One of the most excited but least understood Northwest wine regions is the Columbia Gorge.

On the streets, he’s known as E-40, a Vallejo, Calif., rapper who has spent more than two decades hustling in the hip-hop game. But in the world of wine, E-40 goes by his birth name, Earl Stevens, and his line of wines has scored a surprise smash hit in the ultra-competitive beverage industry.

As red blends have expanded Washington’s landscape, talented winemakers continue to explore the boundaries – if any – of this style of wine.