Wind River Cellars

The views are stunning. The wine is magnificent. The hospitality is first-rate. Wind River Cellars has it all.

With magnificent views of Mount Hood to the south and Mount Adams to the east, visitors to Wind River Cellars have license to use the word “stunned.” This is the perfect setting to get married (which they do) or to enjoy a catered lunch on the deck after a day of white water rafting (which they also do). Wind River Cellars owners Joel and Kris Goodwillie love being in the Columbia River Gorge and being residents of the tiny town of Husum. A visit there might have you packing your bags as well and taking up windsurfing.

Joel Goodwillie handcrafts about 3,500 cases annually using grapes from his vineyard, other local growers (including Celilo Vineyard), and Horse Heaven Hills. Joel produces the wine but Kris is the marketing/number crunching brains behind the operation. They make a good team. He states that the Columbia Gorge grapes have more acid than grapes from other wine growing areas of Washington and therefore you get that clean crisp lively finish on the tongue. However, the word “velvety” came to mind when we sampled our way through a fairly ambitious list of Wind River wines: riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, syrah, lemberger, tempranillo and a “save room for dessert” Port of Celilo. By the time this WineTrail adventurer got to tempranillo, Joel had a very strong resemblance to Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland. However, Joel assured me that they weren’t separated at birth.

If you are fortunate to be the only one visiting the tasting room (rare in the summer time), Joel can provide you a tour of the barrel room. Cross your fingers that he brings along his thief for barrel tasting. If he’s too busy pouring, rumor has it that their two boys Connor or Adam will provide the guided tour. Cellar rats unite!

Directions: From SR-14 go north onto SR-141 (toward Husum). Proceed about 6.5 miles remaining on SR-141 and turn left (west) onto Spring Creek Rd a little past Husum town center. Continue on Spring Creek Rd for 1.5 miles and arrive at Wind River Cellars. (Note: Wind River Cellars wines can also be sampled at the Bad Seed Cider House tasting room in nearby Bingen.)

Events: Lots of events!!! : February 4th - Wind River Cellars 2nd Annual Chili Cook-Off February 18-20 - Annual New Release Celebration 10-6 February 25 - Fondue in February - Event in the wine cellar. Advance tickets required. $25 6:00 pm. Call 509-493-2324 for reservations. March 18th: Pet portrait event – complimentary portrait of you and your pet when You make a wine purchase. All pets MUST be on a leash. April 8th: Annual Barrel Members Dinner – Wind River Cellars April 11th: Wine Card Wild Weekend – Gorge Area Wineries www.columbiagorgewine.com April: 29th & 30th: Fungi with the Fun Guy – Mushroom FestivalMay 6th: Wind River Cellars 9th Anniversary Celebration ~ library wines, appetizers and music on the deck or in the cellar from 2-4 p.m. May 13 & 14th: Wine & Herb Festival, Mother’s Day Celebration – Wind River Cellars Herb experts here, plant your own herb plants to take home! May 27,28,29: Memorial Day Weekend Celebration - Release of new White wines: 2004 Pinot Gris; 2005 Gewürztraminer!June 17 & 18h: Running with the Bulls Celebration of Tempranillo Father’s Day Weekend Open House June 24th: Wind River Cellars – Husum Hills Golf Tournament. Call for team reservations and details 509-493- 2324 Sept. 16th & 17th: Harvest Celebration Weekend – Gorge Wineries October 6th: The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. In one out of three years, it comes in October and 2006 is one of those years.Nov. 19th: Invitational Library Reserve Tasting 1-5 p.m.Nov. 24th, 25th, 26th: Thanksgiving Weekend Open House. Kris, his wife is the event coordinator/marketing brains.

Addresses

• Columbia River Gorge WineTrail

  Winery

  196 Spring Creek Road, Husum, WA 98623
  Hours: Daily 10–6; closed December 15 to January 1
  45.80434-121.512194
• Columbia River Gorge WineTrail

  Tasting Room

  415 West Steuben Street, Bingen, WA 98605
  Hours: Daily 10–6; closed December 15 to January 1
  45.716038-121.470033