Columbia Gorge AVA facts for kids
| Wine region | |
 |
|
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 2004 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | Oregon, Washington |
| Climate region | Maritime/continental |
| Total area | 280 square miles (725 km2) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 350 acres (140 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 24 |
| Grapes produced | Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gewurztraminer, Lemberger, Merlot, Pinot blanc, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Sangiovese, Sauvignon blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Viognier, Zinfandel |
| No. of wineries | 4 |
The Columbia Gorge AVA is a special area in the United States. It's known for growing grapes used to make wine. AVA stands for American Viticultural Area. This means it's a recognized grape-growing region. It's located around the Columbia River Gorge. This area crosses the border between Oregon and Washington. The weather and land here change a lot in a small space. This allows many different types of grapes to grow well. People say it's "a world of wine in 40 miles."
What is the Columbia Gorge AVA?
The Columbia Gorge AVA covers parts of four counties. Two are in Oregon: Hood River and Wasco. The other two are in Washington: Skamania and Klickitat. The region stretches from towns like Hood River, Oregon in the west. It goes all the way to Rowena, Oregon in the east. It also includes river valleys. These are the Hood River and Deschutes River in Oregon. In Washington, it includes the Klickitat River and White Salmon River.
How Does Climate Affect Grape Growing?
The Columbia Gorge AVA is located east of big mountains. These are Mount Hood and Mount Adams. These mountains create a "rain shadow." This means the area gets much less rain. For example, it's drier than Portland. Portland is located to the west.
The amount of rain changes across the region. The western part gets about 36 inches (91 cm) of rain each year. The eastern part gets only about 10 inches (25 cm). The land also changes a lot in height. It goes from the Columbia River up to higher plateaus. Strong winds from the Columbia Gorge also affect the weather. All these different conditions help many kinds of grapes grow here.
What Grapes Grow Here?
The Columbia Gorge AVA has almost 40 vineyards. Vineyards are places where grapes are grown. They grow a wide variety of grapes. Some popular types include Syrah and Pinot noir. Other grapes are Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. You can also find Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot gris and Riesling are grown here too. And don't forget Sangiovese grapes!
