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Barbara Lee Westbrook Krause |
Burton Lingo Westbrook |
Our History...
Ray Krause started hauling hoses in the cellars of Fresno's Roma Winery as "Fermentation Control Specialist" in 1964. It was the year after his enrollment in the Oenology degree program at Fresno State College(now CSUF) which was facilitated by a scholarship from the original San Joaquin Valley Wine Growers Association. After completing his studies and a three year tour with the U.S. Army Air Defense Command, Ray relocated to the Santa Clara Valley where he performed the duties of Hospitality Director and, eventually, National Sales Manager for the Mirassou family winery. Striking out on his own in 1975, he formed several product specific wine production and marketing entities which culminated in his ownership of the Farview Farm Vineyard Winery in Templeton, California and a wine specialty store, Grape and Grain in Fresno.
Ray and Tammy
Ray's passion for "growing" wine was realized with his 1994 purchase of the forty- acre "Paint Horse Ranch" along Fine Gold Creek in the historic Sierra gold mining hamlet of O'Neals. The dream became a reality (Fait Accompli) in 1999 when the first grapes from the carefully orchestrated three year old red Bordeaux varietal vineyard were harvested. The following year Tammy became co-winemaker and the year after that, Mrs. Krause. Tammy shares in all vineyard and winery responsibilities except the operation of their recalcitrant fifty-five year old Ford 8N tractor. With her organoleptic prowess, she is particularly valuable in wine blending and bottling decisions at Westbrook Wine Farm. She frequently judges at the prestigious Orange County Fair Wine Competition. Ray and Tammy have but two goals; to achieve a life in balance and to make wine which is at least as good as the best in the world.
James Edward Oglethorpe & Westbrook Place, Godalming
The Manor of Westbrook
In July 1688, Sir Theophilus Oglethorpe purchased the Manors of Westbrooke and Binscombe, and the house known as Westbrooke Place. James Edward Oglethorpe was born in 1696. Oglethorpe as a horticulturalist. Oglethorpe built a massive wall up the terraced hill on his property and planted a great vineyard along it. The warm spell of weather in 1730 coincided with the installation of the vineyard at Westbrook, and it is on record that the vineyard flourished for some years, yielding a plentiful supply of grapes, sufficient for wine-making. A visit by Dr. Richard Pococke in November 1754 found at 'General Oglethorpe's there is a vineyard, out of which they make a wine like RHENISH
Reference:
http://www.godalming-museum.org.uk