It’s just about time to take a break from this summer thing, relax a bit, try some new wines and prepare for the coming cooler months.
Funny how the master holiday planners did such a great job by scheduling Labor Day just when we’re all a little tired of … work?
To help us all celebrate, the members of the Columbia Gorge Wine Growers Association are whooping it up over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-3. It’s their Open House Weekend, and what that means is, they’re open — and so are their bottles.
The Columbia Gorge Winegrowing Region (AVA) is just one hour east of the Portland/Vancouver area. If you’ve been, you know that it straddles the Columbia River, and sports some of the most spectacular scenery in the Pacific Northwest.
The region supports conditions for a wide variety of grapes, ranging from Albarino to Zinfandel. Traffic-free roads meander through vineyards and provide frequent views of Mt. Adams in Washington and Mt. Hood in Oregon.
The explosion of new wineries over the last decade means things are still smallish, more intimate and personal. You’ll likely find the winemaker or a family member behind the counter, pouring wine they know from having handled every facet of its production.
There’s nothing quite like hearing the story behind a wine to appreciate it all the more. Wherever you turn in the Columbia Gorge AVA, you can taste the difference.
