Along The Wine Road - Prosser’s New Desert Wind Winery Offers It All

Along The Wine Road

Located just off of Wine Country Road in Prosser, the new Desert Wind Winery offers visitors much more than a taste of their award winning wines. This two story, 34,515 square foot mega winery is bringing wine country visitors and residents the opportunity to dine, stay and celebrate in an atmosphere that is truly representative of wine country.

The early pueblo style facility houses a 2,200 square foot tasting room with French doors leading to a 6,000 square foot stone patio. Just inside the Patio is a 3,200 square foot banquet room perfect for public and private parties. Guests can flow onto the patio for receptions taking in the view of the Yakima River and breathtaking wine country sunsets.

The banquet facilities will be available for a variety of private events but the winery is definitely catering to weddings. Located upstairs are four beautifully and individually decorated guest rooms, one of which is a 1,200 square foot bridal suite. There are also bridal party changing rooms upstairs with floor to floor mirrors and a dressing pedestal.

Next to the tasting room is a commercial kitchen and dining room that will be soon be home to a plethora of dining options. Currently the dining room is open for lunch Thursday through Sunday. As time goes on, patronage increases and the kitchen is fully staffed, The Restaurant at Desert Wind will be open for dinner as well. They will also be using the commercial to cater the private events and special winemaker dinners. One of the first of these events will be as part of this year's Wine Country Celebration on Friday, June 22nd and will be co-hosted by their Prosser winery neighbors, Kestrel Vintners and Thurston Wolfe.

So, who is behind the Desert Wind name and winery? In case you haven’t heard, it’s the family owners of Duck Pond Cellars in Dundee Oregon. Doug and Jo Ann Fries manage the vineyards while their son Greg serves as Winemaker. Daughter and son-in-law Lisa and Scott Jenkins are managing the sales and marketing of the winery.

A few local wine country personalities have also stepped up to join the Desert Wind team including Carlos Trevino formerly of Hogue Cellars who is managing the facility and Becky Waggoner who hails all the way from Walla Walla and Dunham Cellars. To learn all about Desert Wind’s culinary leadership by Chef Gene Soto, read on to discover his style and intention for The Restaurant at Desert Wind.

For more information, visit www.desertwindwinery.com.

From Juice, The latest on Washington Wine Country, May 2007

Comments

No Comments