Kestrel Vintners

Specialties

Red Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Mourvedre and Sangiovese

White Wine: Old Vine Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Pinot Gris

We make a Bordeax style blend, «Raptor Red», our pinnacle wine, named for the Genus of our namesake the Kestrel Falcon

A Falcon Series red blend called «Tribute» named in honor of our founder John Walker.

Our Falcon series wines are the heart-​beat of our brand because these wines can be purchased at an everyday price-​point «We make wines for birthdays, anniversaries and Mondays.» says Flint Nelson.

We also produce a series we call the Artist’s Series; Lady in Red and Lady in White, both blends to appeal to all levels of consumers.

History

Established in 1995.

In 1995 John and Helen Walker were in Seattle, Washington on extended business. Having lived the majority of their lives in Florida, John and Helen had not had a lot of exposure to Washington State Wines. Lucky for us, John enjoyed and savored a glass of red wine that inspired him enough to conceptualize and create Kestrel Vintner’s.

Lover’s of food and wine, John and Helen were delighted with the Pacific Northwest’s abundant culinary scene and expressive wines. Washington’s Wine Industry, barely on the map in the world of wine, showed great promise to John. As a visionary, he could see a bright future for our region and decided that he must realize that potential by making wines that could reach everyone’s dinner table.

Shortly thereafter, John purchased our one hundred and sixty acre estate vineyard in the charming town of Prosser and the heart of Yakima Valley. The rest, as they say, is history.

Meet the Manager

Flint N.

Manager

If one is fortunate during their visit to Kestrel Winery they will have the opportunity to encounter one of Washington’s most highly acclaimed, yet humble winemakers; Flint Nelson.

Upon graduation and in the harvest of 1991, Flint’s studied under Joy Anderson at Columbia Crest for his first internship. Consecutively, Flint worked a harvest in New Zealand. Both experiences cemented his love for crafting wine, grape growing and especially harvest. In Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Flint spent most of his time in the vineyard, picking grapes, enjoying the friendly culture and unique terroir and enjoying the fruits of his labors. It was in New Zealand that Flint first found an appreciation of Sauvignon Blanc.

Flint joined Kestrel in 2004. Flint’s diverse background paved the way for Kestrel to have one of the best and most revered winemaker’s in the Washington State Wine Industry. Flint gave Kestrel the extra boost to realize the true potential of John Walker’s dream.