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Columbia Gorge Wineries to WatchCor Cellars and Domaine Pierre Noire - Northwest Wines On the Rise
Two tiny wineries with locations off the beaten path in the Columbia River Gorge offer great promise for affordable, food-friendly red and white wines.
With dazzling vistas at every turn, world-class windsurfing and outdoor pursuits galore, the Columbia River Gorge attracts tourists of every stripe. Carved by violent floods breaking through ice dams, Mother Nature left behind rocky soils along steep slopes that also attract independent winemakers to this rugged, rural region of the Pacific Northwest. Two newer boutique wineries worth a detour off the main highway are Cor Cellars and Domaine Pierre Noire. Cor Cellars Summer White DelightsNear the town of Lyle, Washington just off Highway 14 on Old Highway 8 are a cluster of several wineries within a few miles of each other. At age 29, Cor Cellars winemaker Luke Bradford crafts wines that show an experience level far beyond his years. His Alsatian inspired Pinot Gris-Gewurztraminer blend and Riesling are crisp, refreshing summertime whites that would be ideal with seafood or spicy Asian cuisine. Cor (from the Latin word for heart) also offers a red called Momentum which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from various sites in the area as well as the Columbia Valley. Their windy hillside site is planted and will eventually allow them to produce estate grown wines as well. Prices start at just $14. Inspired by France, Made in WashingtonJust down the road from Cor Cellars is the brand new tasting room for mom and pop startup, Domaine Pierre Noire. Escorting you down the path from the parking area is T-Bone, an enthusiastic puppy rescued from a shelter by winemaker Alexis Pouillon and his wife, Juliet. Fluttering in the breeze above the tiny tasting room is a banner of Buddhist prayer flags. Inspired by an internship at famed Chateauneuf du Pape house, Chateau Beaucastel, the wines of Domaine Pierre Noire show excellent balance and structure in both reds and whites. Like Cor Cellars, fruit is sourced from a number of sources in the Columbia Valley and the local area, while recently planted estate grown fruit matures. The Pouillons are focused on sustainable farming practices. Watch the Black DotPrices at Domaine Pierre Noire range from a very reasonable $16 to $24 but with less than two thousand cases produced in the 2007 vintage, supplies are limited. At $18 per bottle, the hedonistic Rhone varietal blend called Black Dot is a steal but with fewer than one-hundred cases made, your best bet is to call the winery directly and beg. Oddly enough, the Black Dot is not the winemaker's favorite and it's over the top style is hardly French, but certainly delightful. Touring the Gorge WineriesThe Columbia River Gorge AVA was established in 2004 and is home to over thirty wineries that dot both sides of the river for roughly forty miles, according to the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association. The town of Hood River is a good starting point with several tasting rooms in a nicely restored downtown core as well as restaurant and lodging options.
The copyright of the article Columbia Gorge Wineries to Watch in US Wine is owned by Lee Asbell. Permission to republish Columbia Gorge Wineries to Watch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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