Name: Kevin Correll
Location: Woodinville
Winery: Barrage Cellars
How long have you been at this: The winery was launched in 2005
Winemaker Kevin Correll of Barrage Cellars
1. Who or what inspired you to become a winemaker?
A bottle of 1982 Mouton Rothschild. Every winemaker that is not born into a winery has an “Ah Ha” bottle that changes the way they think of wine. Also decided to follow the advice I gave my daughter when she was trying to figure out what to do in life, “Do what you have a passion to do, otherwise it’s just a job that you will dread.”
2. If you weren’t working with wine what do you think you’d be doing instead?
Brewing Beer or Distilling Booze.
3. What current wine trend do you particularly like (or dislike)?
Keg Wine, guess if I like or dislike it.
4. What is your go-to wine (varietal, region) – other than Washington, of course!
This one is tough because it differs on my mood. But being born in Sonoma County I’m going to go to my fall back, Sonoma County Zin.
5. What’s your favorite wine and food pairing?
No rules whatever sounds good at the time.
6. What advice can you offer to a first time wine drinker?
Don’t be intimated by rules or scores drink what is good to you, that is the best wine for you, but try new things.
7. “I want to own a winery and make wine.” – Any Advice?
The simple answer is don’t do it if you think you are going to make a bunch of money, you have to have a huge passion for it and not be afraid to work harder than you ever have before.
8. If you could make wine with any winemaker in the world, who would it be?
Not sure, someone that likes to break the traditional rules. I love Italy, somewhere in Tuscany, Piedmont or Venetto with an Italian that could break tradition.
9. What do you like to do when you are not making wine?
Trying to figure out how to sell it. Okay, seriously, probably traveling
10.What charitable organization pulls at your heartstrings?
Children’s Hospital, Fred Hutch, Humane Society
11. What do you think Washington wines will be known for in 25 years, as compared to now?
I Think we will still be known for what we are today, not following trends and high quality for a great value
12. Who in the wine industry do you think we should be watching?
This is cliche but Washington
13. Winery pet and name?
This is tough we lost the most awesome winery dog last summer, Murphy, a chocolate lab and we have hard a hard time deciding to get another dog because there is no replacing him.
14. What’s something about you or your winery that few people know?
Lot people know I came from a family that raised and raced Thouroghbred horses but not too many know that I also had a Trainers license and had a pretty successful stable of horses at Longacres before I started working at Boeing.
15. What is the strangest place you’ve served your wine?
Nothing too weird, now I have a quest.
16. Describe your wine in 5 words or less.
100% Varietals
