| Contents copyright 2007 Northwest Wine fan |
| Pheasant Valley Vineyards & Winery Owners Scott and Gail Hagee have been growing pears and apples for over two decades. They have a organic certification and recently transformed some of their orchard property to vineyards. They opened the winery and tasting room complete with a lovely Bed and Breakfast (see lodging below) in 2004. Pheasant Valley Vineyards & Winery just competed in the 2007 Northwest Wine Summit and were delighted when they were awarded with 10 medals (and they only entered 11 wines in the competition) with a gold medal going to their new "Organic Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir." Pheasant Valley was the first stop on our winery route. As you travel up the dirt road to Pheasant Valley you pass farms and homes and you wonder if you've taken the wrong turnoff. A little patience and about a half mile up the road and you arrive at the winery and tasting room. Complete with an ornate wooden tasting bar, a grand room with cushioned chairs and a fireplace, the room has a rustic and inviting feel to it. I thought to myself that Wine Fan club member Kevin would love having this as his living room. Greeted by staff we delighted to appetizers and tasting through their flight of wines. Winemaker Rich Cushman (also of Viento Wines) does a wonderful job expressing the regional terroir of both Pheasant Valley's estate and other Columbia Gorge grapes. A hit with the entire panel was the Organic Estate Pear Wine and the River City Red wine. |
| Northwest Wine Fan Wine Recommendations NV Estate Organic Pear Wine NV River City Red 2005 Chardonnay - Celilo Vineyard 2006 Vintage Select Gewurztraminer Anxious to try: The gold medal winning Organic Estate Pinot Noir |
| Talk To The Cellarmaster |
| Name: |
| Tim Sinniger |
| Email: |
 |
| Just a little over two hours away from Central Oregon, Hood River and the Columbia Gorge AVA has become a wine, food and recreational paradise... |
| Northwest Wine Fan Presents Hood River Wine Getaway By Tim & Carolyn Sinniger |
| Carolyn and I recently spent an eventful day in Hood River Oregon. We had set up a lunch with Lonnie Wright and daughter Sierra from the Pines 1852 and Bob Morus of Phelps Creek. Our other reason for being in town was to visit some of the wineries we had not been to yet. While there we made arrangements for the Northwest Wine Fan tasting panel, arriving in Hood River the following weekend. Driving thru the valley during springtime is a sight to see. The orchards are starting to sprout blooms and the grasses turning a bright vibrant green. The wildflowers are starting to show and the valley is bursting to out its spring colors. Sitting on the terrace of The Three Rivers Grill enjoying our lunch we realized that Hood River has really come into its own. Famous for its recreational opportunities including windsurfing and fishing the Columbia River, bike riding and more, the community is also a thriving wine and food destination. |
| Long known for its Apple, pear, peach and cherry orchards, some of Hood River Valley's bountiful acreage is being re-planted to grape vines. Wineries such as Phelps Creek Vineyards, Cathedral Ridge Winery, Hood River Winery and Pheasant Valley Winery grow grapes on their own property as well as contracting grapes from other Columbia Gorge vineyards to make some of the best and most interesting wines in Oregon today. Join us as we profile four of the Hood River wineries we visited. |
| The Wine Route We left Bend at about 8:30 in the morning to travel to Hood River. This put us there just about when the wineries were starting to open for the day. As we drove into the Valley from Mt Hood we saw a sign that directed us to turn left to go to Pheasant Valley Vineyard and Winery. Traveling through Odell we were sure we were lost, but as we continued winding down the Odell Highway we saw the turnoff to Pheasant Valley Vineyards and Winery. From Pheasant Valley Winery we next trekked over to Phelps Creek Vineyards located off Country Club Drive on you guessed it, a golf course. This is a great place to catch a bite to eat before traveling on. Leaving Phelps Creek we next went to Cathedral Ridge Winery. We traveled down Country Club Rd. until we got to Post Canyon Rd. where we made a right and headed up to Cathedral Ridge on the left. They have a wonderful picnic area by the way. |
