Cathedral Ridge Winery: Visit the Home of Bold Oregon Red Wines

Posted on April 2, 2022April 3, 2022 by caitlin

Spring has sprung, which means there is no better time to visit Oregon wine country. Vines are awakening after dormancy, their green foliage is beginning to line hillside trellises, and bud break is just around the corner.

Rows of vines leading to a view of Mt Hood — The Hood River wine region features stunning views of vineyards and, of course, Mt. Hood.

For me, among my first stops on a spring wine country tour would be to the Columbia Gorge AVA, home to the award-winning Cathedral Ridge Winery.

The Columbia Gorge, located in northern Oregon, features a wide variety of microclimates, allowing everything from Pinot Noir to Zinfindel to grow successfully. Variety is the name of the game in the Columbia Gorge!

Wine bottles with medals draped around them. — Some of the many award-winning wines that Cathedral Ridge Winery has to offer. Photo curtesy of Cathedral Ridge Winery.

Cathedral Ridge boasts itself as the home of big, bold Oregon red wines.

For those familiar with the Willamette Valley, most notable for world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the presence of ‘big and bold Oregon reds’ in the state may come as a surprise.

Along the 40-mile stretch of the Columbia Gorge, changes in elevation, temperature, and rainfall create microclimates that mimic France’s most notable wine regions: Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone and the Rhine. Thick-skinned and slow-ripening grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grow well in the warmer regions of the Columbia Gorge, while thin-skinned, delicate grapes such as Pinot Noir grow well at higher elevations with cloud cover to protect from sunburn.

Map of the Columbia River Gorge — This map, courtesy of Gorge Wine, depicts the 40-mile stretch of the Columbia Gorge. Vines from the Gorge Wine Region are grown in both Oregon (on the south side of the gorge) and Washington (on the north side of the Gorge). The Columbia River is the border between the two states. You can find Cathedral Ridge Winery in Hood River, Oregon.

Cathedral Ridge sources grapes from all of these microclimates, offering more than 30 wines to appeal to every palate as a result. White wine lovers will find the flagship Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling on the menu. Red wine lovers will find an abundance of options for sample, including Grenache, Zinfindel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and even a single-varietal estate Mourvedre.

Bottles of Cathedral Ridge wine. — This is just a small sample of the wines that Cathedral Ridge has to offer!

I would describe Cathedral Ridge wines as the perfect food-pairing wines.

No matter the bottle, you’ll find the wine to be approachable, balanced, and food-friendly. Pair the Cathedral Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon with a reverse-seared ribeye, the Syrah Reserve with Manchego cheese and pâté, or the Winemaker’s Reserve Cuvée Supérieur (my personal favorite) with an elegant herb roast chicken and root vegetables.

As you plan a spring or summer getaway, don’t lose sight of the Columbia Gorge AVA or Cathedral Ridge Winery.

The Columbia Gorge feels quainter and more down-to-earth than some of the flashier wine country destinations on the West Coast. Chances are you may get to meet a winemaker or owner in a tasting room during your visit!

Robb Bell, owner of Cathedral Ridge Winery. — I had the opportunity to meet Robb Bell and his wife (right), owners of Cathedral Ridge Winery, on a recent visit to the Hood River wine region. It was a privilege to learn about the history and philosophy of the winery from Robb himself!

If you want a sneak peak of what Cathedral Ridge has to offer, check out their online virtual tour. Aside from their Hood River location in the Columbia Gorge AVA, you can also taste Cathedral Ridge wines further south in the Willamette Valley at either the Carlton or Dundee tasting room.

Screenshot of virtual tour — Click this image to jump to a virtual tour of Cathedral Ridge Winery’s Hood River location!

If you happen to be in the area during the Easter weekend, don’t miss the adult-only Easter egg hunt at the winery. (Is there wine inside those little eggs?!) You may even have a chance to sample some of the 8 new releases coming this spring.

If you want to see what wines Cathedral Ridge Winery has to offer, click here for their current selection. Cheers!

Dog-Friendly Wineries in Livermore Wine Country

Posted on October 17, 2021October 18, 2021 by caitlin

For the dog paw-rents of the world, there’s nothing better than finding a new restaurant, winery, or brewery where your furry family member can indulge with you. The Livermore Valley in Northern California is home to several wineries that are pup-friendly and have delicious wines!

Caitlin, Tucker, and Oakley posing for a photo at a winery. — Family outings to the vineyards are our favorite! Oakley the goldendoodle certainly approves as well.

The Livermore Valley is a lesser-known wine region in California, but that doesn’t mean the quality of the wines is any less. Vineyard plantings date back to the 1840’s, with Wente and Concannon Vineyards serving as two pioneers of the region. Situated just 30-miles east of San Francisco, the Livermore Valley is now home to more than 50 wineries, 5,000 acres of vineyards, and dozens of wine varietals. There’s a wine for everyone in Livermore!

I’ve visited Livermore several times—it just so happens that my best friend lives there. When I visit, we love to explore up-and-coming wineries (sometimes with our pups in tow!). Some Livermore wineries are situated on acres of rolling vineyard hills, while others operate in urban settings closer to the city of Livermore. The vibe of Livermore wine country is casual and family-friendly, making it an ideal destination for a weekend afternoon jaunt. Your pup is sure to enjoy the adventure, too.

Bodie posing in the vines — Meet Bodie, Livermore local and vineyard-loving pup. Bodie and Oakley are best friends and love tagging along on wine tasting jaunts with their humans!

Oakley at a tasting room with some wine and cheese. — Wine tasting perks from a doodle’s perspective: “Sometimes the humans bring cheese and that means doggo treats for me!” -Oakley

If you happen to find yourself in the region on October 30th, be sure to check out the Wine & Wags pet adoption event.

This annual gathering features dozens of wineries and animal rescues who are partnering to help find homes for many deserving furry friends. Dogs are welcome to attend the wine country event with you, so long as they are leashed. You never know, your pup might just sniff out a fellow canine to add to your family!

Tickets for Wine & Wags can be purchased here. The ticket price includes entrance into participating wineries, at least two tastes at each winery, a commemorative Livermore Valley Wine Country glass, and special event activities. You’ll have nearly two dozen wineries and 14 pet rescues to choose from as you make your way through Livermore Valley wine country.

In case you can’t make it to Wine & Wags, I’ve detailed some of my favorite dog-friendly wineries in Livermore below. Be sure to save this post as reference for your next wine tasting trip to Livermore!

Omega Road Winery

Omega Road wines are produced by a father-daughter winemaking team, Ken and Alexandra Henkelmen. Their goal is to craft beautiful wines that bring people together. In 2020, Omega Road began pairing each of their wines with a charitable organization that is working toward making the world a better place. This is just one example of how the Henkelmens give back to the community that supports their winemaking endeavors.

Barrel and stools in the barrel room at Omega Road. — Wine tasting at Omega Road takes place in the barrel room! The artwork on the tables is stunning, and each one is different!

Bottle of Omega Road barbera with a glass. — It was a treat to taste the 2015 Barbera from Omega Road again after it had been resting in my wine fridge for a couple years.

When I visited Livermore a couple years ago, I picked up this bottle of Omega Road 2015 Barbera from Mendocino. This high-acid, light bodied wine is full of red fruit flavors (strawberry, tart red cherry, raspberry) and medium tannins. Like many of the great Italian varietals, this Barbera would make a perfect pasta wine!

Wood Family Vineyards

Wood Family Vineyards is one of my favorite Livermore wine tasting spots. This family-owned and operated winery is home to high quality wines and a welcoming, family-oriented atmosphere. The winemaker, Rhonda Wood, is also the founder of Wood Family Vineyards along with her husband. Believe it or not, her winemaking journey began with home-brewing beer! Fast forward a few years and Rhonda was making wine, planting vines, and purchasing the vineyard site that would eventually become Wood Family Vineyards.

Rhonda crafts some wonderful, bold red wines as part of her repertoire, and the 2018 El Loco Rojo Red Wine is no exception. This Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot blend packs a punch with red and black fruit flavors alongside black pepper, green bell pepper, vanilla, and baking spice notes. This wine has a beautifully long finish, with the flavors of the wine lingering on the palate after each sip.

Darcie Kent Vineyards

Darcie Kent Vineyards is family-owned and operated by fifth generation winemakers and artists. Their history dates back to 1875, when Darcie’s great-great-grandfather moved to the United States to pursue a career in winemaking. Wine labels from their 1883 Missouri vineyard proudly showcased hand-painted wine labels made by the son of the winemaker. To this day, Darcie Kent wines feature Darcie’s own artwork on each label.

Pistachio Lane Gruner Veltliner label and glass of wine. — The artwork on this label features a raven munching on pistachios…how appropriate!

The 2020 Pistachio Lane Grüner Veltliner marks the “maiden vintage” for the Triska Crane Ridge Vineyard in the Livermore Valley. A champion of California-grown Grüner Veltliner for many years, Darcie’s 2020 vintage features pronounced aromas of citrus and tropical fruits. This light-bodied, flavorful wine would be an excellent pairing for some spicy Thai food or poke if you ask me!

Longevity Wines

Longevity Wines is an urban winery in Livermore Valley and is the third largest brand in the Valley. Phil Long and his late wife Debra founded the winery in 2008 with the intention of creating a more inclusive wine experience for consumers. Phil is currently the president of the Association of African American Vintners, an organization dedicated to raising awareness of diversity in the wine industry.

Bottle and glass of the 2017 Longevity Vintner Select Grenache — I was impressed by the development of this Vintner Select 2017 Grenache despite it having only a few years of age on it.

As a Grenache lover, I was eager to open up the 2017 Vintner Select Grenache from Fryendal Vineyard. Longevity’s Vintner Select collection of wines is crafted from hand-selected barrels to ensure the best representation of each varietal. The 2017 Grenache has some obvious signs of aging on it already: a hint of garnet in the color, and the aroma of dried fruits on the nose. On the palate, the Grenache is balanced with soft tannins, medium acidity, and bright red fruit flavors. This is a beautiful example of the Grenache varietal and of the quality of wines grown in the Livermore Valley.

Cuda Ridge Wines

Known for producing distinctive Bordeaux-style wines, Cuda Ridge is home to small-production wines with intense complexity and character. While varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot might sound familiar, the terroir of the Livermore Valley makes Cuda Ridge wines unique.

Cuda Ridge petit verdot bottle and glass — The hue of this deeply-colored Petit Verdot is nearly the same color as the regal purple wine label.

The Bordeaux Collection, marked by the bright purple Cuda Ridge label, is where you can find the 2018 Petit Verdot. This bold red wine is filled with flavors of black fruit, pepper, and baking spices. There’s nothing “petite” about it!

