed in the historic Underwood mercantile building (which also previously held a post office, hotel bar, butcher shop and auction house.) Rotating art pieces from local artists are sprinkled around the room to add to the homey feel.
White Salmon Vineyards houses its tasting room in a historic building off Highway 14
At first impression, you might feel like you are in the wrong place because the arts and crafts take such prominence. But right away you are greeted by one of the owners who is there to happily provide a history of the building, pour the wine, and explain each varietal’s origion. White Salmon also offers small bite-size snacks to go with the wine, including a tasty white salmon on crackers that is amazing.
The winery features two labels – White Salmon (estate grown grapes) and Brehm vineyards (non estate grapes). As a side note, Brehm is the wine maker’s last name. Both labels offer good wines with many $20 bottle options. Tastings are at an affordable $5 per person.
The best way to describe White Salmon is with the word “quaint”. With a historic building, a collection of crafts, and an extremely welcoming atmosphere, you truly feel like you stopped into the local town mercantile and just happened to share some tasty wines during your visit.
Winery Overview
Information current as of January 2018
Tasting Cost: $5 for 4 wines (2 Chardonnays, a Pino Noir, Malbec/Syrah blend); fee reimbursed with purchase.
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday – Monday (April-Nov); By appointment Dec-March
In town/Rural/Remote: Rural but near other wineries
Location: 63281 SR14 Underwood, WA
Quality of Wines (1-5 smiley faces): 🙂 🙂 🙂
Winery Style:Â Rustic & Low Key, Educational
Space for Weddings & Events:Â No
Website:Â whitesalmonvineyard.com
