Vineyard
The Kestrel View Estate Vineyard is home to some of the oldest Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec vines in the state with plantings dating back to 1972. Located in Central Washington, Kestrel View Estate Vineyard capitalizes on the region’s exceptional growing conditions. Washington State’s northerly latitude averages 14.7 hours of sunlight per day, two hours more sunlight than California’s prime growing regions. This allows the wine grapes to fully ripen. Warm temperatures throughout the day and cool nights allow the fruit’s natural acids to remain high, creating richly flavored and well-balanced wines.
At the beginning of each year and continuing throughout the growing season, the plants are assessed on a block-by-block and sometimes vine-by-vine basis. Specific viticulture practices are utilized based upon the destination of the fruit and the desire of the purchaser. In some years a small percentage of the estate fruit will find its way to other wineries committed to excellence.
The care with which the grapes are grown and the knowledge of the people involved in that process are critical in the production of fine wines. Praise is often directed to the winemaker, but even the winemaker’s most ardent supporters are quick to point out that exquisite wines begin with exquisite fruit. This commitment and a meticulous attention to detail have resulted in a fine tradition of exceptional wines worth their weight in gold.
Kestrel View Estate Vineyard Technical Notes
Overlooking the Yakima Valley from 1200′ up the Rattlesnake Slope, the Kestrel View Estate Vineyard is regarded as one of the premier vineyard sites in Washington State. It consists of two 80-acre vineyard sites. The south block includes some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot vines in the State with plantings dating back to 1972. In 2003 Wine Enthusiast Magazine identified the “renowned vineyard, one of the ones to look out for in Washington.” The combination of glacial soils, rainfall averaging 6-9 inches and about 155 frost-free days each year are ideal for the cultivation of wine grapes.
| Vineyard Beginning | 1972. Wente Clone Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
| Plantings | 120+ acres planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay plantings are the Wente Clone, and are the oldest continually-producing Chardonnay vines in the State of Washington. |
| Soil Composition | The terroir consists primarily of basalt bedrock overlain by unconsolidated sediments deposited by glacial outburst floods overlain by windblown loess soils. Growing conditions are ideal, benefiting from the rain shadow effect of the Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges, soils derived from glacial sediments, and a warm, dry climate with abundant sunshine and cool nights due to high latitude and topography. Five distinct soil series are seen in the Kestrel Vineyards, with further subdivisions based on slope and degree of erosion of the original soil. |
| Irrigation | Exclusively drip irrigated from Roza irrigation district with deep well back-up. |
| Location | Kestrel View Estate Vineyards are located in the eastern part of the Yakima Valley. They are situated due south of Sagebrush ridge (a flexure on the larger Rattlesnake Ridge that forms the northern boundary of the Valley). |
| Acreage | Two blocks of approximately 80 acres each. |
| Elevation | Between 1150′ and 1280′. |
| Kestrel Terroir | A common thread is above average natural acidity, with beautiful tannin structure. The grapes from our old vines offer the ability to age wine and also a flavor profile beyond the typical fruit flavors that exudes an earthy mineral and spicy characteristic. Dark black fruit is common and a unique mint flavor profile is obvious. |
| Vineyard Beginning 1972. Wente Clone Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
| Location Kestrel View Estate Vineyards are located in the eastern part of the Yakima Valley. They are situated due south of Sagebrush ridge (a flexure on the larger Rattlesnake Ridge that forms the northern boundary of the Valley). |
| Plantings 120+ acres planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay plantings are the Wente Clone, and are the oldest continually-producing Chardonnay vines in the State of Washington. |
| Acreage Two blocks of approximately 80 acres each. |
| Soil Composition The terroir consists primarily of basalt bedrock overlain by unconsolidated sediments deposited by glacial outburst floods overlain by windblown loess soils. Growing conditions are ideal, benefiting from the rain shadow effect of the Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges, soils derived from glacial sediments, and a warm, dry climate with abundant sunshine and cool nights due to high latitude and topography. Five distinct soil series are seen in the Kestrel Vineyards, with further subdivisions based on slope and degree of erosion of the original soil. |
| Elevation Between 1150′ and 1280′. |
| Irrigation
Exclusively drip irrigated from Roza irrigation district with deep well back-up. |
| Kestrel Terroir A common thread is above average natural acidity, with beautiful tannin structure. The grapes from our old vines offer the ability to age wine and also a flavor profile beyond the typical fruit flavors that exudes an earthy mineral and spicy characteristic. Dark black fruit is common and a unique mint flavor profile is obvious. |
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www.kestrelwines.com