Hood River Getaway
As a celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary, Naomi and I headed off to the Columbia River Gorge to explore the Hood River area. We’ve not yet spent any time here, though it makes many of the lists that combine epic views with wine and outdoor sports. Seems like a great mix!
We started off our Saturday afternoon in downtown Hood River, enjoying some in-store shopping (Shortt Supply was awesome with super helpful and friendly staff). Life kinda felt normal, though we donned face masks as appropriate. We enjoyed an outdoor meal at 3 Rivers Grill before heading down to the Hood River Waterfront Park for a long run on a flat course (knowing that our overnight accommodations in Underwood WA would be super hilly).
We stayed for two nights in a cute little AirBnB spot in Underwood on the Washington side of the gorge. Nestled in the hills lush with vineyards, we got in some great walks to fantastic vista viewpoints before visiting Hawkins Cellars at 2PM and AniChe Cellars at 4.
This was our first time doing wine tastings, and we wanted to take it slow. By choosing relaxed vibes with beautiful views, we found the experience so lovely that we can’t wait to do it again and maybe even make this a somewhat regular outing. We are certainly surrounded by vineyards and wineries and the experience was reminiscent of Dedza Pottery in Malawi: outdoor seating with good distance between parties, nice views, great drinks, and no hurry to get anywhere. The very opposite of hurry, even though at AniChe at least we ensured we finished up in an hour so other guests with appointments during COVID era could enjoy their own experience.
I remember when Naomi’s cousin visited from Colorado and was saying that wineries in our area charge tasting fees, whereas many other locations do not. Since this was all a new experience for us, it was intriguing to see how it all worked. Tastings seemed to be around $15 per person, though the cost of one tasting would be deducted if you purchased a bottle. And we did.
The whites were the first wines brought out, with the reds following. We were told how the grapes were aged, whether in oak barrels or steel or a mix, and where the grapes came from including how hot the year was. It is all alchemy and science, though my taste buds don’t have much of a clue about the various nuances.