McGrail Vineyards

Perched on a hilltop with 360-degree views of the Livermore Valley, McGrail Vineyards is an award-winning winery that specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. What started as a passion project making one barrel of wine has turned into a multi-generational family-operated business. Their Cabernet Reserve won the category of “Best Red Wine in the United States” in the SF Chronicle Wine Competition in 2012, putting McGrail on the map for premium quality wines.

Wine glass at McGrail with the Livermore Valley in the background — I enjoyed a glass of Cab at McGrail Vineyards during my visit there a couple years ago. The scenery from the tasting room is spectacular.

A glass of McGrail wines with Oakley in the background. — Oakley came along for the ride, too! He enjoyed soaking in the views while we soaked in our wines!

The McGrail Chardonnay seemed to sparkle in my glass. It’s golden hue and pronounced aromas made me excited to drink it!

McGrail’s 2019 Family Chardonnay is a classic example of California Chard. Flavors of peach, honey, and butterscotch balance the buttery backbone of this Chardonnay. Slightly sweet and fuller bodied, this wine can pair well with an appetizer of creamy brie or a dessert of grilled peach galette.

Garré Vineyard and Winery

Garré Winery is a Livermore establishment rooted in Italian history and tradition. With family winemaking ties dating back to the early 19^th century, the passion for winemaking runs deep with the Molinaro family, owners of Garré Winery. The Italian influence at Garré is easily identifiable on the wine list, which boasts varietals such as Sangiovese and Primitivo (aka Zinfindel!).

Bottle and glass of the brightly colored Rosato di Sangiovese — For those not familiar with Italian grapes, you should know that Sangiovese is the grape used to produce Chianti wines. If you enjoy the structure of a Chianti, then you will appreciate this rosé made from the same grape.

The 2020 Rosato di Sangiovese bursts with flavors and aromas of strawberry, lemon, and a hint of white pepper. The complexity of the Sangiovese makes this rosé stand out from more simple versions of the style. The balanced acid in this Rosato makes it a perfect food pairing wine, too.

Las Positas Vineyards

Named after the original property owned by Robert Livermore, Las Positas Vineyards is a winery dedicated to estate-grown wines that showcase the terroir of Livermore through their character and quality.

Overhead shot of the Las Positas Cab Franc with a glass — This wine deserves to be decanted before consumed. Over the course of a couple hours, the predominant aromas changed from herbaceous, to earthy, to red and black fruits. The flavors and tannins in this wine make it a great for pairing with steak.

The 2017 Las Positas Cabernet Franc is a sophisticated wine that opens with time in the glass. Herbaceous and herbal notes accent the fruit, with some tertiary aromas like earth and leather already showing through. Be sure to decant this wine and observe how it changes over time.

For those interested in attending the Wine & Wags event in Livermore on October 30th, here is a full list of participating wineries and pet rescue organizations.

Participating Wineries: 3 Steves Winery, Bent Creek Winery, Big White House Winery & John Evan Cellars, BoaVentura de Caires Winery, Cedar Mountain Winery, Dante Robere Vineyards, Darcie Kent Vineyards, Eagle Ridge Vineyards, Fenestra Winery, Garré Vineyard & Winery, Las Positas Vineyards, Longevity Wines, Nella Terra Cellars, Omega Road Winery, Page Mill Winery, Retzlaff Vineyards & Estate Winery, Rosa Fierro Cellars, The Lineage Collection (Steven Kent Winery, Lineage Wine Co., L’Autre Cote & Mia Nipote), Wood Family Vineyards

Participating Rescues: Animal Rescue of Tracy, Contra Costa Animal Services, Copper’s Dream Animal Rescue, East Bay SPCA, Friends of the Tracy Animal Shelter, Guardian’s Light Dog Rescue, German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California, Paws in Need, Northern California Sled Dog Rescue, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, Umbrella of Hope Rescue, Valley Humane Society, Wings of Rescue

The Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association hosts numerous events throughout the year.

If you’re already thinking about ways to get in the holiday spirit, be sure to check out the upcoming Holidays in the Vineyards weekend event on December 4-5, 2021. You’ll have the chance to visit wine tasting rooms throughout the region that will be adorned in holiday decor! Arts, crafts, activities, and of course wine tasting will be offered at each location. Admission is free, but tasting room fees may apply. Plus, if you’re looking for a way to take care of some last-minute holiday shopping, a bottle of wine from the Livermore Valley makes a great gift! Click here for event information and updates.

We hope you enjoy your next visit to Livermore wine country, hopefully with your pup in tow! They are sure to enjoy wandering through the vines or into urban wineries throughout the region. Cheers!

Selfie with Caitlin, Tucker, and Oakley in the vines — Oakley wishes his fellow four-legged friends a happy visit to Livermore wine country! Cheers!

Some of the wines featured in this blog post were sent as samples from the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association. All opinions featured in this article are my own. Click here to learn more about my policy on partnerships with outside entities.

Wine-ing & Dining with Phelps Creek & Cathedral Ridge Wines

Posted on October 6, 2021September 29, 2021 by caitlin

Phelps Creek Vineyards and Cathedral Ridge Winery are among the most established wine producers of the Columbia Gorge region. I had the privilege of wine-ing and dining with the owners of both wineries during my recent visit to the Columbia Gorge AVA. We tasted 11 wines over the course of our meal and experienced first-hand the diversity of style that the Columbia Gorge region has to offer.

This is my fourth and final blog post detailing my experience visiting the Columbia Gorge AVA in northern Oregon. If you missed my posts about the Columbia Gorge wine region, Oregon sparkling wine, or the stories behind the wines of Stave and Stone and Wy’East Vineyards, be sure to read those blog posts now! Last but certainly not least, I’ll tell you about one of the most unforgettable wine dinners I’ve had the privilege of enjoying.

After an exquisite tasting of sparkling wines from Viento Wines and Mt. Hood Winery, followed by a lovely afternoon of experiencing wines from Stave and Stone Wine Estates and Wy’East Vineyards, we hopped back in our van with Martin from Martin’s Gorge Tours and headed to our hotel to freshen up for the evening. We stayed at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn which was a fabulous experience. The rooms were spacious and comfortable and the views were spectacular!

Coffee on the patio of the Hood River Inn — Sunrise over the Hood River. This was my view while enjoying my morning coffee at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn. Stunning!

Happy Hour in the Vines

A short while later we were shuttled to Phelps Creek Vineyards to meet up with wine grower and president Bob Morus, his wife Lynette Morus, and Robb Bell, owner and cellar master of Cathedral Ridge Winery. We enjoyed the 2019 Phelps Creek “Van Horn” Riesling and the 2019 Cathedral Ridge Grenache on the vineyard lawn to start the evening. After wandering through the Pinot Noir vines to see the start of verasion, we made our way back up the hill to Bob and Lynette’s house where we were treated to a homemade meal by Bob and his staff.

Happy hour on the lawn next to the Phelps Creek vines — Lynette Morus (center) welcoming us to the Phelps Creek Vineyard property. On the left is Martin, owner of Martin’s Gorge Tours and our driver. On the right is Robb Bell and his wife, who graciously shared their beautiful Grenache with us.

A small cluster of pinot noir grapes undergoing verasion — Verasion is the process by which grapes begin to change color. This is part of the ripening process and is an exciting time for wine growers and winemakers. It means harvest is right around the corner! Red grapes, like this cluster of Pinot Noir, turn from green to red/purple. White grapes turn from green to gold.

Clusters of Pinot Noir in the Phelps Creek Vineyard.

A small propeller plane parked outside of Bob's house. — You may remember from one of my earlier posts that Bob Morus is a former airline pilot who started his winery pre-retirement. Well, when you arrive at his home, you immediately get the sense that he knows how to fly planes!

The Menu

The theme of the night was “inspired by Hood River’s Farmers Market”. We enjoyed an assortment of delicious, locally grown vegetables alongside smoked tri tip and salmon. Turns out Bob is a Traeger fan, too!

Buffet of vegetable dishes for the starter. — First, we enjoyed a buffet of vegetable dishes, including roasted sweet peppers, grilled corn on the cob madras, beet and feta salad, and cucumber, fennel, basil, and cherry tomato salad. Each dish was delicious, and the produce was so fresh and flavorful.

Menu for the evening — Menus were waiting for us at each place setting. It was nice to be able to reference the menu to keep track of the 11 wines we tasted!

The main course: Columbia River salmon, Painted Hills smoked tri-tip, green beans, and mushrooms. Bob smoked the salmon and tri-tip to perfection!

Throughout the meal, Bob and Robb took turns pouring their wines for our group. During dinner, we sampled the following wines:

2020 Cathedral Ridge “Necessity White”
2018 Phelps Creek “Lynette” Chardonnay
2017 Cathedral Ridge Syrah
2015 Phelps Creek “Cuvée Alexandrine” Pinot Noir
2016 Cathedral Ridge “Winemakers Reserve”

Cathedral Ridge’s “Big, Bold Reds”

The highlight of the evening for me was sitting next to Robb Bell during dinner. Robb shared stories of his entry into the wine world and offered his perspectives on winemaking and wine trends. We quickly learned that Robb is a sharp-shooter and doesn’t hold back when discussing these subjects! He had the whole table laughing as we listened to and learned from him. It was refreshing to speak to a wine professional who openly called out the “bullshit” in the industry! Throughout the meal, Robb identified opportunities for change so the wine industry can engage younger, more diverse consumers.

Beyond the “big picture” conversations with Robb, we got to learn about his philosophy of winemaking. His winery, Cathedral Ridge, boasts a selection of “big, bold reds” on their tasting menu. They produce everything from Pinot Noir to Zinfandel, all sourced in the Columbia Gorge AVA. Cathedral Ridge is able to offer such diversity in their lineup thanks to the vastly different microclimates that span the 40-mile stretch of the Columbia Gorge AVA. This allows for outstanding diversity in wines made throughout the region.

Robb believes in the wines of the Columbia Gorge AVA so much that he claims you couldn’t tell the difference in quality if you tasted Cathedral Ridge wines next wines from some of the most famous regions in France.

I happen to agree! Robb is meticulous in the vineyard management aspect of winemaking. For example, he is adamant that his grapes make it from vine to press in six hours or less during harvest. This contributes to the rich color and concentrated flavors that you find in each of the Cathedral Ridge red wines.

Bottle of Cathedral Ridge Winemaker's Reserve. — One of my favorite wines from Cathedral Ridge was the Winemaker’s Reserve blend. It was balanced, bold, and was showing beautifully! It was a privilege to drink a Reserve wine alongside Robb himself.

Robb strives to make wines that have significant aging potential. To ensure their longevity, Robb is sure to pick his grapes relatively early while they still have high acid content. Acid and tannins are the main components that contribute to a wine’s ability to age, and Rob and his team do a fabulous job balancing these components in Cathedral Ridge wines.

