Hood River County, located in north-central Oregon, has a small but important viticultural industry. The county is Oregon’s other cool climate region. Hood County's vineyards are located within the Columbia River Gorge, a recently named American Viticultural Area. The approval of this AVA has allowed local producers to promote the unique character of their region, rather than using the misleading state appellation or a county designation on their wine labels. Vineyards in the county benefit from the moderate levels of precipitation relative to areas in Oregon to the west. Hood River's fertile soils and cooler climate also set it apart from the Columbia Valley AVA to the east. Unlike the Columbia Valley, which has built its reputation on red Bordeaux varieties, the strength of Hood River County is cool climate varietals such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer.