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WineTrail: Columbia Gorge WineTrail

Owner: James and Molli Martin

Winemaker: James and Molli Martin

Opened: 2003

Tasting Room: Open to the public

Amenities: Wine Club Tasting Room Gift Shop

Where To Buy: Winery

Phone: 541-386-2229

Website: www.quenett.com

• Quenett Winery

  Winery

  111 Oak Street, Hood River, OR 97031 -121.5114 45.708758

  Hours: Daily 12–6; Twilight Fridays and Saturdays until 8 during summer

Directions: Heading east on I-84 take exit 63 to Hood River/City Center. Turn right (south) onto 2nd St. and go .1 miles. Turn left (east) onto US-30 [SR-35] a short distance and arrive at 111 Oak St. Heading west on I-84 take exit 64 toward US-30/OR-35/Mt. Hood Hwy/White Salmon/Govt. Camp. Turn left (south) onto US-30 [Button Bridge Rd] and go a short distance. Turn right (west) onto US-30 [SR-35] and go .3 miles. Turn right (west) onto US-30 [E. Mt. Hood Hwy] and go .2 miles. Turn right (west) onto US-30 [SR-35] and go .2 miles. Turn right to stay on US-30 [SR-35] and arrive at 111 Oak St.

Quenett Winery

If you’re in the town of Hood River and you just want to relax, sit back, and enjoy the experience of one tasting room, Quenett Winery fits the bill. Even hardcore WineTrail trekkers need a day to recharge and find a peaceful space to enjoy good wine and company.

I went there expecting to snap some pictures, pepper the wine-pouring staff with my usual assortment of oddball questions, and exit within 30 minutes. However, Quenett Winery proved to be the quicksand of tasting rooms for me. Here’s why.

First, you need to know that there are 10 wines to sample. Not that you need to swirl and sip all 10 wines, but curiosity got the better of me and I ended up sampling most of them. The wine list includes a healthy dose of Mediterranean varietals, such as barbera, pinot gris, and Sangiovese, which helps explain the Italian flag outside. Second, the ambiance is intentionally cozy. The owners strove for a relaxed ambiance and they nailed it. It’s a refuge for contemplating your navel armed with a glass of wine. Opened in late 2006, the downtown tasting-room location of Quenett Winery is the pride and joy of James and Molli Martin.

Finally, I couldn’t make my exit until I learned the origin of the name Quenett. Fortunately for me (and the Martins), I found some literature noting that the word “quenett” is derived from a Native American word for steelhead trout, which happened to be a main staple of the native diet. Too bad they didn’t have pinot noir to pair with their quenett.

Like other winemakers in the Columbia Gorge, the Martins are descendants of pioneer orchardists who settled here a gazillion years ago. Time marches on, and the Martins have replaced cherry trees with premium wine grapes in response to consumer demand and economic realities. But it is clear that they are passionate about their wines, given the herculean energy needed to launch the tasting room, invest in top-quality French wine barrels, and open their own production facility in their hometown, The Dalles. Put Quenett Winery on the top of your “ones to watch” list!

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  Order the book!

  Quenett Winery was featured in WineTrails of Oregon as part of the Columbia Gorge WineTrail on page !