Winery - Kestrel
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
There is just 9% Cabernet in the blend. Smooth and light, with lean flavors showing herb and bark. The tannins have a green edge to them, and perhaps as a result, the vanilla flavors seem to stick out rather awkwardly.
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Kestrel Merlot - 2004
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
“Old Vine” is not a phrase that crops up on many Washington wine labels, but here it is meaningful. The vineyard was planted in 1972; these are among the most venerable Merlot plantings in the state. Thick, rich red and black fruits are nicely set off in a spicy, toasty, seamless, palate-coating wine with rare complexity. Editors’ Choice.
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Kestrel Merlot - 1998
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Good, solid, chunky aromas of berry and chocolate lead into ripe, spicy raspberry and cherry fruit. The wine is loaded with creamy, milk chocolaty oak. Smooth and broad, it coats the palate. Though not a deep or textured effort, the fruit and smooth mouthfeel make for plenty of near-term enjoyment. There is just enough weight to give the impression of extra ripeness, a plus in this price range.
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Kestrel Merlot - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Planted in 1999, the estate Viognier is ripening well, and Kestrel doesn’t hold back on the winemaking. Barrel fermented and left sur lie for nine months, this is exceptionally rich and buttery. It skates along the edge of volatility, but the intense flavors of lemon, lime, pineapple and tropical fruits make this irresistible.
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Kestrel Viognier - 2004
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Bright yellow-gold in color, this sends out penetrating aromas of pineapple, banana and tropical fruit. From a 35-year-old vineyard, this is a rare example of full-flavored, fully mature Wente clone Chardonnay from the early days of Washington viticulture. Though the winery struggled with this wine in earlier vintages, it is now dialing in what these old grapes have to offer. Broad, fleshy flavors are mitigated with firm acids, and nice grace notes fill out the finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
These vines, planted in 1972, are among the oldest Merlot in the state, if not the country. It’s a pleasure to see the fruit treated so well, unblended, pure and presented in its full glory. Dark, smoky, tight, herbal and quite dense, this offers great concentration and intriguing grace notes of mint, citrus and pine. It’s not your standard Merlot by any means, but it is solid, interesting and quite flavorful, with good legs.
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Kestrel Merlot - 2003
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Though I was not partial to the winery’s 2002 Cab, this new vintage is moving in the right direction. It’s still a very dry, austere, somewhat chalky enterprise, and the color and mouthfeel suggest that a little less extraction might bring out more of the elegance that is missing. But it is a firm, authoritative Cabernet, with just a splash of Malbec, that offers up everything from violets to black currant, dusted with dried herb.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Tart and disjointed, this wine attempts to marry rather thin, acidic fruit with fat, buttery oak, but it doesn’t come together. Either ramp up the ripeness or make a leaner, less extracted and tannic wine. As it stands, it’s a bit schizophrenic.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Opening aromas are a bit reductive, with some hints of tar and rubber, but underneath is firm, well-rounded fruit. This is 100% Sangio, rather heavily extracted and hence tannic, with some of the acid knocked down but the distinctive subtlety of the grape not in evidence. It comes across as a sort of younger sibling to Lemberger.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
It’s easy to see why the Lady In Red series has been successful. Beyond the sexy label, the wine is an easy drinker. It has forward berry fruits, round and full enough to almost mask the greenish tannins. There is a slight impression of bitterness in the finish.
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Kestrel Red Blend - NV
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