Columbia Gorge AVA

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The Columbia River (shown here in Hood River County, Oregon) is at the heart of the Columbia Gorge AVA

The Columbia Gorge American Viticultural Area, or Columbia Gorge AVA, is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Columbia River Gorge, straddling the border between Oregon and Washington. Due to the unique climate and geography found in the gorge, this AVA exhibits a wide range of terroir in a relatively small region; it is marketed as a "world of wine in 40 miles"^[1]

[edit] Description

The Columbia Gorge AVA consists of four counties; Hood River and Wasco counties in Oregon, and Skamania and Klickitat counties in Washington. ^[2] The region stretches from Hood River, Oregon and White Salmon, Washington in the west, to Biggs Junction, Oregon and Goldendale, Washington in the east. It includes the river valleys of the Hood River and Deschutes River in Oregon, and the Klickitat River and Little Klickitat River in Washington. ^[3]

As this region lies to the east of the summits of nearby Mount Hood and Mount Adams, it is in rain shadow of these Cascade volcanoes. The region is significantly drier than the Portland metropolitan area to the west. Annual precipitation ranges from 36" (90 cm) at the western end of the range, to only 10" (25 cm) in the eastern part. Elevation in the region varies considerably, increasing as one travels from the Columbia River into the plateaus on either side, and the strong Columbia Gorge winds also play a factor in the region's climate. This allows a wide variety of grapes to be grown in the Columbia Gorge.^[4]

The region has nearly 40 vineyards, growing a wide variety of grapes, including Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewürtztraminer, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Sangiovese. ^[1]