Cascade Cliffs Winery

Amazing Wines… Great people and a superb, relaxing environment…

Visited this winery recently and the few wines we tried were good. Sadly a lady identifying herself as the owner had zero customer interaction skills. She was offensive and rude. While I was paying so that we could leave she continued to approach us and re-​engage in rude and unkind behavior. She did all this with a smug smile and was clearly enjoying being such an an unpleasant individual. I won’t be back, and my family used to be members. I will share this story with friends who are members at wineries in the area as well as this winery, and encourage people not to visit this winery in Wishram or Hood River. And I will make every effort to not buy wines at other wineries that have Cascade Cliff grapes in them. The wine clubs I belong to have kind fun people who own and work there. There is no reason to support a winery that doesn’t; the staff at Cascade Cliff winery are fun. It’s too bad their employer is not.
I would suggest you drive right by and go to Maryhill Winery in Goldendale or the Naked Wine tasting room in Hoodriver. They have excellent wines, owners, and staff!

So I just signed up for Unilocal.Like, just this moment signed up for Unilocal.Basically to give these guys a good review. So here it goes: In love with the Barbara. I mean, a deep passionate, embarrassing for others to watch kind of love. Joined the Barbara club and imagine we’ll still be a part of it 50 years from now. I mean I’m 30. I can get pumped on this kind of thing.

Cascade Cliffs is an outstanding winery! The Barbera is second-​to-​none and has become our favorite wine! We joined the Barbera and Cliff Clubs after having an incredible tasting room experience with Anthony! The great part of being a club member is that you can taste at Wishram or Hood River if not wanting to drive as far from Portland.
The wine choices are superb and we have never tasted an inferior wine at Cascade Cliffs. The tasting room personnel at Wishram and Hood River are very engaging and professional. Jared makes the experience entertaining and fun!
We make plans to return as soon as we get home and award a well-​deserved five stars to Cascade Cliffs Winery!

Anthony was doing the tasting he was extremely informative and a pleasure to have as our host. Every wine was unique and delicious. We do not drink white wine but were introduced to a very fine Chardonnay which we both enjoyed .We will return again for more tasting.

We enjoyed our visit to the tasting room and although a couple wines had a bit of a tart flavor and mild effervescent feel on the mouth (which the host said was just because they were young), we bought 7 bottles during our visit. Clearly we were in a good mood and being optimistic.
But, after trying 2 bottles right away upon returning home and then trying the rest about 12 months later after carefully storing them in our wine fridge, we found that ALL 7 of the bottles we bought had a very sour, and very noticeable effervescent feel/​taste. Couldn’t drink even a glass of any of them. So sad.
It seems like they may have done something funny in their bottling process and added something to their wines, no doubt intended to help in some way. Our wines included 7 different types. All with the same bad, odd, I drinkable taste.
Sadly this will no longer be a stop for us in Hood River. Too many other wineries to visit in the area.

This was a highlight of our trip that was otherwise rendered disappointing due to bad weather. We drank a lot of wine here where the tasting fee was $ 5. Having just come from Willamette where we put down $ 20 each for four thimble fulls of wine this really perked us up. We took home the Sangiovese and the Estate Nebbiolo and are very excited to have them in the cellar. I see some comments about the prices of their bottles but I look at it this way 1) you can always try their wines for $ 5 and 2) they are dedicated to their wine club members for whom they give first rights and biggest discount. I may not be a member but I can certainly respect that. They also serve piedmont varietals you’ll rarely find sourced locally. If I lived within 50 miles these guys would know me on a first name basis.