Speaking of balance, that is the word I would use to describe Robb’s portfolio of wines. During our tasting, I never felt as though a wine offered too much tannin on the palate, or that the fruit didn’t shine through like it should. The structural components of each Cathedral Ridge wine matched one another perfectly. The quality was superb.

Phelps Creek Vineyards’s Burgundian Pinot Noirs

Our dinner wines weren’t all about “big, bold reds” that night. By contrast, Phelps Creek only grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and a small parcel of Pinot Gris at their estate vineyard. It was fun to taste the delicate-yet-rich Phelps Creek Pinot Noirs alongside the “big reds” from Cathedral Ridge during our meal. While the profiles of the wines were vastly different from one another, the quality of wines served by both Bob and Robb was outstanding.

Lineup of bottles from Phelps Creek Vineyards — The lineup of Phelps Creek wines that we tasted during our meal. Each of these wines was exquisitely made.

Phelps Creek makes Pinot Noirs with a Burgundian influence, in large part due to the talents of winemaker Alexandrine Roy. Alexandrine is a fourth-generation winemaker from Gevrey-Chambertin, France. Her experience and creativity combine at Phelps Creek, where she continues to craft high-quality wines with nuance, balance, and depth. This was especially evident when we moved to the library wines at the end of dinner.

The Library Wines

We were first served the 2008 Phelps Creek “Estate Reserve” Pinot Noir. This was my first time trying an aged Pinot Noir and it was phenomenal. Tertiary flavors of mushroom and earth served as a beautiful backbone to the red fruit components of the wine. Each smell and sip was better than the last. This glass of wine showed me that not only can high-quality Pinot Noirs age well, but that they should be aged to allow the complexity of the wine to show!

The bottle of 2008 Phelps Creek Pinot Noir. — The bottle of 2008 Phelps Creek Estate Reserve Pinot Noir. What a treat!

Our second library wine was a 2012 Cabernet Franc from Cathedral Ridge. Tannins in this Cab Franc had softened to allow red and black fruits to shine. This, too, was a beautiful wine that could continue to age for many more years without losing its best features.

The Cheese Course

One of the most civilized things in Europe, in my humble opinion, is serving a cheese course to end a meal rather than a sweet dessert. I was thrilled to see a beautiful cheese plate arrive at our table toward the end of our evening.

The cheese plate served after dinner. — The cheeses served after dinner came from Cascade Creamery and were so distinct from one another. Absolutely delicious!

The cheese was served with two wines. First was a 2016 Cathedral Ridge “Reserve” Zinfandel. The full-bodied, slightly sweet Zin paired beautifully with the creamy, rich cheese. A short while later, Bob arrived at our table to pour his 2018 Phelps Creek “Vin Glace” Riesling, a sweet dessert wine made in similar fashion to Eiswein. This Riesling, paired with rich, pungent bleu cheese was a match made in heaven and the perfect way to end the evening. I can’t wait to recreate this pairing at home.

A bottle of Phelps Creek Eiswein — Eiswein is made by leaving grapes on the vine until the weather becomes very cold and the grapes freeze. The grapes are picked and pressed while frozen. Ice crystals separate from the sugars during this process, leaving a sweet, dessert-style wine. Only certain regions can produce Eiswein as it is dependent on the weather, making this wine style rare and often expensive (but worth the cost!).

I was blown away by the generosity and hospitality of Bob, Lynette, and Robb during our evening at Phelps Creek. It was a treat to experience a selection of great food and wine, and to get to know Robb over the course of our meal.

Bob's team being recognized for their efforts in serving our meal — A huge thank you to Bob and his team for their efforts in serving us a beautiful meal, and to both Bob and Robb for sharing so many of their exquisite wines with us.

After a day of tasting wines from all over the Columbia Gorge AVA, I was thoroughly impressed by the quality and diversity of wines that the region offered. I was unfamiliar with the Columbia Gorge AVA before embarking on this tour, but I am a big fan now.

If you’re looking for a wine tasting destination that is affordable, beautiful, and off-the-beaten path, then look no further than the Columbia Gorge AVA. Most of the 50 or so wineries in the Columbia Gorge AVA do not distribute outside of the region, so supporting these boutique wineries means ordering wine from them directly. I’ve included my recommendations for accommodations, transportation, and tasting rooms below. Plan a visit to the Gorge wine region for your next tasting excursion, or create an at-home tasting experience by ordering wine from any of these great producers. Cheers!

Vines in the foreground and Mt. Hood in the background — Just a glimpse of the beauty that is abundant in the Columbia Gorge wine region. This photo was taken in the Phelps Creek Vineyard looking toward Mt. Hood.

Accommodations: Best Western Plus Hood River Inn

Transportation: Martin’s Gorge Tours

Tasting Rooms:

Phelps Creek Vineyards: Estate grown, high quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, & Pinot Gris
Cathedral Ridge Winery: Home to big, bold Oregon red wines, signature blends, and delicious whites
Viento Wines: A pioneer of the Gorge wine region known for Pinot Noir, Riesling, and sparkling wines
Mt. Hood Winery: Featuring a broad selection of wines, including an award-winning sparkling wine
Stave & Stone Wine Estates: “Wines with Personality”, accompanied by spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams from the tasting room
Wy’East Vineyards: Estate-grown wines for every palate, from single varietals to blends
Peter Cushman Wines: Third-generation wine maker whose passion exudes from his top-quality, small production wines

Wines with Personality! Stories of Wines from the Columbia Gorge

Posted on October 4, 2021September 26, 2021 by caitlin

Have you ever tasted wine that seems to have its own personality? The Columbia Gorge wine region is home to boutique wineries that capture the incredible stories behind their wines in each and every glass. Learning the personality of the wine inside your glass makes the Gorge wine region feel personal, approachable, and down-to-earth. It’s exactly what the wine industry needs if you ask me!

This is part three of my story of visiting the Columbia Gorge AVA. If you’re tuning in for the first time, you should know that the Columbia Gorge AVA is a relatively undiscovered wine region that spans 40-miles along the Hood River in northern Oregon. Known for its boutique winery culture and diverse offering of wine varietals, this region has a personality of its own. The 50+ wineries in the region have a talent for capturing the personalities of their own wines in each bottle they produce. Click here to read more about the region, and be sure to check out my post about Oregon sparkling wine, too!

After touring the Timberline Lodge, enjoying a homemade lunch by Bob Morus of Phelps Creek Vineyards, and sipping through a lineup of some fabulous Oregon sparkling wines, we drove to Stave and Stone Wine Estates for our next tasting.

Panorama of Stave and Stone Wine Estates — A panorama of the Stave and Stone property where we tasted fabulous wines with lots of personality!

A beautifully presented tasting at the Stave and Stone property featured wines from Stave and Stone Wine Estates, Wy’east Vineyards, and Peter Cushman Wines.

We wove through acres of pear orchards before laying our sights on this beautiful property. The Hood River Lavender Farm lawn, which is adjacent to the Stave and Stone tasting room, was our gathering spot for the afternoon. Jill House, owner of Stave and Stone Wine Estates, and Keely Reed, General Manager of Wy’East Vineyards, greeted us with big smiles and a beautiful spread of charcuterie. Rich Cushman of Viento Wines, and winemaker for Mt. Hood Winery and Stave and Stone Wine Estates, joined us for the tasting as well. His son, Peter Cushman, is the winemaker for Wy’east Vineyards and also has a wine label of his own. If you haven’t noticed, it’s a bit of a family-and-friend affair in the Columbia Gorge AVA! The small-town atmosphere of this quiet little wine region makes it feel homey, welcoming, approachable, and all the more special as a wine destination. Not to mention the views…Mt. Adams was on full display as we enjoyed our tasting in the vineyard.

Our first pours were of the Wy’East Chardonnay and the Stave and Stone White Pinot Noir (I ended up purchasing a bottle of this to bring home!).

Keely Reed of Wy'East Vineyards pouring Chardonnay for the group. — Keely Reed of Wy’East Vineyards pouring Chardonnay for the group.

The Chardonnay had a buttery quality with balanced fruit and acid. The White Pinot Noir was rich in flavor yet muted in color, having only spend 70-90 minutes on the skins during the beginning of the fermentation process. I could immediately sense the quality and attention to detail in these wines, all thanks to the winemakers Rich Cushman (for Stave and Stone Wine Estates) and Peter Cushman, Rich Cushman’s son, (for Wy’East Vineyards).

Rich Cushman describing a Stave and Stone wine while Jill House holds the bottle. — It was fun to hear Rich talk about the Stave and Stone wines. He is a visionary when it comes to winemaking, and his commitment to quality and detail are evident in every glass. Jill House of Stave and Stone helped tell the stories of each of her wines, too.

Before moving on to the red wines, we sampled the Stave and Stone Dorothy Rosé of Pinot Noir.

The wine is named after the matriarch of the family, Dorothy, and tradition has it that only the women from Dorothy’s family line get to stomp the grapes each year. As Jill shared this story with us, the warm, family atmosphere of the Gorge region made us all feel right at home.

Next, we tasted a 2016 100% Pommard Pinot Noir from Peter Cushman’s wine label.

Bottle of Peter Cushman's Pinot Noir — Peter Cushman’s wine was a standout of the group! Very impressive Pinot Noir created by a talented winemaker.

This wine reflected everything that I love about Oregon Pinot Noir. Smelling this wine was like smelling an elegant perfume. It continued to open in the glass and was a pure expression of both the varietal and terroir. When people say that wine can communicate a “sense of place”, this is what they mean. This Pinot Noir will certainly age well and would be a great addition to any cellar. Amazingly, it retails for only $45 per bottle.

We then moved on to the Pinot Noirs from Stave and Stone and Wy’East: wines with personality! The first splash of Pinot Noir from Stave and Stone was one that came with quite a story.

We started with the 2017 Broken Boulder Pinot Noir from Stave and Stone. In 2017, the Broken Boulder vineyard was severely impacted by smoke from a nearby wildfire. The Pinot Noir grapes used to make this wine reflected what is known as “smoke taint”. When grapes suffer from smoke taint, it means that they absorb some smoke into their skins (and sometimes pulp). This impacts the flavor of the grape by masking the fruitiness with flavors reminiscent of ash. This is especially true for thin-skinned grapes like Pinot Noir. Many winemakers will repurpose tainted fruit by making rosé wines or other wines with limited skin contact to avoid having smoky flavors interfere with the wine.

The 2017 Broken Boulder Pinot Noir, with the Stave and Stone vineyard and Mt. Adams in the background.

