Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association (CGWA)

 

Naked Winery is a member of the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association. The CGWA now boasts more than 30 Columbia Gorge Wineries. We invite everyone to experience the beauty and outdoor playground comprised of the Columbia River Gorge, Mt Hood and the City of Hood River itself.

 

For those familiar with wine tasting in California you'll feel like you've gone back 30 years in time. When visiting our wineries there's more than a 50% chance you'll be tasting with the winemaker and if there's a tour you won't need to buy a ticket and your tour group could be just you and your sweetheart.

 

Not been to Napa but love Oregon Wine and the Willamette Valley excepting the commute on highway 99? Well then head out on I-84 and enjoy the views, vistas and unencumbered highways speeds until you reach exit 63 in Hood River where you can begin your wine tasting adventure. The wines will be just as fine and your day will be better. Here's a little information about Columbia Gorge Wines and the AVA's that are within the region.

 

The Columbia Gorge AVA consists of four counties; Hood River and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Skamania and Klickitat counties in Washington. The region stretches from Hood River, Oregon and White Salmon, Washington in the west, to Biggs Junction, Oregon and Goldendale, Washington in the east. It includes the river valleys of the Hood River and Deschutes River in Oregon, and the Klickitat River and Little Klickitat River in Washington.

 

The region is significantly drier than the Portland metropolitan area to the west. Annual precipitation ranges from 36 inches (91 cm) at the western end of the range, to only 10 inches (25 cm) in the eastern part. Elevation in the region varies considerably, increasing as one travels from the Columbia River into the plateaus on either side, and the strong Columbia Gorge winds also play a factor in the region's climate. This allows a wide variety of grapes to be grown in the Columbia River Gorge.

 

Columbia Gorge Wine Varietals

 

The region has more than 32 wineries, producing an incredible number of varietals Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Merlot, Muscat, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sangiovese, Syrah and Zinfandel.