| Making our way down Country Club Road after visiting Cathedral Ridge we turned right onto Cascade Ave/Oak Street towards downtown. We ended up on State Street where The Pines 1852 Tasting Room is located. It is situated in an art gallery so look for the signs outside on the sidewalk. All in all a very short and compact route that is easy to navigate. And now to the wineries we visited... |
| Pheasant Valley Vineyards & Winery 3890 Acree Drive Hood River, OR 97031 1-866-357-WINE Seasonal Hours: Open Daily April thru October 11 AM to 6 PM Winter Hours: Closed January Open Daily November thru March 11 AM to 5 PM www.pheasantvalleywinery.com |
| Phelps Creek Vineyards 1850 Country Club Road Hood River, OR 97031 1-541-386-2607 Seasonal Hours: April Saturday and Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM May thru October Thursday - Monday 11 AM to 5 PM www.phelpscreekvineyards.com |
 |
 |
| Phelps Creek Vineyards Just a long par 5 away from the estate vineyards, Phelps Creek tasting room is located on the Hood River Golf Course. This is a perfect spot on your wine route to sample some first class wine and have a bite to eat at the Oak Grove Restaurant next door. At the tasting room we enjoyed sampling the wines with the Brimstone red in a jug catching our attention. Proprietor Bob Morus and staff are committed to producing excellent Columbia Gorge and Columbia Valley wines. With Peter Rosback of Sineann and Rich Cushman of Viento as winemakers, they are producing wines that speak to the unique terroir of the Columbia Gorge AVA. Peter Rosback says of the Phelps Creek estate vineyard "Of all the Pinot I make it (Phelps Creek) stands out, it has that dusty, earthy, cherry thing. It has an unmistakable character that is different from the others. It really stands apart." Our visit to the tasting room culminated with a trip up to Bob's house, situated on the estate vineyards. Here you have a breathtaking view of Mt. Hood and the Hood River Valley. Looking out from his deck at the very estate blocks of Judith's Reserve Pinot Noir we were enjoying, Bob told us of his decision to come here from Chicago years ago. He was looking at properties in both the Willamette Valley and in Hood River. Fortunately for us he chose Hood River where some of the most distinctive Pinot Noir grapes are being grown in the state. |
|
| Northwest Wine Fan Wine Recommendations 2004 Chardonnay - Columbia Gorge 2005 Pinot Noir - Beck's Cuvee (Columbia Gorge) 2005 Pinot Noir - Judith's Reserve (Estate) 2005 Brimstone (Red) Will there be a Hellfire (White) in Phelps Creek's future? |
|
|
|
|
| Cathedral Ridge Winery 4200 Post Canyon Drive Hood River, OR 97031 1-800-516-8710 Seasonal Hours: Daily 11 AM to 5 PM June thru October Extended hours on Friday & Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM www.cathedralridgewinery.com |
| Cathedral Ridge Winery Rob Bell loves to be in the barrel room. He wields his wine thief and as you drink his wines he tells you of the distinct characteristics from each and every barrel you sample from. Rob has a story to tell. Part of that story includes the expansion of his wine offerings since purchasing the estate in 2003. Did you know his winemaker is named Michael Sebastiani (Of the Sonoma Sebastiani family)? Or the fact that since renaming the winery in 2003 from Flerchinger to Cathedral Ridge Winery his wines have carried on the tradition of fine winemaking and have won numerous awards including being named "Winery of the Year for 2007" by Wine Press Northwest. While there we were able to taste through some of the single vineyard varietals with Rob. We were particularly excited about the Merlot and Cabernet Franc we tried. During that tasting Rob treated us all to a sample of his new vintage of red blended wine "Rock Star Red." It was a hit amongst our group and several of us went in and purchased futures of the wine to be released later this year. We should also mention here that we were treated to "Katrina's Gourmet Chocolates." Katrina was dropping off her chocolate delicacies and we spent time discussing her business located right there in Hood River. Great chocolate and truffles! The weekend the tasting panel was there Rob and staff was busily getting ready for their annual "Wine Club" event. Hosting hundreds of people is always a challenge but the Cathedral Ridge staff seemed to take it all in stride. Even with all of this activity they took the time to treat us to a wonderful tasting. |
