Betz Family Winery

Betz Family Winery was established in 1997 by Bob and Cathy Betz while Bob was still employed at Chateau Ste. Michelle, where he had joined in 1975 and would retire in 2003 after 28 years as Vice President of Winemaking Research. The first vintage comprised just 150 cases, produced in the Woodinville warehouse district with the help of volunteer friends. For the next several years the Betzes operated from rented warehouse space while Bob continued his full-time role at Ste. Michelle. In 2005, the couple completed a purpose-built, state-of-the-art winery in Woodinville. In 2011, Bob and Cathy sold the winery to Steve and Bridgit Griessel, with Bob remaining on as winemaker. Bob stepped back to a consulting role around 2016 when Louis Skinner was promoted to head winemaker. In May 2024, Seattle-based Ackley Brands acquired the winery from the Griessels, retaining both Skinner and Betz in their respective roles.

• 1975: Bob Betz joins Chateau Ste. Michelle; appointed VP of Winemaking Research in 1984; retires 2003 after 28 years
• 1997: First vintage of 150 cases produced in Woodinville warehouse district; 1998: Bob earns Master of Wine
• 2005: Purpose-built winery completed in Woodinville in time for harvest
• 2011: Winery sold to Steve and Bridgit Griessel; 2024: Ackley Brands acquires Betz Family Winery (finalized May 10, 2024)

Betz Family Winery's approach is rooted in terroir-first sourcing and a commitment to crafting wines that are both approachable and genuinely age-worthy. The winery collaborates closely with growers, designating and co-farming specific vineyard rows to maintain control from vine to bottle. All fruit is sourced from Washington's Columbia Valley, drawing on sub-AVAs including Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain, and Horse Heaven Hills. The portfolio is split between Bordeaux-style blends anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and single-vineyard Syrahs that reflect the distinct character of individual sites. Current winemaker Louis Skinner, with Bob Betz as consulting winemaker, continues the winery's focus on balance between tannin, acidity, and fruit.

• All fruit sourced from Columbia Valley sub-AVAs: Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain, and Horse Heaven Hills
• Co-farming model: Betz designates and farms specific vineyard rows with partner growers including Boushey, Klipsun, Red Willow, and DuBrul vineyards
• Portfolio spans Bordeaux-style blends (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot dominant) and single-vineyard Rhône-style Syrahs
• Winemaking emphasis on balance of tannin, acid, and fruit with vineyard precision and minimal intervention

The Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon is the winery's flagship, representing the house pursuit of quintessential Washington Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from vineyards across the Columbia Valley. Clos de Betz is the Merlot-based blend, its name inspired by the Burgundian vineyard Clos de Bèze, which Bob and Cathy visited in 1973. The Syrah program includes La Côte Patriarche, sourced from the original 1986 Syrah planting at Red Willow Vineyard (Washington's first Syrah block), and La Serenne, crafted from Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Le Parrain is a Cabernet Sauvignon that earned 99 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate for the 2012 vintage. The winery also produces Rhône-style blends including Besoleil, a Grenache-based red.

• Père de Famille: flagship Cabernet Sauvignon sourced across Columbia Valley; 2005 vintage named Washington #1 Wine of the Year by Seattle Times (Paul Gregutt, 2008)
• Clos de Betz: Merlot-based blend; name inspired by Burgundy's Clos de Bèze; first vintage 1998
• La Côte Patriarche: single-vineyard Syrah from Red Willow Vineyard, sourced from Washington's original 1986 Syrah planting
• 2012 Le Parrain: 99 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate; 2010 Père de Famille ranked #6 in Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Cellar Selections

Betz Family Winery produces approximately 2,500 cases of wine per year, making it one of Washington's most sought-after boutique producers. The winery operates exclusively on a direct-to-consumer allocation model, with members receiving limited release offerings two to three times annually. The winery does not operate a public tasting room and functions strictly as a production facility, open only for limited by-appointment experiences when production activities allow. The Woodinville facility, completed for the 2005 harvest, houses two barrel rooms (a first-year and second-year cellar) as well as a bottle storage room, with all construction in metal and concrete for optimal sanitation.

• Production: approximately 2,500 cases per year; member allocation releases offered 2–3 times annually
• No public tasting room; strictly a production facility with limited by-appointment access
• Woodinville facility completed 2005: two barrel rooms, bottle storage, all-concrete and metal cellar construction
• Sister brand SUNU (Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) acquired alongside Betz by Ackley Brands in 2024

Bob Betz is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Washington wine history. During his 28-year tenure at Chateau Ste. Michelle, he championed the state's wines on national and international stages, helped broker the Col Solare partnership with Italy's Marchesi Antinori, and attracted other European luminaries such as Dr. Ernst Loosen to the region. Through Betz Family Winery, he demonstrated that boutique Washington producers could command critical acclaim and cult followings on par with the finest American labels. His work with Red Willow Vineyard helped establish Syrah as a serious variety in Washington, and his meticulous vineyard-specific sourcing helped elevate viticulture standards statewide.

• Instrumental in Col Solare partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Marchesi Antinori, begun in 1992 and producing wine by 1995
• Pioneered vineyard-specific sourcing and co-farming practices that raised viticultural standards across Washington
• Helped establish Washington Syrah's identity through work with the original 1986 Red Willow Vineyard Syrah planting
• Recognized by the Washington Wine Commission as one of 25 industry groundbreakers (2012) and received the Walter Clore Honorarium (2014)

Bob Betz and Betz Family Winery have accumulated an exceptional record of critical and industry recognition. In 1998, Bob earned the Master of Wine degree from London's Institute of Masters of Wine, receiving the Robert Mondavi Award for the highest scores in all theory exams and the Villa Maria Award for the highest scores in the viticultural exam. In 2007, Sunset Magazine named him Winemaker of the Year. In 2012, the Washington Wine Commission recognized him as one of 25 industry groundbreakers, and in 2014 he received the Walter Clore Honorarium, the state's top wine award. In 2017, the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers presented him with the inaugural Grand Vin Award. The wines themselves have earned sustained critical acclaim, capped by the 99-point 2012 Le Parrain from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

• 1998: Master of Wine; Robert Mondavi Award (theory) and Villa Maria Award (viticulture) from the Institute of Masters of Wine, London
• 2007: Sunset Magazine Winemaker of the Year; 2008: 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon named Washington #1 Wine of the Year by Seattle Times
• 2012: Washington Wine Commission Industry Groundbreaker; 2014: Walter Clore Honorarium (Washington's top wine award)
• 2017: First-ever Grand Vin Award from the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers; 2014: 2012 Le Parrain 99 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate