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DAY 4 – COLUMBIA GORGE
Spectacular views, surprising sculpture, frisbee golf and some stylish Syrah

A morning’s drive west to the Columbia Gorge. First stop is the Maryhill Museum of Art where to my amazement they house a permanent collection of Rodin originals, before heading to Maryhill Winery (winner of the 2009 Washington Winery of the Year) which is perched on the edge of the spectacular Columbia Gorge. As I taste some delicious Gewurztraminer and Zinfandel with owner Craig Leuthold he explains that the gorge was formed by the massive erosive force of glacial floods during the last ice age. As a consequence Washington State is covered with a “young” top soil; a fine, wind-blown sandy loess, in which the infamous phylloxera bug cannot survive. This means that all grape vines in Washington State are planted on their own roots. I personally believe this plays a large part in explaining the great fruit purity and clear varietal character I was seeing in so many of the wines I tasted. 

On the road again to Syncline Winery for lunch with the delightful James and Poppy Mantone who moved to the Columbia Gorge and founded the winery in 2001. Their wines shine with great purity, complexity, sparkling minerality and downright drinkability - the Roussanne, Mourvedre and Syrah are standouts. It should be no surprise that Rhone varietals do so well here, as the eastern half of Washington State enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year; the perfect conditions for growing grapes. In fact much of the landscape I'm passing though reminds me of Languedoc or Provence.

After lunch I pay a visit to neighbours Domaine Pouillon where artisan winemakers Alexis and Juliet Pouillon are handcrafting some sublime, delicious wines, before heading back to Syncline for a few “holes” on the frisbee golf course James has designed in the backwoods and gullies of his property - great fun. 

Any visit to this part of Washington State should include a night at the spectacularly situated Skamania Lodge - worth visiting for the jaw-dropping view of the river from the lounge alone, and of course, to check out the superb local wine list in their restaurant.

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