In an industry overflowing with snobs with big names plastered over millions of bottles filled with little more than aged ego and fermented grapes was not the future Ray Walsh had assumed for himself. Wine wasn't on his mind as a young man trudging through the wet vineyards surrounding his home in Auckland, New Zealand.
Ray realized early the need for adventure, hitching his way across Europe. Ray stumbled upon his forte among the jovial locals celebrating the wine harvest in a small German village along the tranquil bends of the Moselle River.
With the promise of a full day's work, Ray was welcomed with a place to sleep, food to eat and plenty of wine to drink. After a night of indulgence, food and cheer, a day repaying the friendly hosts was imminent. The pain in his head from a night filled with drink was dulled when he found himself drawn into the musty smells of turned earth and ripe riesling.
Ray continued his study of enology back home in New Zealand. And before long, Ray was creating wine for Villa Maria then Cooper's Creek, honing his artistic talents into a marketable commodity among two of the country's leading producers.
Then, in 1999, Ray was named Winemaker for King Estate! But while successful professionally, his son Desmond wasn't getting as much Dad-time as Ray wanted.
Since 2003, Ray and Desmond are partners in the latest family adventure, Capitello Wines. Between French emersion classes for Desmond and summers in New Zealand surfing, bungee-jumping, sky and scuba diving, they have found time to create some of the best wines in Oregon.