Despite smoke taint impacting the 2017 Broken Boulder Pinot Noir, Stave and Stone made a deliberate decision to produce their Pinot Noir as originally intended. I appreciated the opportunity to try this wine and understand how smoke can impact the flavor of the wine. The fruit from the Pinot Noir is still the star of the show, but there is a slight ashy flavor on the palate with each sip. Once again, the sense of time and place is apparent within this glass. The 2017 vintage will forever reflect the multitude of emotions and experiences that surrounded that wildfire.

Lavender, grapevines and Mt. Adams — It’s hard to image this beautiful landscape clouded in smoke and ash, but unfortunately wildfires are becoming a “new normal” in many west coast wine regions.

The Pinot Noirs from Wy’East were next on the list and were standouts among the lineup.

A Wy'East Pinot Noir served in a Stave and Stone glass. This wine was outstanding! — A Wy’East Pinot Noir served in a Stave and Stone glass. This wine was outstanding!

The first Pinot Noir we tried was the Vinette Whole Cluster. It was aged in 30% new oak and was bold, smooth, and showcased flavors of chocolate on the palate. The 2018 Vinette Cuvée was next in the lineup and was one of my favorite wines of the tasting. The aroma had a mix of floral notes with red fruit and was complex in both aroma and flavor. This Cuvée was 30% whole cluster, giving the wine good structure and body. Sadly, this wine wasn’t available for purchase yet, but I have my eye on it for when it goes on sale! It retails for only $37 which is a steal for the quality of the wine.

Last but certainly not least we sampled the Artur Legacy Pinot Noir from Stave and Stone.

This was the most full-bodied, intense Pinot Noir of the lineup. It offered more tannins than expected from a Pinot Noir, and could pair well with food or could be enjoyed on its own. I bought a bottle to bring home and I plan to age it for a few years before enjoying it. I’m looking forward to seeing how the wine evolves with some age!

Bottle of the Artur Pinot Noir — The last wine of our tasting lineup. Rich and full-bodied compared to other Pinot Noirs, but still elegant and refined.

We spent the remainder of our time chatting with Jill and Keely and enjoying some delicious meats, cheeses, and spreads with our wines. Jill surprised the group with some lavender sea salt chocolate truffles which were outstanding! They are made in-house and were a perfect treat to end the afternoon.

Charcuterie board in the vineyard — The beautiful charcuterie spread presented by Stave and Stone and Wy’East Vineyards. It was fun to pair wines with the various flavors on the boards!

Jill House of Stave and Stone Wine Estates serving lavender sea salt truffles to end our tasting.

While the Columbia Gorge AVA is relatively unknown, the quality of wines produced in this region are nothing short of outstanding. For anyone looking to taste or learn about wine in a relaxed, unpretentious environment, the Columbia Gorge AVA is a perfect destination. Stave and Stone Wine Estates and Wy’East Vineyards both offer great examples of wines from the region, and their hospitality is unmatched.

Both Stave and Stone and Wy’East are family-owned and operated businesses. They ship direct to consumer and offer a wide range of wines beyond Pinot Noirs! Consider ordering some wine from them for your next family gathering (Thanksgiving is right around the corner!). Better yet, plan a visit to the Columbia Gorge AVA and stop in to taste their wines for yourself. Check out my list of Columbia Gorge AVA recommendations below. Cheers!

Entrance to the Stave and Stone tasting room. What a gorgeous property!

Accommodations: Best Western Plus Hood River Inn

Transportation: Martin’s Gorge Tours

Tasting Rooms:

Phelps Creek Vineyards: Estate grown, high quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, & Pinot Gris
Cathedral Ridge Winery: Home to big, bold Oregon red wines, signature blends, and delicious whites
Viento Wines: A pioneer of the Gorge wine region known for Pinot Noir, Riesling, and sparkling wines
Mt. Hood Winery: Featuring a broad selection of wines, including an award-winning sparkling wine
Stave & Stone Wine Estates: “Wines with Personality”, accompanied by spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams from the tasting room
Wy’East Vineyards: Estate-grown wines for every palate, from single varietals to blends
Peter Cushman Wines: Third-generation wine maker whose passion exudes from his top-quality, small production wines

Oregon Sparkling Wine: Bubbles that Rival Champagne

Posted on September 29, 2021September 26, 2021 by caitlin

Oregon sparkling wine is growing in the world of wine. An increasing number of wineries are crafting sparkling wine, and the quality coming from the region is outstanding.

During my recent visit to the Columbia Gorge AVA, I had the privilege of meeting a pioneer of the Oregon sparkling wine movement, Rich Cushman of Viento Wines. He was accompanied by Steve Bickford of Mt. Hood Winery. Together they led us through a tasting of Oregon sparkling wines as we enjoyed some fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery near the base of Mt. Hood.

Rich and Steve are former high school classmates who both found their way into the wine business later in life. Rich serves as the winemaker for both Viento and Mt. Hood wineries (in addition to others!) and has a passion for sparkling wine. He began making sparkling wine in 1982, long before the Oregon sparkling wine scene took off.

Rich Cushman holding a bottle of his sparkling wine. — Rich Cushman educating us about Oregon sparkling wine. Rich is a pioneer producer in the Gorge wine region and is a champion of the Oregon sparkling wine movement.

Glass of sparkling wine with Steve Bickford in the background. — Steve Bickford, owner of Mt. Hood Winery. I’m holding a glass of his award-winning sparkling wine (made by Rich Cushman) in the foreground.

If you’re not already familiar with Oregon sparkling wine, my bet is that you will start to hear more about it in the months and years to come.

Sparkling wine is not the same as Champagne—only wine made in Champagne, France can be called Champagne. However, Oregon is producing sparkling wines that are on par with some of the great Champagnes of the world. How is that so? Well, it all comes down to a little thing called geography. (Bear with me for a minute here while we get a little geeky.)

Here’s why Oregon and Champagne are more similar than you think…

There are three types of grapes that are permitted in the production of Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier (or Meunier for short). The cool climate region of Champagne, France (located at approximately 48 degrees North latitude) allows grapes to retain acidity during their long growing season. Good acidity and balanced sugars are essential to the production of fine sparkling wines. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier would not produce the appropriate levels of acid and sugar if they were to be grown in a warmer climate region of the world. As a result, the geographical location of Champagne is a primary factor in what makes Champagne world-renowned in quality. Good quality limestone soils also influence the flavor of Champagne’s grapes.

Now, let’s talk about Oregon. Most of Oregon’s winegrowing region is located at 45 degrees North latitude. In fact, it is parallel to Burgundy, France, another renowned winegrowing region. While Oregon is a few degrees closer to the equator, it has already proven that it can produce some of the finest examples of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The EU PGI designation proves it! And if Oregon has prime examples of the two main grapes used in the production of Champagne, it seems natural that Oregon winemakers jump on the sparkling wine train.

This map highlights some of the world’s major wine growing regions. As you can see, both France and Oregon fall along the 45th parallel (halfway between the equator and the north pole). This is widely regarded as an ideal wine growing area. Map courtesy of Cascadia Fine Wines. Click the image to learn more.

Oregon sparkling wine is unique because winemakers are not limited to using only Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Meunier grapes.

In fact, one of my favorite sparkling wines from Viento Wines was the Cuvée Diamante, an extra dry sparkling wine made from Riesling grapes. (Fun fact: Winemaker Rich Cushman planted the first Riesling grapes in the Columbia Gorge region!). Flavors of cooked apple and fresh pear combined perfectly with delicate bubbles, high acidity, and fragrant fruit and floral aromas. Not only was this a unique sparkling wine, but it was perfectly balanced and a prime example of the potential that Oregon sparkling wine has to offer.

Bottle of Viento Cuvée Diamante sparkling wine — Viento’s Cuvée Diamante sparkling wine made from Riesling grapes. Riesling has become a recent obsession of mine, and it happens to be Rich’s favorite grape as well.

The soil composition in Oregon is comprised of volcanic sediment, along with silt and sand.

The Missoula Floods, which is estimated to have occurred between 15,000-13,000 years ago, deposited a range of soils and sediments that now contribute to the outstanding flavors of wine grapes grown in Oregon. While different in soil composition compared to Champagne, Oregon soils contribute to the complexity and balance that the region has become known for in recent years.

Map of the Missoula Floods path — This map shows the path of the Missoula Floods. This is a fascinating event that completely changed the landscape and geology of the Pacific Northwest. Image courtesy of the Washington Geological Survey.

During our tasting, we also sampled the Viento Cuvée Tradition Brut Rosé—a favorite wine of Rich’s, and rightly so.

For consumers who prefer a sparkling wine with more autolytic flavors, this Rosé is sure to satisfy. Aromas consist of almond, strawberry, peach, and biscuit. This Rosé spends 22 months on its lees (aka the yeast that eats the sugars and produces alcohol in the wine), which gives the toasty, biscuit quality on the nose and palate.

The Viento Brut Rosé. This wine was fabulously complex…I could certainly go for a glass right about now!

Last but not least, we sampled the first sparkling wine ever produced at Mt. Hood Winery: the Van Horn Estate Vineyard Estate Brut Cuvée.

Despite it being the first release, this wine secured a Double Gold award in the Best Sparkling Wine category at the Cascadia International Wine Competition in 2021. Compliments to both Steve’s vineyard and Rich’s winemaking! This Cuvée exhibited pear, apple, and lemon aromas that felt reminiscent of a classic, well-balanced sparkling wine from France.

The Mt. Hood sparkling wine bottles feature beautiful labels that suit an award-winning wine!

While Rich makes his wines using the traditional method, he did introduce us to a modern development in the world of sparkling wine: yeast beads!

These little beads contain yeast strains that aid in the bottle fermentation of the sparkling wine. They are delicately added to the base wine, which is then crown-capped and stored for the fermentation process. One of the benefits of using yeast beads is that they simplify the process of disgorgement. (When using the traditional form of yeast, lees settle in the neck of the bottle which is then frozen. Disgorgement occurs when the crown cap is popped off of the bottle to release the frozen yeast plug. It is a labor-intensive and messy process!)

Rich demonstrating what yeast beads look like in sparkling wine. — If you look closely, you can see the little pink yeast beads floating in the bottle that Rich is holding up. These beads are the catalyst for the second round of sparkling wine fermentation.

Rich Cushman explaining the disgorgement process. — Rich describing the disgorgement process. The bottle he is holding contains lees, or yeast, instead of yeast beads. In the neck of the bottle, you can see about one inch of the yeast plug, which will be frozen and removed via disgorgement once fermentation has finished.

The quality of these three Oregon sparkling wines rivals any domestic or international sparkling wine on the market.

They could easily stand alongside some of the most popular Champagne producers, too. Viento Wines and Mt. Hood Winery are not only putting Oregon sparkling wine on the map, but are showcasing the outstanding quality of wines produced in the boutique winemaking region of the Columbia Gorge AVA.

