Cave B Estate Winery - Local winery provides refreshments and entertainment

QUINCY – Cave B Estate Winery, whose sweeping views of the Columbia River and basalt cliffs could be nearly unmatched in beauty, has graced the area with award-winning wines for over 20 years. 

Located at 348 Silica Rd NW in Quincy, right next door to the Gorge Amphitheatre, Cave B is tucked away from the noise of main roads and city lights. It is a family-owned and operated winery that has earned its name across the state and beyond for the high-quality wines they produce and serve.

Cave B, which uses only estate-grown fruit from the vineyards that surround the winery and tasting room, is in the heart of the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA. The Ancient Lakes AVA is one of the only appellations in Washington State planted with more white varieties than red.

The Cave B Vineyards, have a variety of old and new vines to offer a multitude of flavors and depth in their wines. The oldest vineyard block is over 40 years old while the youngest was planted in the spring of 2021. Currently, 21 varieties of grapes are grown on approximately 86 acres to create 28 varieties of wine. Cave B Vineyard grows enough grapes to supply both Cave B and to sell grapes, juice and bulk wine to other wineries as well. For the white varieties, Cave B Vineyard produces Chardonnay, Semillon, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. For the reds, they produce Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo and recently Montepulciano and Grenache. 

Freddy Arredondo, head Cave B Estate Winemaker since 2008, was recognized by the Seattle Wine Awards as one of the “Fantastic Four Washington Winemakers of the Year” for 2023. Cave B Estate Winery also won over 10 awards at the same awards for the quality and taste of their wines.

Not only does Cave B serve award-winning wines, but throughout the year hosts musicals, food and wine pairing classes, an annual 5K fun run, their popular Grape Picking & Stomping Harvest Festival, as well as hosting an annual open mic event over Labor Day Weekend for aspiring musicians at their amphitheater called Stage B. On most Gorge Concert weekends, Cave B has music entertainment at the Stage B amphitheater from 1:30-3:30 p.m. for guests to enjoy while wine tasting on their front lawn, before going into the concert at the Gorge Amphitheatre next door. Guests get to experience music with a view of the surrounding vineyards and the cliffs of the Columbia River gorge. 

While many may think the winery was smart to be built next to the world-famous Gorge Amphitheatre, little do they know how intertwined the two’s histories really are.

In 1979, Dr. Vince Bryan Jr. and his wife Carol decided to grow wine grapes on land they purchased above the Columbia River. The first harvest was ready in 1983 with the plan to sell the grapes to the few other wineries in Washington state at the time. However, the Bryans decided instead to create their first winery and named it Champs de Brionne, which translates to “Bryan’s Fields.” Wanting to make the grand opening of the winery special, the Bryans decided to create a small amphitheater for live music on a beautiful area of their property where they often picnicked, after noting the amazing natural acoustics there.  So, two weeks before the grand opening, they used their backhoe to clear a space, create terraces, put old irrigation ditches as backing and laid down sod to sit on. Vince and his son built the first stage, Carol and their daughters helped to landscape the area and they hired the Dixieland Jazz Band out of Wenatchee to come play for the event. Thus, the Champs de Brionne Summer Music Theater was born, which laid the foundation to later become what we know today as the Gorge Amphitheatre or the Gorge at George.

Quickly the amphitheatre grew to include a much larger stage and an increasingly exciting lineup of performers. People loved the combination of wine, views and music so the Bryans decided to keep it going. The Bryans owned it for seven years, building it up to hold 20,000 people. The name changed somewhere along the way to the Gorge Amphitheatre. MCA, who the Bryans had eventually hired to run many aspects of the Gorge Amphitheatre for them, purchased the Gorge from them in 1993. This included the Champs de Brionne Winery, which they closed, and the building became mainly storage for Gorge concerts. Through a series of sales over the years, the amphitheatre is now run by Live Nation.

However, the Bryans weren’t done with their winery endeavors. After selling the Gorge, but not the surrounding land, the Bryans continued to focus on and expand their vineyards before deciding to create a new boutique high-end winery called Cave B Estate Winery in 2000. 

The Bryans had a vision for their property which included building Cave B Inn, Tendrils Restaurant and a small boutique spa. The doors of Cave B Inn & Spa opened in 2005 but after 12 years, in 2017, Vince and Carol decided to sell the Cave B Inn & Spa and Tendrils Restaurant, while retaining the vineyards and surrounding land. At the end of 2020 the Inn, restaurant and spa were sold again, and the name was changed to Sagecliffe Resort and Spa in February 2021. All the while, and to the present, the Bryans continued to focus on their vineyards and Cave B Estate Winery.

Also in 2017, the Bryans showed they weren’t done with music and created the beautiful amphitheater they named Stage B, directly in front of the winery tasting room that holds approximately 1,000 people. The stage was also home to the premiere of “How Can I Love You,” a contemporary musical written by Dr. Bryan himself in 2021. 

Combining their passion for wine and music, they knew that music enhanced the wine-tasting experience, created a strong sense of community, and provided opportunities for artists and guests to experience the beautiful natural environment.

While Cave B Estate Winery is located in what many years ago would have been an unlikely place in Central Washington, the Bryans’ contributions to the area from amphitheaters, resorts, vineyards and wineries has turned it into a popular tourist and local destination. Its location is a not-so-hidden gem for views of the Columbia River, a perfect place to taste high-end wine, enjoy live music and create lasting memories.

Cave B Estate Winery is open seven days a week, but hours change seasonally. Cave B is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. 

Cave B Winery
348 Silica Rd NW
Quincy, WA 98848
509-785-3500
www.caveb.com

    The plaza at Cave B Estate Winery offers a green oasis for visitors to the winery to enjoy.
  

    The stage at Cave B offers a variety of musical acts throughout the year.