|
| Northwest Wine Fan Wine Recommendations 2005 Pinot Noir - Bangsund Estate Reserve 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - Bangsund Estate Reserve 2005 Zinfandel 2005 Rock Star Red (Fall Release) We want to be at the release party for Rock Star Red |
|
| The Pines 1852 Tasting Room 202 State Street Hood River, OR 97031 1-541-993-8300 Wednesday thru Friday 1 PM to 7 PM Saturday and Sunday 12 PM to 6 PM www.thepinesvineyard.com |
|
| The Pines 1852 Vineyards and Tasting Room The Pines 1852 Tasting Room is conveniently located in downtown Hood River near restaurants and hotels making it the perfect spot to wrap up your tasting for the day. Housed inside of the Westwind Frame and Gallery you can not only experience some great wine but also have the chance to appreciate some fine artwork. Lonnie Wright and The Pines 1852 Vineyard are legendary in the Columbia Gorge. With his century old zinfandel vines in The Dalles, his Columbia Country Vineyards management company and the new tasting room opened Labor Day Weekend of 2006, he has a formidable presence in the Gorge. For over 20 years he has helped to bring online numerous vineyards including the original Columbia Crest Vineyard in Patterson Washington, Phelps Creek in Hood River, McDufee and The Pines 1852, both in The Dalles and many others. The grapes from these vineyards are in high demand by Oregon winemakers. Wineries such as Sineann, Owen Roe and Natalie's Estate, Mystic Wines, Penner-Ash and more have relied upon grapes from these vineyards for years to craft their special wines. Lonnie's wines sell out regularly and with the new tasting room open, those who enjoy these wines (made by Peter Rosback) will be challenged to get all they want with tasting room sales as brisk as they are. We had a lovely visit with Lonnie and Sierra for lunch at Three Rivers Grill. Lonnie was coming in from the Newburg area with pallets of wine for the tasting room when we met up with him. He pulled a bottle of their new 2006 Pinot Gris for us to enjoy at lunch (we might have been the first folks to try it!). The group favorite of course was the 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel, with the 2005 Big Red a close second. |
| Northwest Wine Fan Wine Recommendations 2006 Satin (White Blend) 2006 Viognier 2005 Big Red (Red Blend) 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel We can't wait for: 2006 Old Vine Zinfandel |
|
| Now that's a great idea... So you've visited the wineries and enjoyed the food. Here are some fun activities for your weekend getaway in Hood River. |
|
|
| So, where to stay... Hood River is bountiful for places to stay. From motels to bed and B&Bs you can find lodging with ease. Listed below you will find just a few of the many choices available. |
|
| So many wineries, so little time... We so much enjoyed visiting Hood River and wish that we had more time. We missed visiting these fine wineries: |
|
| Time to eat... Hood River has plenty of great places to dine. Most of the wineries have picnic areas. For lunch or dinner here are just a few of the restaurants you may want to try... |
|
| Hint: Hold your mouse over a picture for a description |
| Other restaurants to consider: Abruzzo Italian Grill - 1810 Cascade Ave. - Hood River - 541-386-7779 Brian's Pourhouse - 606 Oak Street - Hood River - 541-386-4344 Santacroce's Famous Italian - 4780 Highway 35 - Hood River - 541-354-2511 And of course the dining available at the inns and hotels listed in "Where to Stay." |
|
| We would like to thank and express our gratitude to the following for their hospitality and contributions: Lonnie Wright and Sierra Wright - The Pines 1852 Bob Morus - Phelps Creek Vineyards Rob Bell - Cathedral Ridge Winery Scott and Gail Hagee - Pheasant Valley Vineyards and Winery Peter Marbach and Hood River County Chamber of Commerce |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |