Kestrel
wines are
the dream of John Walker, a Florida businessman and developer whose
visit to the
northwest a decade ago started his fascination with NW wines.
He has since acquired vineyards land, and in 1999, Kestrel released its first
wines.
Now producing 10,000 cases a year, 90% of Kestrel's wines are red- Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The winery also produces Chardonnay and
Viognier, and
a very limited amount of a Chardonnay ice wine.
Kestrel Winery is located in the Prosser Wine and Food Park. The winery
produces wines from grapes sourced from vineyards including Artz Vineyard
(Red Mountain), Rivers Bend, DuBrul, Lewis, Elerding and their estate
vineyard, Kestrel View.
Kestrel Vintner's winemaker is Ray Sandidge, who
formerly was with Hyatt Vineyards in Zillah and Washington Hills Cellars
in Sunnyside.
Kestrel's Winemaker Ray
Sandidge (info from the winery)
Kestrel Winery's winemaker is
Ray Sandidge. Ray
attended Washington State University in Pullman, majoring in horticulture
with an
emphasis
on plant
physiology
and tree fruit production. Subsequently,
he was hired by Washington State University's Irrigated Agricultural Research
and Extension Center to assist stone fruit and wine grape research. There,
he also learned "to analyze wines with lab equipment and one's own
senses."
Life in academia grew too pale for Ray's liking. So, he found an apprenticeship
with a winemaker on Long Island. In addition to assisting the winemaker
at the Pindar Winery, Ray also managed the vineyard there, raising gewurztraminer,
riesling, chardonnay, merlot, and cabernet wine grapes. The winemaker under
whom he worked was nominated to be East Coast Winemaker of the Year. By
1986, he had attained his goal: he had become a bona fide winemaker.
Ray was "discovered," as he puts
it, when a young German on a wine marketing trip visited the Pindar Winery
and offered him a one-year
position as a winemaker in the Rheingau of Germany. Of course, he did not
pass up the chance to go to one of the world's best-known wine regions,
and he ended up working 3 1/2 years as a winemaker in Rudesheim.
Ray employed many of his own wine-making techniques,
so the Rheingau winemakers good-naturedly branded him "The Rebel." That's
not to say he didn't learn a lot from the winemakers on the Rhein. Germany
is steeped
in wine making traditions, with over 12,000 wineries operating in the country.
He gained a fine reputation in Germany. First, the trade publication
The Wine Spectator noted that two wines from the 1986 vintage he'd made
on Long Island had been served at former President George Bush's 1988 inaugural
ball. Then in 1988, the winery where he worked, Weingut Georg Breuer, was
listed for the first time in the estate's 120-year history among Germany's
100 best wineries. Ray's ultimate triumph in Germany came when he was awarded
first prize at the German National Sweet Wine Championship for his 1989
Berg Rottland Trockenbeerenauslese, a wine made from raisined grapes.
Ray's passion and talent for wine making fills
each and every bottle. From Long Island to Germany and back to Washington
State, you can taste his
experiences and exceptional skill. Recently praised in the September 30th
issue of The Wine Spectator for his job well done at our winery, Ray continues
his tradition of "supreme elegance" at Kestrel.
New white wine blend with a different slinky "Platinum" blonde on each release's bottles. This wine possesses the brilliant spice of the Gew?rztraminer grape and the lingering perfume of the Viognier ...read more
From the winery: "Very dark purple-red color. Absolutely huge aromas and flavors of ripe blackberry and black sweet cherry fruits laced with generous vanilla, cedar and graham make up this wine's pre ...read more
From the winery: "The color is that of a dark rose or garnet possessing light color. The presentation is profound and penetrating. Flavors and aromas are honey, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries ...read more >>
From the winery: "Very dark purple-red color. The bouquet is of jammy blackberries, decadent ripe black sweet cherries, vanilla, barrel toast, graham. The flavors mirror that of the bouquet with addit ...read more
Wine Spectator 89 points: "A crisp, lively style of Viognier that has the requisite honeysuckle and pear aromas and flavors, finishing with a distinct lime note and zingy acidity. Drink now through 20 ...read more
From the winery: "Our trademark "black-hole" purple color is present. Rich aromas of ripe plums, blackberries, and black sweet cherries greet your senses immediately. The spice and perfume proffered b ...read more
From the winery: "Beautiful dark-red and purple color. The aromas and flavors are ripe blackberries, graham, ripe raspberries, vanilla and touch of bay leaf. The structure is well muscled with fine gr ...read more
Kestrel
wines are
the dream of John Walker, a Florida businessman and developer whose
visit to the
northwest a decade ago started his fascination with NW wines.
He has since acquired vineyards land, and in 1999, Kestrel released its first
wines.
Now producing 10,000 cases a year, 90% of Kestrel's wines are red- Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The winery also produces Chardonnay and
Viognier, and
a very limited amount of a Chardonnay ice wine. 
Kestrel's Winemaker Ray
Sandidge
