Elk Cove Vineyards

One of Elk Cove’s single-vineyard pinot noirs is called Five Mountain Pinot Noir. It’s aptly named: From Five Mountain Vineyard, you can spot the peaks of five Cascade mountains. Can you guess which five?

As you drive through Elk Cove’s entrance, you can well imagine the winery’s namesake Roosevelt elk roaming the rolling hills where vineyards now grow. The tasting room itself sits on top of the hill and offers one of those Kodak-moment panoramas. None other than Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate notes, “For the pure beauty of its setting, no winery in Oregon can match the breath-taking views from Elk Cove’s splendid wine-tasting room.” Exacto mundo, Robert.

As I parked my car, two cyclists were wiping their brows, looking back at the hill they had just climbed. This is heart-pounding terrain to cycle, but I made a mental note that I would like to come back here soon with my own bike to experience the wineries of Gaston.

The center of attention in the light and airy tasting room is an elk head mounted on the wall above the tasting bar. It wouldn’t look good in my living room, but it works here. Once you get past the staring elk, you’re ready to experience the fantastic wines of Adam Campbell. His portfolio of pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc, riesling, and dessert wine (trademarked as Ultima) is nothing short of amazing. So much for a rumor started by “people in the know” that you can’t grow good pinot west of Hwy. 47!

Since 1974, Elk Cove Vineyards has been making award-winning wines. In 2007, Wine Press Northwest awarded Elk Cove Vineyard the prestigious title of Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year. Although there are many reasons why this winery got this award, one of the key reasons is its devotion to producing single-vineyard pinot noirs. How’s this for a line-up: La Bohème Pinot Noir; Windhill Pinot Noir; Roosevelt Pinot Noir; Mt. Richmond Pinot Noir; and Five Mountain Pinot Noir. However, before you launch into the reds, first sample its award-winning pinot gris; if it’s a hot summer day, take a glass of it out to the deck!

Did you happen to guess the five Cascade peaks you can see from Five Mountain Vineyard? If you said Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson, you can go to the head of the class (or better yet, the cellar room).