After sipping on some sparkling wine and enjoying conversations with Rich and Steve, it was time for us to load into Martin’s van and head to our next destination: Stave and Stone Wine Estates. Rich Cushman is also the winemaker for Stave and Stone, which meant we got to experience even more of his winemaking talents.

Stay tuned for my next blog post featuring fabulous Pinot Noirs (among other wines!) that we sampled at Stave and Stone Wine Estates. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and order some Oregon sparkling wine from Rich and Steve. Both Viento and Mt. Hood Winery ship direct to consumer and are very affordably priced for the quality of wine they offer.

For a full list of recommendations for your visit to the Columbia Gorge AVA, check out the links below!

Accommodations: Best Western Plus Hood River Inn

Transportation: Martin’s Gorge Tours

Tasting Rooms:

Phelps Creek Vineyards: Estate grown, high quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, & Pinot Gris
Cathedral Ridge Winery: Home to big, bold Oregon red wines, signature blends, and delicious whites
Viento Wines: A pioneer of the Gorge wine region known for Pinot Noir, Riesling, and sparkling wines
Mt. Hood Winery: Featuring a broad selection of wines, including an award-winning sparkling wine
Stave & Stone Wine Estates: “Wines with Personality”, accompanied by spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams from the tasting room
Wy’East Vineyards: Estate-grown wines for every palate, from single varietals to blends
Peter Cushman Wines: Third-generation wine maker whose passion exudes from his top-quality, small production wines

Columbia Gorge AVA: The Home of Boutique Oregon Wines

Posted on September 27, 2021September 27, 2021 by caitlin

I recently visited a new-to-me wine region in northern Oregon—the Columbia Gorge AVA. I sampled some amazing wines and learned about the region from winemakers themselves on a two-day excursion to the area. The wine was impressive and the hospitality was unparalleled. My experience in the Gorge Wine region affirmed that there is much to discover in the world of Oregon wine!

Caitlin in front of Mt. Hood in the Phelps Creek Vineyard — Photo taken at Phelps Creek Vineyard, which has a stunning view of Mt. Hood in the background. Those vines must be happy to look at that view every day!

Oregon wine is growing in notoriety. The recent designation of the Willamette Valley as an EU PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) is a massive compliment the quality and value of wines being produced in that region. Having visited the Willamette Valley on several occasions, I can say with confidence that the wines coming from the Columbia Gorge AVA rival some of the best Willamette Valley wines. But what sets the Gorge apart from the Willamette Valley is the diversity of wine styles being produced in a relatively small geographical area.

The Columbia Gorge AVA was established in 2004 and is home to approximately 50 boutique wineries and a diverse collection of grape varietals.

It spans 40 miles from east to west along the Hood River and occupies land in both Oregon and Washington. The western side of the AVA, situated at the base of the Cascade mountain range, features grapes like Riesling and Pinot Noir. These grapes thrive in the cooler climate facilitated by plentiful rainfall and elevation. On the eastern side of the AVA, the landscape becomes warmer and more desert-like, lending itself well to warm-region varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon. The climatic variation and the variety of grapes grown in this region is astounding!

Map of the Columbia Gorge AVA region. — Map courtesy of Gorge Wine Visitors Guide. Click the image to view the full guide online.

Before this trip, I knew very little about the Colombia Gorge AVA. The region is comprised almost exclusively of small production wineries (which I love!) that operate alongside other agricultural enterprises. Apple and pear orchards populate much of the landscape at the base of Mt. Hood just south of the Hood River. One-lane roads lead you throughout the valley, and views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams fill the skyline. The beauty of the region is complimented by the friendly, down-to-earth nature of the people who live there.

Pinot Noir vines at Phelps Creek vineyard. — This portion of the Phelps Creek Vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir vines.

My journey to Columbia Gorge AVA began from Eugene, Oregon, where I had been staying during the 2021 Wine Media Conference.

We were picked up by Martin from Martin’s Gorge Tours, a local tour company specializing in excursions in the Columbia River Gorge. Martin was so kind and knowledgeable, and shared history and fun facts about the region throughout our journey. I highly recommend booking a tour with Martin if you find yourself in the Columbia River Gorge. His tours focus on all things nature, wine, cider, beer, hiking, and more!

Martin's Gorge Tour shuttle — Our luxurious shuttle for our tour through the Gorge wine region!

Our first stop on our tour of the Gorge wine region was at nearly 6,000 feet elevation.

We were shuttled to the intersection of the Pacific Crest Trail and the Mt. Hood Visitor Center at the base of Mt. Hood. We were greeted by Bob Morus, winegrower and president of Phelps Creek Vineyard (and outstanding chef, if I may say so myself), who toured us around the Visitor Center and taught us about some of the history of the area. The Visitor Center is home to the Timberline Lodge and boasts spectacular views of Mt. Hood and the valley below it.

Hikers entering the Timberline Lodge — You’ll see tons of hikers making their way to the Timberline Lodge if you visit. The building itself has lots of historical significance. FDR’s New Deal helped fund the construction of the building, and the Lodge is now part of the Historic Hotels of America. Plus, “The Shining” was filmed here!

Hiker reloading backpack in the Lodge. — A PCT hiker reloads his backpack with food and supplies before continuing his journey. When we spoke to him he still had about a month of hiking ahead of him!

View of Mt. Hood from the Lodge. — Visitors to the Lodge can enjoy stunning views and a game of corn hole during their stay. Sadly, this is the smallest amount of snow ever recorded on Mt. Hood. While the mountain used to remain open year-round for snow sports, the lifts closed earlier this year than ever before.

After our Lodge tour, Bob hopped in the van with us, donned a mic, and offered us each a delicious—and I mean dee-licious—homemade roasted veggie sandwich with fresh cherries. All of the produce was grown just down the road in the Mt. Hood River Valley and purchased at the local farmers market. Bob chatted with us about the Mt. Hood area, his winery, and his previous career as an airline pilot as we drove to a nearby park for a tasting of Oregon sparkling wines (more on that in my next post!).

Bob distributing packed lunches for everyone — Bob Morus, along with one of his interns, distributing our lunches before our ride to our sparkling wine tasting.

Roasted veggie sandwich — The roasted veggie sandwich prepared by Bob. It was a perfect lunch on the road!

Bob Morus is a champion of the Columbia Gorge AVA.

He represents the region as one of the Directors of the Oregon Wine Board. Bob explained that boutique wineries make up the significant majority of wine business in the area, with most producing about 5,000 cases on average annually. (For comparison, many of the “big brands” you will find in your grocery store produce hundreds of thousands of cases per year). Most wineries in the Columbia Gorge AVA don’t distribute widely, so they depend on direct to consumer sales to make ends meet and bring awareness to the region.

Stave and Stone vineyard and view of Mt. Adams — Stave and Stone vineyard in Mt. Hood, Oregon. This photo is looking north toward Mt. Adams in Washington.

What I learned throughout the course of my visit is that there is a wine for everyone in the Columbia Gorge AVA. The Willamette Valley tends to be saturated with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (which I love, don’t get me wrong), but there is a much wider range of wine varietals and styles in the Gorge wine region which really makes this AVA stand out.

My upcoming posts will feature some of the people, places, wine, and food that made my experience in the Columbia Gorge unforgettable. Stay tuned to learn about the sparkling wine industry in Oregon, boutique wineries offering a wide range of outstanding quality wines, and the dinner experience that I will never forget, hosted by chef and winegrower extraordinaire Bob Morus of Phelps Creek Vineyard.

In the meantime, put the Gorge wine region on your map. This undiscovered region is only an hour’s drive from Portland and has wine for every palate.

Here are my recommendations for accommodations, transportation, and tasting room visits during your stay.

Accommodations: Best Western Plus Hood River Inn

Transportation: Martin’s Gorge Tours

Tasting Rooms:

Phelps Creek Vineyards: Estate grown, high quality Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, & Pinot Gris
Cathedral Ridge Winery: Home to big, bold Oregon red wines, signature blends, and delicious whites
Viento Wines: A pioneer of the Gorge wine region known for Pinot Noir, Riesling, and sparkling wines
Mt. Hood Winery: Featuring a broad selection of wines, including an award-winning sparkling wine
Stave & Stone Wine Estates: “Wines with Personality”, accompanied by spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams from the tasting room
Wy’East Vineyards: Estate-grown wines for every palate, from single varietals to blends
Peter Cushman Wines: Third-generation wine maker whose passion exudes from his top-quality, small production wines

Mountain Rambler Brewery: Off the Beaten Brewery Path

Posted on February 6, 2020 by caitlin

One of my favorite places in the world is the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, where we found ourselves camping a couple weekends ago. We’ve driven up Highway 395 dozens of times, and have passed a little brewery on the side of the road in Bishop, California called Mountain Rambler Brewery, but have never been able to stop in. But this time we finally made it happen and it did not disappoint, which is why it’s my latest Sip of the Week!

Beer on table looking toward highway 395. — After a weekend of camping and a short hike that morning, this beer at Mountain Rambler Brewery absolutely hit the spot!

If you’ve never driven up Highway 395 from the Los Angeles area toward Mammoth, Reno, and eventually Oregon, let me paint a picture for you.

After about an hour on the road, you hit the Mojave dessert. Aside from the occasional gas station, it’s a pretty barren (and beautiful) place. Continue north from there and you’ll find a few small towns running along the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains before you run into Mammoth Lakes a few hundred miles later. Each of these little towns have distinct personalities, featuring old-school post offices, tiny little cafes, and quirky shops along a main drag that distances a mile at most. I’ve highlighted a few of the hole-in-the-wall spots we’ve seen or experienced below.

Campsite and truck with sierra nevada mountains in the background — We camped near Mammoth Lakes during this trip. Here is the little campsite we set up just in time to enjoy a spectacular sunset show!

Caitlin sipping coffee with the mountains in the background. — The mountains along the eastern Sierras seem to change by the minute based on the clouds, sun, storms, and light cast upon them. We enjoyed the view as we sipped our coffee in the morning!

Hot springs near Mammoth Lakes — Just a couple miles from our campsite, we stumbled upon this geological area of hot springs and geysers. Unfortunately a storm hit us right as we embarked on our hike to see this spectacular site. Nonetheless, it was a great little find and I can’t wait to go back when the weather is nice to see those colorful water features lit up in a while different way!

But first, let’s highlight THE beer stop of Highway 395: Mountain Rambler Brewery!

In the heart of Bishop, California, situated right on Highway 395, Mountain Rambler Brewery is a fairly discreet brewery whose service and quality is anything but. If you’re lucky to catch a glimpse of the brewery from the main road, you’ll see a simple outdoor patio, probably with some patrons and a few dogs hanging around if the weather is nice. I love a brewery that’s dog friendly (and so does Oakley!).

