MikeL's Guide to WA Wineries
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Vineyards: 171 acres plus 20 acres landscaped with the winery buildings, park, and owners homes.
History:
In 1972, Bill Preston, a Kennewick farm equipment dealer (died Jul-2001), and his wife Joann made their first vineyard plantings on 50 of their 200 acres. Half of these plantings were destroyed the following winter, and again the winter of 1978-1979 inflicted considerable damage to the vineyard. The winery was built in 1976. The vineyards were expanded to the current 171 acres in 1979.
Their first winemaker was Darrel Delevan (U.C Davis grad 1975), who returned to CA before completing the 1976 releases. The wines were finished by another young U.C. Davis graduate named Rob Griffin who came from Buena Vista Winery in CA, where he'd worked under Richard Williams with Andre Tchelistcheff. For a time, this was the second largest capacity winery in WA state (only Chateau Ste. Michelle was larger). Thomas Sans Souci was hired as assistant winemaker in 1980, and took over as winemaker in 1984. Wayne Marcil took the job as winemaker in 1988 after leaving Covey Run.
In 199(4?) son Brent took over the reigns with sister Cathy Preston-Mouncer as co-owner, and incorporated as Preston Family, Inc. and changed the winery name from Preston Wine Cellars to Preston Premium Wines.
Second label: Columbia River Cellars
Sources:
[Nw-Meredith]
[AWN-Clark]
[NwWG-Hill]
[WTl-Stockley]
[TRS-Stockley]
[TW-Purser]
[the winery]
The Wines: (Spring 1996)
Preston makes a lot of wines -- suffice it to say they have a wine for every taste, from dry to sweet. Visit their website (click on link near top of page) for more details.
Winemakers:
Brent Preston and Del Long
Darrel Delevan 1976
Rob Griffin 1976-?
Thomas Sans Souci 1984-1988
Wayne Marcil 1988-?
Brent Preston 199?-present
Of special note:
They have a complete park with ampitheater, koi pond and gazebo where they host many events, including Red Wine and Chocolate (14-Feb-1999).
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