Cole Danehower

The Climb

His first dated move was Oregon Wine Report in 1998, the groundwork for the reporting that followed. Seven years later, in 2005, he became part owner of Northwest Palate in Portland, Oregon, bringing that perspective into a publication rooted in the city and the wider Northwest. Then, in 2010, he published Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest, a book on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Idaho, joining geography, agriculture, and regional identity in one compact reference.

Today

He remains associated with coverage and promotion of Northwest food and wines, continuing to approach the subject with the same focus on origin and context that shaped his earlier work. That stance is explicit in his own words, especially in his call to pay closer attention to where food comes from. As he puts it: "I do advocate that we all make an effort to learn more about where our food comes from. The anonymous packages of meat and the unreal perfection of produce at our supermarkets give us a warped idea of what food is all about." The point is practical: food is something to be understood, not just purchased.

Signature

In his case, the title itself functions as the signature: a book that gathers place, producers, and the broader story of the Pacific Northwest into one focused volume.

In Their Words “I do advocate that we all make an effort to learn more about where our food comes from. The anonymous packages of meat and the unreal perfection of produce at our supermarkets give us a warped idea of what food is all about.”

Recognition

Cole's honors include James Beard Journalism Award (2004), James Beard Foundation Journalism Award (2004), and Oregon Wine Board Lifetime Achievement Award. Taken together, those awards mark a career recognized for consistency of voice and for the span of its influence across the Northwest food and wine conversation.