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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
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.
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!
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