Exterior of Mountain Rambler Brewery — The exterior of Mountain Rambler Brewery. Had it been a few degrees warmer, I think that patio would have been packed!

Tucker and Oakley at Mountain Rambler Brewery — We grabbed a seat on the sunny patio so Oakley could join us. He was happy to be included in the fun!

When we first arrived at Mountain Rambler Brewery, I was expecting a refreshing sip of beer that would hit the spot mid-road trip, but I wasn’t necessarily thinking it would be something to write home about. Boy, was I wrong!

I grabbed a pint of Shieldback IPA and Tucker grabbed a Peaklet Porter and both were absolutely delicious. The Shieldback IPA was clear, hop-forward, and full of crisp flavors. The Peaklet Porter was smooth and well-rounded, with the perfect malty backbone and vibrant taste that left it feeling refreshing rather than heavy. Two very different styles of beer, but both got A+’s in our book.

Two beers on the patio table at Mountain Rambler Brewery — The Shieldback IPA and the Peaklet Porter waiting to be sipped!

I was impressed by the variety of beer styles offered at Mountain Rambler Brewery. They had a little bit of everything, which left me excited to come back and try more styles (and bring a growler to fill next time, too!). One that’s high on my “must try” list is their Seven Gables Scottish Ale, which is award-winning. Mountain Rambler’s mission is to bring “world class craft beer to Bishop”, and it is clear that they are succeeding in this endeavor.

Beer menu at Mountain Rambler Brewery — Here’s a snapshot of what Mountain Rambler Brewery was pouring during our visit a couple weeks ago. As you can see, many different beer styles are represented on their menu!

Mountain Rambler Brewery also has a restaurant on-site, making it the perfect place for a mealtime stop.

Tucker indulged in a burger, and I enjoyed a jerk chicken sandwich for lunch. The sweet potato fries on the side were to-die-for, too! The cozy interior of Mountain Rambler Brewery is adorned with cultural and historical relics of Bishop, including Pacific Crest Trail signs (it runs right along the Sierra Nevada mountain range!), arts and crafts with Native American influence, and long picnic tables for guests to share, conversate over, and cheers around.

The interior of Mountain Rambler Brewery — The brewery was busy with patrons when we arrived for an early lunch…or so I thought. When we left an hour later, the line at the front was all the way to the back door! Needless to say, Mountain Rambler Brewery is a popular place.

Needless to say, what I thought might be a one-time, ‘check off the list’ stop along Highway 395 quickly became a must-stop location for every future camping trip up 395. Bravo, Mountain Rambler Brewery! We can’t wait to be back again soon.

Oakley tired after a road trip — Oakley was exhausted after a weekend running through the snow, long car rides, and a brewery visit. He made himself quite comfy as we ventured home!

If you find yourself driving along 395, there are some additional roadside gems that can’t be missed:

Olancha, California

Gus’s Fresh Jerky: the strangest little roadside shop that always seems to be open and is known for some great homemade jerky. If you can’t buy it directly from the shop, the Mobil gas station across the street also sells it.

Lone Pine, California

Alabama Hills Café: Alabama Hills is a picturesque, overly-popular camping area at the base of Mt. Whitney (the highest peak in the continental United States!). Unfortunately we tend to avoid Alabama Hills altogether these days due to the crowds, but a quick stop at Alabama Hills Café for breakfast along the drive is never a bad idea. This place also gets crowded, but it’s worth the wait.

Big Pine, California

Copper Top BBQ: I’ve yet to check this place off my list, but the tiny shack right on 395 features several smokers out front and lines around the block of people waiting to get their hands on whatever is cooking that day. It smells amazing when you drive by, and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews.

Bishop, California

Erik Schat’s Bakery: Home of the original sheepherder bread and with roots tying back to the gold rush era, this European-style bakery is a staple of Bishop. I’ve yet to check some sheepherder bread off my list, but this will definitely be a stop on our next 395 trip!

Did you enjoy this Sip of the Week? Let me know in the comments below, or share on social media!

Bells Up Micro-Boutique Winery in Willamette Valley, Oregon

Posted on July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 by caitlin

Sometimes, when I’m swamped in the woes of reality, I gaze off into the distance and wonder what it would be like to just make wine for a living…anyone else with me? For Dave and Sara Specter of Bells Up Winery, they took that dream and made it into a reality. From making wine in their bathtub in the Midwest to purchasing land in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, they are the definition of entrepreneurs, risk-takers, and dream-followers.

Dave and Sara Specter at Bells Up Winery — Dave and Sara Specter, owners, winemaker (Dave), “Money Honey/Chief Marketing Officer” (Sara), and overall visionaries for Bells Up Winery.

Bells Up Winery was another stop during my visit to the Willamette Valley in May (you can check out some of my other stops here and here), and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Dave and Sara for a fun, casual wine tasting on the patio at their winery. Dave and Sara’s vivacious storytelling was the perfect backdrop for enjoying Bells Up wine. As I listened to their anecdotes, I witnessed first-hand the qualities that have allowed Dave and Sara to be successful in pursuing this winemaking dream of theirs: resilience, humility, perspective, and appreciation for the little things in life.

Like so many, Dave and Sara had previously lived a life that was dictated by the demands of corporate America. Their life in the Midwest felt unbalanced, exhausting, and it was taking a physical and emotional toll on them. Naturally, Dave and Sara began to examine the pieces of their life that brought happiness and fulfillment.

Dave had taken up the hobby of winemaking over the years as an escape from the demands of his career. It all started with one box of kit wine on Dave and Sara’s five-year anniversary. The small operation continued to grow, and soon Dave became known for his wine throughout the neighborhood. Friends came over to partake in his experiments, and, yes, he really was fermenting wine in the bathtub. Dave even entered his wine into amateur wine competitions and won, twice! Sara, realizing that Dave’s hobby was turning into a calling, suggested they take a leap of faith and move to Newberg, Oregon to open their own winery. They uprooted their family and settled on a property in the Willamette Valley in 2012, subsequently opening Bells Up Winery the following year. Their first wines were released on Memorial Day 2015.

View of the Bells Up vineyard. — Overlooking the Bells Up vineyard. Quite literally, these vines are the fruits of Dave and Sara’s labor!

A first glimpse at the Bells Up website summarizes the drastic shift in perspective, lifestyle, and priorities that Dave and Sara experienced. A quote by Confucius scrolls across the screen reading, “We all have two lives, and the second begins the moment we realize we only have one.”

"We all have two lives, and the second begins the moment we realize we only get one." -Confucius — If that doesn’t make you question everything about your life, I don’t know what will!

You may be wondering the origin of the Bells Up name. I know I was before my visit!

Its meaning is twofold: first, it refers to the winery’s location on Bell Road. Second, and perhaps more important, it refers to Dave’s 20-years as a French horn player. The term “bells up” refers to a dramatic moment in classical music where the horns are turned upward to produce sound with the utmost intensity. In listening to these musical moments, the sound, energy, and excitement of this crescendo fills your soul. Dave refers to the creation of Bells Up Winery as his personal #bellsupmoment.

The French horn is the centerpiece of the Bells Up logo!

Dave and Sara have taken the Bells Up theme a step further, naming each of their wines in honor of a piece of classical music that surely mimics the bottle’s personality. Here’s a summary of the wines we tasted:

2018 Helios Estate Seyval Blanc, named from Carl Nielsen’s “Helios Overture, Opus 18”

This is the first and only Seyval Blanc produced in the Willamette Valley, and only the second in the state of Oregon! This vibrant white wine is acid-driven and shares many of the same characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc. The Seyval Blanc is bold, unique, and can hold up to food pairings. It’s a rare varietal and is definitely worth trying!

2018 Rhapsody Pinot Blanc, named for George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”

Full of melon and citrus flavors, this full-bodied white wine has balanced acid and velvety texture. Aged in stainless steel, this wine offers a clean aroma and sharp finish on the palate. A refreshing sip on a hot day or perfect dinner pairing.

2018 Prelude Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, named for Franz Liszt’s “Symphonic Poem No. 3: Les Preludes”

Glass of rose overlooking the vineyard — First impressions are everything, and the color of this Rosé once it hit my glass was outstanding. The flavor didn’t disappoint either! Check out the Bells Up blog that features my review of this wine!

The vibrant color of this Rosé is worth a thousand words of its own, and the flavor stands out as well. The Prelude Rosé is aged for 6 months in neutral French oak, giving it an earthy backbone. It features flavors of fresh berries and subtle spice as well. An absolute standout.

2016 Titan Pinot Noir, named for Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan”

Perhaps my favorite of the lineup, this Pinot Noir has perfectly balanced tannins, hints of spice, and ripe berry aromas. Dave described 2016 as a perfect year for Pinot Noir…even as a young wine, the Titan is perfectly balanced. We couldn’t resist taking a bottle of this wine back to California.

2017 Candide Reserve Pinot Noir, named for Leonard Bernstein’s Operetta, “Candide”

Aromas of tobacco and strong spice flavors make this a promising Pinot. This is a perfect wine for ageing, as its nuanced flavors will begin to shine more over time. With that said, it is a perfect representation of the minute details that the Willamette Valley soils can produce in the Pinot Noir grapes.

2017 Firebird Walla Walla Valley Syrah, named for Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite”

While not grown in the Willamette Valley, this Syrah was still a standout in the lineup. The Firebird showcases a deep purple color, full body, and mild tannins. It is aged for 12 months in oak, and is a “bigger” wine than the Pinots. It was a treat to see another wine region represented in the Bells Up lineup, particularly one as outstanding as the Walla Walla Valley. We snuck a bottle of the Firebird back to California, too!

While each of these six Bells Up wines were very different from one another, it was clear that Dave maintains a consistent approach in his winemaking style. Each wine was like a chapter from a book: each “chapter” taught you something and provided context, which allowed you to appreciate the next wine even more. Altogether, they created a beautiful story that spoke of tenacity, passion, and the hopeless romance of following a dream.

Caitlin photographing a glass of Rosé at Bells Up Winery. — Behind the scenes…the making of a blog post!

Opening a winery is no small undertaking, but Dave and Sara make it look easy. Their micro-boutique winery is fueled by passion for the art of winemaking and the desire to serve others. In just a few short years since their opening, they have continued to hone in on their personal winemaking style, have expanded their production (though they will both say they have no intention of becoming a large-production winery), and have built countless relationships with customers who walk through their doors.

View of the Bells Up winery and property — This is the view of the Bells Up property from the bottom of the hill. The winery is the building on the right, and the patio faces outward to overlook the vineyard. Wild poppies litter the parts of the field that have yet to be planted with vines. It’s beautiful!

Each tasting at Bells Up is by appointment, and that’s by design.

