Cathedral Ridge Winery

Columbia Gorge wineries face a major challenge when competing for the attention of tourists and locals. You’ve got wind surfing, bicycling, hiking, great restaurants, roadside fruit stands, unique shopping ops, and lots more. But that’s just half the problem. WineTrail trekkers have dozens of other wineries they can visit within a stone’s throw (or a river crossing) of each other! As a winery owner, your challenge is twofold. Getting folks to come by and getting them to come back — often.

Enter Cathedral Ridge Winery. Named after the outcropping on the northwest summit of Mount Hood, Cathedral Ridge Winery has succeeded in getting a steady stream of repeat customers, for a number of reasons.

Owner Robb Bell knows full well that it is the fruit that matters. In his mind, you would have to be a pretty bad winemaker to ruin the premium grapes that come from the Gorge appellation. From zinfandel to syrah, Robb either grows or selects grapes from the best vineyards to create a full lineup of wines, dominated by reds. What’s more, he has the talents of grape-growing experts such as The Pines’ Lonnie Wright to tap into. It’s a collaboration of sorts, something the vintners in these parts do with great regularity.

Speaking of syrah, can you say “Double Platinum”? That was the award given by Wine Press Northwest for Cathedral Ridge Winery’s 2004 syrah. Double latte, double airline miles, double scoops of ice cream are all good in my book, but a Double Platinum! Kudos. But Robb Bell would be quick to point out that it is the talented Sonoma-based winemaker Michael Sebastiani who deserves the credit. Besides Bordeaux- and Rhône-style reds, Sebastiani also crafts wines of the white persuasion, including gewürztraminer, riesling, pinot gris, and chardonnay.

Another key reason for Cathedral Ridge’s success lies outdoors. Visitors can saunter outside its tasting room, wine in hand, to one of a dozen comfy chairs and benches. Here you can take in the garden and the sculpture dotting the landscape, but it is the views of Mount Adams and Mount Hood that get our attention.

Finally, if you are looking for another reason to visit Cathedral Ridge Winery, try this one on for size. It is the recipient of Wine Press Northwest’s prestigious Oregon Winery of the Year for 2007. Certainly, Robb Bell and his team must be doing something right. I’ll be coming back, for sure.