We can’t say enough great things about this winery, the wine, the wine maker Bob or the vineyard manager Jered.
We’ve been coming here a long time– and aside from the gorgeous view and the surroundings these guys really do know their wine. Try the Nebbiolo — no really do! This vineyard grows organic grapes for their complex wines.
There pours are generous– and the staff is knowledgeable.
Sometimes they have a reputation for having customer service that isn’t stellar. My suggestion in regards to this is that I’m of the opinion that you don’t get what you want and unless you speak up. Even some of the best restaurants wineries are other food service type places may not have perfect staff.
I’m not afraid to speak up. We ourselves had an issue with one of the staff and we spoke up and said «Hey we didn’t appreciate how we were treated». The issue was addressed, we were validated, and the situation was made right.
With that being said — give this winery A whirl. Their wines are incredible. And if you get an opportunity to spend some time with Jared to talk to him about the wine and vineyard you will no doubt come away learning a lot about their wine and hearing his passion about the wine.
It’s not a huge tasting room and seating is limited so plan on standing or go outside and sit on one of the many chairs and picnic tables they have around.
Really you can’t go wrong. And remember no one is a mind reader so speak up, be direct and tell them what you want.

I was not impressed with any of their wines. We did end up buying a bottle of their cab, but our tasting fees weren’t waived.
The lady attending us was often away so we were left waiting for our next tasting; eventually some other guy came in to help us out, but then he left and the lady returned.
She went on about how the wine they make is great and «easy to sell.»
Had their wines tasted decent I could have brushed off her attitude, but they were mediocre (and expensive). I don’t see myself ever returning.

Try the Nebbiolo. Staff is fun, knowledgable, and they grow organic grapes for lovely complex wines. Love their tasting room in Wishram. The wind blows across your face, the sun warms you, and vineyards and scenic views abound. Love it!

Now on to our third stop of the day, Cascade Cliffs Winery. The staff could have been more attentive and their wines were simply ok. It was a little busy in the tasting room, so we sat outside in some cozy wood chairs they had there. We took turns going in to get our tastings. I didn’t get the same feel as I usually do from other wineries, because I felt disconected since we were outside. They did let us re-​visit some of the wines. Not one of my favorites, though.

Went to the tasting room in Hood River. It was the first time I’d tried their wines and wasn’t a fan. I didn’t like any of the tastings I had. Then the host poured a bottle that wasn’t on the tasting list and of course, that’s the one I liked ($ 60). She wasn’t very attentive or friendly and seemed more concerned with chatting up her friend at the end of the counter than helping us.
Was not a fan of the tasting room or the wine. I’ll pass!

We had a great experience at the estate location on Labor Day weekend: the pourer was friendly and knowledgable, the tasting room was rustic and cozy, and the wines were Fantastic! The Nebbiolo was my personal favorite (plus they opened a 2002 so that we could compare it with the 2010!), but the Barbera and the Blood Red also impressed and surprised me, in a good way.
Bottles are spendy (mostly in the $ 40 to $ 60 range), but a $ 5 tasting is very reasonable, and there are some great deals available through their wine clubs. I’ve been talking this place up all over Washington!

Cascade Cliffs had the worst service in the Columbia Gorge, which was truly unfortunate since the location is beautiful (on the river) and the tasting room is well decorated and one of the nicer ones in the Columbia Gorge. While we were on the younger side of wine tasters (26), we were treated like we were kids. Not only did the worker ignore us the whole time, when he did pour he gave us less than half the pour of everyone else there. 30 minutes later, we left having tasted four different wines and paying $ 10/​each for tasting. Not to mention, average wine price was $ 50/​bottle. This isn’t napa, or even sonoma, c’mon! Considering all the great places nearby, we won’t go back and wouldn’t suggest it for anyone else either.

Tasted at the tasting room in Hood River, though I’ve been to the Washington location. Great wines. Loved, loved the Barbera (friend said it was like getting a back massage;)

And they poured, and poured, and poured, and poured.. .. . ! This was a great winery that I visited while staying in the area to see a concert at the Maryhill Winery (5 miles East). For $ 5 you get the opportunity to taste every wine made at the Cascade Cliffs Winery, as well as Naked Wines which are not made at the winery.
Soooo.. . I would say I tasted about 12 wines (some twice) and was pretty saucy by the time I stepped out into the 100 degree weather. But, I did no depart my amazing hosts empty handed– a bottle of Tease Riesling from Naked Wineries was in my holster and ready for drinking.
Definitely a must on any trip to the Columbia River Wineries.