Getting to know their clientele is a central part of Dave and Sara’s mission. Dave and Sara also make wine tasting approachable by incorporating simple wine education into their tastings. In their words, “There are no wine snobs at Bells Up!” Instead, every customer is made to feel as though they are part of the family in a casual, completely unintimidating environment. You are free to sit back, relax, and sip on some fantastic wine as laughter, storytelling, and classical music fill the air.

Caitlin speaking with Dave and Sara at Bells Up in the barrel room. — When you enter Bells Up Winery, you’re welcomed into an open barrel room with art adorning the walls and a patio that overlooks the vineyard. No frills, and absolutely perfect.

Bells Up Winery ships wine direct to consumer throughout the United States. Orders are accepted by phone or email. Check out the Bells Up website for more information on each of their wines, or, better yet, just pay Dave and Sara a visit! They are delightful company, and a day drinking Bells Up wine is a day very well-spent.

Caitlin and Tucker in front of the Bells Up vineyard. — We had such a great time visiting Bells Up Winery. Cheers, Dave and Sara! Thanks for your hospitality and for sharing your fabulous wines. We hope to be back again soon!

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Youngberg Hill: The Ideal Getaway in Willamette Valley Wine Country

Posted on July 12, 2019 by caitlin

Wine country is my happy place. It’s my place to relax, recharge, and completely submerse myself in the artistry of winemaking.

I was fortunate enough to make a visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley for a wine country escape this past May. If you aren’t familiar with the Willamette Valley, it is known for producing some of the most outstanding cool-climate Pinot Noir (you can check out my blog post all about it here). It was my first time visiting the Willamette Valley, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to evaluate these Pinots for myself.

Vineyards and rolling hills in the Willamette Valley. — Sweeping views over the vineyards and rolling hills of the Willamette Valley, home of cool-climate Pinot Noir.

Tucker and I boarded our only half-full flight from Burbank, California early on a Tuesday morning and began our journey to Oregon. (Half-full flight?! That’s the best way to start any vacay in my opinion!) We landed at Portland International Airport (or PDX as the locals call it), rented a car, and within an hour our landscape changed from concrete city, to forested highway, to grapevines as far as the eye could see.

Our accommodations for the week were at Youngberg Hill, a picturesque lodge rested on a hilltop with a 360-degree view the Youngberg Hill vineyard below, and the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley in the distance. The word “stunning” comes to mind, but still doesn’t seem like a big enough word to describe the tranquility and beauty of this location.

The road leading up to Youngberg Hill, perched on the hill above. — The road leading up to Youngberg Hill. The inn and tasting room is perched on the hill above.

We parked our car and unloaded our bags. I hesitantly twisted the door knob of the giant wooden door to peek inside, only to be greeted enthusiastically by Becky, the innkeeper at Youngberg Hill. “Welcome!” she exclaimed, and we immediately felt at home.

We were first given a tour of the Youngberg Hill lodge. Behind every corner was a seating area, tasting room, dining area, or access to the wrap-around deck. Adorned with traditional furnishings, photographs of the vineyard, and bottles of wine, this place was clearly built with relaxation (and wine drinking) in mind. Becky ushered us up the stairs to our second-floor room, The Jura Suite. We were in heaven.

Sitting area at Youngberg Hill. — This warm and cozy sitting area is one the many places you are free to explore as a guest at the inn. It’s encouraged to sip a glass or two of wine wherever you please! Sweeping views outside of the french doors make this location a perfect retreat.

A picture of the Youngberg Hill tasting room — A snapshot of the tasting room at Youngberg Hill, though you may be given the option to go through a tasting in a room of your choosing!

Our king suite featured panoramic views of the Willamette Valley, including Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson. A sitting area with a wine-barrel table made for the perfect, private place to enjoy a glass of wine and soak in the view. For when the sun set, our room was complete with a jacuzzi tub, double rain shower, fireplace, and an oh-so-comfortable king bed. The decorative details of the room (and the view of the vineyards) were subtle reminders of our location in wine country. All in all, this suite was an oasis.

The Jura Suite at Youngberg Hill with picturesque views of the Willamette Valley. Photo courtesy of Youngberg Hill.

The sitting area in the Jura Suite at Youngberg Hill, complete with a wine barrel table. Did you notice the barrel stave headboard, too? Photo courtesy of Youngberg Hill.

The jacuzzi tub and see-through fireplace at Youngberg Hill's Jura Suite. — The jacuzzi tub and see-through fireplace at Youngberg Hill’s Jura Suite. The perfect way to end an evening. Photo courtesy of Youngberg Hill.

After regrouping (and shamelessly Instagram-ing the perfection that is Youngberg Hill), we made our way back downstairs to the wrap-around deck for a private wine tasting with Wayne Bailey, Youngberg Hill’s owner and winemaker. Wayne took us through a series of six wines, starting with his Pinot Gris, Rosé of Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, and finishing off with three Pinot Noirs: the Cuvée, the Natasha, and the Jordan.

Caitlin sitting on the Youngberg Hill deck. — Enjoying the views on the giant, wrap-around deck at Youngberg Hill before our tasting. It was a beautiful day in the Willamette Valley!

It’s no secret that Youngberg Hill is known for its spectacular location and accommodations, but let me be the first to tell you that it deserves to be equally praised for its spectacular wines. Each wine we tasted was distinctly different from the next, and all of them shone in their own right. After going through the entire lineup, I can honestly say I would happily purchase bottles of every single wine we tried (and I don’t often say that after a tasting). I was blown away by the quality and artistry that Wayne managed to capture in each and every bottle.

A selection of Youngberg Hill wines with medals — A selection of Youngberg Hill reds, adorned with awards.

Dozens of bottles of wine from Youngberg Hill. — There are many more Youngberg Hill wines that what we were able to try during our visit, which means we just have to make another trip back to try the rest!

My favorite part of the tasting with Wayne (aside from the amazing wine), was talking with him about his farming practices. Wayne subscribes to the principles of biodynamic farming, something I am particularly interested in as a wine blogger and consumer. Wayne considers himself a non-interventionalist, and does his best to tend to the vines without getting in their way. He is committed to doing the “right” thing for his vineyard versus taking the easy way out during the growing, harvesting, and winemaking process. This is the reason Youngberg Hill’s wines stand out among others.

Caitlin and Wayne on the deck at Youngberg Hill during wine tasting. — Chatting with Wayne and writing some tasting notes as we tasted our way through Youngberg Hill’s wines.

As Wayne described his wines and the vineyard blocks they came from during our tasting, it became clear that family is the root of the operation at Youngberg Hill.

The Bailey Family on a tractor in the vineyard. — The Bailey Family in the vineyard. Photo courtesy of Youngberg Hill.

Vineyard blocks are named after Wayne’s three daughters, Natasha, Jordan, and Aspen, and Wayne works to build the Youngberg Hill reputation with his daughters’ future in mind. Wayne lovingly described the characteristics of the wines he poured for us, comparing the vivacity, complexity, and expression of individual wines to the personalities of the Bailey girls. Wayne went on to provide an analogy for his winemaking approach, comparing the process of creating wine to the experience of raising children. In Wayne’s words, bud break is conception, and you nurse the buds along until harvest. Harvest is the crescendo, the birth of the wine. From there, your role is to help the wine become the best expression of itself with minimal intervention and maximum attention, support, and guidance.

A photo of bud break on a Youngberg Hill vine. — We happened to visit Youngberg Hill during bud break (or the conception of the wine, in Wayne’s words), where tiny clusters of grapes are just beginning to form on the vines. If you look closely, you can see one here!

We wrapped up our tasting with Wayne and took a glass of Wayne’s so-called “quaffing wine”, the Cuvée, to the other side of the deck. We watched the sun fade away while sipping on this beautiful wine, now complete with a backbone of stories, history, perspective, and approach. That’s what wine is: a story. Wine is rich in science, artistry, and history. Every single bottle is filled with context. Experiences like our tasting with Wayne richen the context of the bottle and allow you to appreciate the trials, tribulations, and virtuous successes that go into producing such a unique combination of flavors.

A glass of Youngberg Hill Cuvée on the deck overlooking the vineyard. It was served to us in 30th Anniversary glasses to commemorate the vineyard’s milestone year.

We finished our first evening in the Willamette Valley with a dinner out in the town of McMinnville at Thistle, a farm-to-table Americana restaurant with fabulous food and a great drink list to go alongside. Tucker and I both enjoyed the roasted quail with morel mushrooms. Tucker sipped a local IPA with it, and I enjoyed a glass of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. With happy stomachs, we moseyed back through the winding valley roads to Youngberg Hill to turn in for the night.

Two plates of quail from Thistle restaurant in McMinnville. — A snapshot of our meal at Thistle. The quail was cooked to perfection and paired perfectly with our sips!

The next morning, we awoke to spectacular vineyard views illuminated by the soft glow of sunrise. The faint noise of a tractor hummed in the distance, and we eagerly made our way downstairs to enjoy a cup of coffee on the wrap-around deck. It wasn’t long after pouring ourselves a cup-o-joe that we realized the individual driving the tractor was Wayne himself! He casually wove between each row of vines, cutting cover crop and inspecting the bud break.

Wayne on his tractor in the vineyard. — Wayne, in his tractor, maintaining his many acres of vineyard early in the morning.

Coffee mug that reads "shhh...there's wine in here", with Willamette Valley in the background. — My favorite part of having my morning coffee was enjoying it in this mug.

“Good morning!” rang a happy call from the kitchen, and Becky emerged with her beaming smile to welcome us to the day. We had been told that we would receive breakfast in the morning, but had no idea what Becky had in store. The first day we were presented with fresh orange juice, a yogurt parfait with homemade granola and candied lemon (served in a wine glass of course), and lemon ricotta French toast. De-lish. Our second morning at Youngberg Hill, Becky outdid herself once again serving us homemade cranberry and black pepper muffins (sounds a little strange, but they are my new obsession), fresh fruit, and Cornish baked eggs with bacon. These two breakfasts truly went down in the books as some of the best I’ve ever had. We quickly learned that Becky was not only the innkeeper, but an outstanding chef. We left our meals each day with full stomachs, ready for another day of wine tasting.

Birds eye view of breakfast assortment. — Becky’s yogurt parfait served in a wine glass, the first course of our breakfast on our first morning at Youngberg Hill.

Photo of lemon ricotta french toast — Stuffed Lemon Ricotta French Toast, garnished with candied lemon peel and served alongside breakfast sausage. All courtesy of Chef Becky!

Photo of breakfast table at Youngberg Inn. — One morning breakfast was served at one large table for all Youngberg Hill guests to enjoy together. It was so fun getting to know the others at the inn and enjoying Becky’s delicious cranberry black pepper muffins with them.

