Great Beer, Wine List Forgot to Show Up
Waterfront · Hood River · Brewpub / Pacific Northwest · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ferment Brewing Company’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You walk into one of the most scenic taprooms in the Columbia River Gorge — water views, clean design, good energy — and then you glance at the wine list. Five options. That's it. This is a beer operation through and through, and the wine program exists mainly so nobody's date feels left out.
The entire list is five wines, all Pacific Northwest, all inoffensive. Upper Left Vintners and Wild Hills represent Oregon, and COR Cellars brings a Washington red blend into the mix — so the regional instinct is sound, if minimal. There's zero depth here: no Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, no skin-contact options, no sparkling, nothing that reflects how serious the wine country literally surrounding Hood River actually is. It reads like someone asked a distributor rep to drop off five bottles and called it done.
Everything is by the glass, which at least means you're not committed. All pours run $12–$13, and a carafe of sangria clocks in at $22 if you want to commit to the summer-drink energy. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list seems to sit unchanged for long stretches.
COR Cellars Momentum Red Blend — $13
COR Cellars is a solid Lyle, WA producer and the Momentum is their approachable everyday red. At $13 a glass in a taproom with river views, it's the one wine here that actually earns its spot — and it stands up to a burger better than anything else on the list.
Upper Left Vintners Pinot Gris
Upper Left is a Portland-based label doing honest, food-friendly Oregon whites. Most people here will reach for a beer, but the Pinot Gris is clean, slightly textural, and genuinely good — if you're sitting on the patio on a hot Gorge afternoon, this is the move.
Wild Hills Pinot Gris
With the Upper Left Pinot Gris already on the list at the same price, there's no reason to order a second Pinot Gris from a less distinguished producer. This slot could have been a Pinot Noir, a Gewürztraminer, anything — but here we are.
COR Cellars Momentum Red Blend + Burger
A Washington red blend built for drinking, not contemplating — it has enough fruit and structure to cut through a beef patty without demanding your full attention. Exactly what you want when the main event is the view and the company.
❌ The Bottom Line
Ferment is a genuinely great brewery, and we'd send anyone to Hood River for their beer and their patio. But the wine list is an afterthought in the middle of one of America's best wine regions, and that's hard to forgive — order a pint and save the wine for a spot that's trying.
Downtown Hood River · Hood River · American grill with steak, seafood and Northwest influences
3 Rivers Grill is a genuinely solid wine destination for a mid-sized grill in Hood River — the Pacific Northwest selections are legit, the view earns its own tip, and a few bottles here are worth making a reservation for specifically. The markups on trophy bottles will make you wince, but stick to the regional lineup and you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hood River outskirts · Hood River · Farm-based lodge
Sakura Ridge isn't a wine destination — it's a lodge that happens to have a small, surprisingly honest wine list for guests who want something worth drinking with their orchard views. If you're staying here, lean into it; if you're driving out just for wine, the Columbia Gorge has better options nearby.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
White Salmon / Gorge Area · Hood River · Bistro with Global Fare and Seasonal Small Plates
Henni's is a genuine surprise — a chef-driven neighborhood spot in a small Washington town that built a wine list with actual intention. If you're passing through the Gorge and think wine stops at Hood River, White Salmon has an argument to make.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
13th Street area · Hood River · Mexican
Hood River Taqueria is here for the tacos and the margaritas, and that's completely fine — but the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order the cocktails, leave the wine to restaurants that care.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waterfront · Hood River · Steakhouse
Riverside Grill is a perfectly decent place to drink wine if you're also there for the ribeye and the river view — just don't come expecting the list to match the scenery. Order the Pinot Gris, watch the kiteboarders, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere else in Hood River.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hood River Outskirts · Hood River · Wine Farm / Farm-to-Table
Hiyu is not a restaurant with a wine list — it's a wine farm that happens to feed you extraordinarily well, and the whole thing is built around a vision of place that very few operations anywhere in the country can match. Send your most adventurous friend here immediately, and tell them to clear their afternoon.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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