Cornish baked eggs for breakfast. — The showstopper breakfast was most definitely these Cornish baked eggs, garnished with chives (plus chive flowers and rosemary from the garden) as well as some perfectly cooked bacon. Becky nailed this one. Amazing!

As we experienced more of the Willamette Valley in the coming days, it was always delightful to retreat back to Youngberg Hill each evening. Our experience on the property was comfortable, luxurious, and relaxing. To find a location like Youngberg Hill is a treat, but to know that the family behind the operation is focused on pursuing their passion and doing things the right way makes the experience that much more fulfilling.

Caitlin walking through the vineyard and observing bud break early in the morning. — On our last morning at Youngberg Hill, we snuck away before breakfast to walk through the vineyard and see the vines up close. Guests at Youngberg Hill and are given an “up close and personal” view of the winemaking process, starting with the ability to wander the property and discover all it has to offer.

On our last day, we reluctantly checked out of our room (after extensively brainstorming all possibilities of running away from reality and staying at Youngberg Hill forever), purchased a couple bottles of wine to bring back to California (the Rosé of Pinot Noir and the Natasha, to be specific), and made a promise that we would be back again to visit again in the future.

Caitlin sitting on the swing under the oak tree at Youngberg Hill. — Another little piece of magic at Youngberg Hill is this swing hanging under a giant oak tree. It is at the highest-most point of the property and overlooks the vineyard, inn, and Willamette Valley in the distance. It was a treat to soak in the views from this spot.

There’s something for everyone in the Willamette Valley, whether it is leisurely wine tasting, biking through the rolling hills, hiking, dining, shopping, or visiting local farmers markets. Youngberg Hill is in the heart of it all and makes for a beautiful and immersive retreat. If you’re interested in experiencing Youngberg Hill for yourself, check out these links below. Keep scrolling for my tasting notes on each wine, too!

Click Here to learn about Lodging.

The Jura Suite at Youngberg Hill. — Click the photo to learn about the accommodations at Youngberg Hill.

Click Here to browse the Youngberg Hill wine selection (they ship direct to consumer!).

Click the photo to browse Youngberg Hill’s wine selection.

Click Here to learn more about the vineyard, winery, and winemaking philosophy.

Wayne driving a tractor through the Youngberg Hill vineyard. — Click the photo to learn more about Youngberg Hill’s philosophy and practices.

For those interested in purchasing Youngberg Hill wine, here are my tasting notes to steer you in the right direction:

2018 Aspen Pinot Gris

If you enjoy a clean, crisp, full-bodied white wine, the Pinot Gris is for you. It is aged in stainless steel and residual sugars are left in the wine, leading it to change slightly year-to-year. It features flavors of tropical fruit and is the perfect summer wine. This Pinot Gris is grown in the Aspen Block at Youngberg Hill, named affectionately after Wayne’s youngest daughter.

2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir

This Rosé is “made with purpose”, according to Wayne. It’s definitely not your typical acid-driven, mouth-puckering Rosé. This wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes, is pressed on the grape skins for 24-hours giving it the bright pink hue, and is fermented in neutral oak. The Rosé of Pinot Noir leaves you with a slight hint of oak on the nose and a soft buttery texture as you sip. This Rosé is great for pairing with food or enjoying on its own. (This was one of the bottles we purchased to share with friends!)

Bottle of Youngberg Hill Rosé alongside a glass. — Our taster of Youngberg Hill Rosé of Pinot Noir. A beautiful, well-balanced Rosé that I would happily drink any day.

2016 Chardonnay

Sourced from the Aspen Block, this Chardonnay is a standout wine in the Youngberg Hill lineup. It features a light oak flavor (due to fermentation in ½ neutral and ½ 1-use barrel oak) giving it a signature Chardonnay flavor, but balances out with the perfect amount of acidity and slightly herbal quality. This wine is what many other Chardonnays try to be, but few achieve. Pull this wine out at your next seafood dinner and you won’t be disappointed.

2016 Cuvée Pinot Noir

In Wayne’s words, this is his “quaffing” wine: something you can enjoy without thinking about; something you can pair with food, or sip all on its own. It’s an all-around great wine, blended from Pinot Noir Dijon 777 clone grapes at three separate vineyards. It features an aroma of ripe strawberry and a beautiful dark plum color. The Cuvée’s soft tannins and light acidity make it a perfect pairing for any meal or occasion. It’s a crowd pleaser!

A glass of Cuvée with the stunning view of the Willamette Valley in the background. It doesn’t get much more perfect than this.

2015 Natasha Pinot Noir

The Natasha Block of Pinot Noir, named once again after one of Wayne’s daughters, is celebrating its 30^th birthday with this bottle of 2015 Pinot Noir. The age of the vines shows at first sip, featuring the most body, structure, and tannin than any of the other wines in the lineup. On the nose you smell ripe berry and chocolate, making it a luxurious choice of wine. And don’t be fooled by the Pinot Noir varietal, this wine could easily hold up to a steak. (This was one of the bottles I flew home with me!)

2015 Jordan Pinot Noir

Sourced from vines planted almost 30-years ago, the Jordan Pinot Noir (named, again, after one of Wayne’s daughters) is all about terroir. The grapes from the Jordan Block of the vineyard have the exact same chemical structure as the grapes from the Natasha Block. However, the wines are completely different. An average two-degree cooler temperature in the Jordan Block of the vineyard, plus grapes left on the vine for approximately 1-2 weeks longer than those in the Natasha Block, creates a more refined tannin structure in the Jordan Pinot Noir. The Jordan also features slightly higher acidity and more earthy flavors. A true aficionado will enjoy putting the Natasha and the Jordan side-by-side for comparison to learn about the intricacies of each wine.

The Jordan Block at the Youngberg Hill vineyard, where the magic of this wine all begins. Nearly 30-years old, this block of grapevines is producing great terroir and outstanding flavors in its wines.

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Sip (and Travel Tip) of the Week: Kern River Brewing’s Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA

Posted on April 17, 2019April 30, 2019 by caitlin

One of my favorite breweries is located way off the beaten path for many, tucked away in the mountains in Kernville, California. Despite its remote location, their quality beers have put Kern River Brewing Company on the map. And one of my favorite beers is the Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA.

A pint of Kern River Brewing beer on their outdoor patio. — Check out this pint of Kern River Brewing’s Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA, poured fresh at Kern River Brewing Company. This photo was taken during a visit out there last spring. This went down nicely on a warm day!

Kernville is an adventure-lover’s paradise.

The destination sports everything from camping and boating at Lake Isabella, to white water rafting along the Kern River. You can fill your days with hiking in the mountains or hiking to Kern River Brewing Company, whichever you prefer.

Caitlin and Oakley at the shore of Lake Isabella. — You can also fill your days running through the water with a goldendoodle!

Tucker and I have camped at Lake Isabella a few times and love the tranquility of the area.

During the winter and spring, the hillsides are filled with vibrant green grass and wildflowers, which make for stunning views wherever you look. Sadly, the many years of California drought took a toll on the lake’s water levels over the past several years, which have limited lake usage as a result. Recent rains in 2019 have helped the situation, but vistas overlooking the dry lakebed really tell the story of how nature has responded to the water shortage.

Caitlin overlooking Lake Isabella — This photo shows the dry lakebed in the distance. But the hills around it were beautiful and green on this visit!

A great stop in Kernville, which is the small town where the brewery and other local businesses are situated, is the Kern Valley Museum. Now, I’m not one for reading every historical sign when I frequent museums, but the depictions of history showcased at this small-but-mighty museum make it one of my favorite museum experiences to date. From Native American artifacts to gold-mining tools, it’s difficult to describe the amount of history that this small California location holds. Oh yeah, in case you don’t know, the gold rush is what first put Kernville on the map!

While there’s not much gold metal left in the ground these days, there’s a liquid-form of gold being churned out at Kern River Brewing Company. Without further ado, let’s talk sips!

Can of Shuttle Bunny IPA poured into a glass. — My most recent pour of Kern River Brewing beer, this time out of a can (but still excellent!).

The Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA is a go-to of mine when I visit Kern River Brewing Company. I think this brewery excels in creating well-balanced, hop-forward brews, and the Shuttle Bunny is no exception. The name is also pretty catchy, too.

Speaking of name, all of Kern River Brewing’s beers are named in honor of a Kern Valley site, experience, or tradition.

For example, the can River Buddy Pale Ale shows a hop in an inner-tube floating down the Kern River! But if you’re like me, you may be wondering what the heck a shuttle bunny is… fear not! The Shuttle Bunny beer can explains that a shuttle bunny is a term for someone who transports adventurers, like bikers, boaters, or river floaters, to the starting point of their activity, and then picks them up again at the end (preferably with cold beer in tow). Shuttle bunnies are essential for some good Kern River rafting!

Can of shuttle bunny ipa. — The can’s shuttle bunny is an actual bunny, so that’s pretty cool.

The Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA is packed with fruit-forward flavors, and balanced with a strong hop profile. It’s a well-rounded beer suitable for any IPA lover that likes their hops served with hints of citrus and tropical fruit. The Shuttle Bunny was brewed as Kern River Brewing’s 8^th Anniversary beer, and is a great drink choice on tap, in a growler fill, or even from the can. Every time I sip it I’m reminded of just how stellar of a beer the Shuttle Bunny is!

Glass of Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA from Kern River Brewing Company. — The Shuttle Bunny Double White IPA is also slightly cloudy when poured into a glass, and has a citrus-y and fruity fragrance from the first drop!

Now, I can’t write about Kern River Brewing Company without talking about their most pure form of gold for at least a moment: the Citra Double IPA.

This beer is in such high demand that it can only be consumed and purchased at the brewery. It’s made once every year (around spring time) and it’s sold like hotcakes from the second it’s released. I’ve been lucky enough to have a few pints of Citra in my time, and, in my opinion, it’s worth a drive to Kernville just for that.

Caitlin, Tucker, and a group of friends at Kern River Brewing Company. — Many of us made a stop at Kern River Brewing Company during a camping trip last spring. We need to start planning our camping trips in the area around Citra season!

Flavor-wise, the Citra is a dry-hopped beer with lots of citrus and fruit flavors. It runs at 8% ABV, and took home a gold medal in the Imperial IPA category at the Great American Beer Festival in 2011. I wasn’t kidding when I said this is Kern River Brewing Company’s most pure form of gold! Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to snatch one up this season before it’s tapped out…

So, my travel tip for this week is to make a visit to Kernville, California for some epic sips from Kern River Brewing Company. P.S. The brewery is known for having some GREAT food, too!

Oakley sitting at the edge of Lake Isabella. — Oakley also suggests visiting Kernville and Lake Isabella. It’s one of his favorite places! #campingwithdogs

Have you ever tried a Kern River beer? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!